Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 11, 2026
Early Pathological and Magnetic Resonance Detection of Cerebral Injury Using a Rat Model of Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
Published on: October 28, 2022
Oxygen-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the brain: a rodent model
Yingwei Wu1, Xin Gao, Xiaoyuan Feng
1Department of Radiology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Oxygen-enhanced MRI has been shown to be a viable alternative to hyperpolarized gases for pulmonary imaging. The changes in the relaxation times due to hyperoxic conditions in the blood pool induced by inhalation of pure oxygen have produced sufficient signal changes for imaging applications. This is a safe and low-cost alternative for contrast-enhanced imaging. The application of oxygen-enhanced MRI in brain imaging has been much less studied. In this study, we investigated the changes in the relaxation times in the brain due to inhalation of pure oxygen in a rodent model. We also assessed the effects of reduced blood flow due to hyperoxic conditions. Despite the reduced blood flow, significant changes in T1, T2, and T2* relaxation times were detected. We conclude that oxygen-enhanced MRI can be used in rodent models of disease.
