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Imaging inflammation: Direct visualization of perivascular cuffing in EAE by magnetic resonance microscopy
Author(s) -
Gareau Paula J.,
Wymore Allison C.,
Cofer Gary P.,
Johnson G. Allan
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.10136
Subject(s) - pathology , magnetic resonance imaging , perivascular space , multiple sclerosis , encephalomyelitis , neuroinflammation , magnetic resonance microscopy , inflammation , microscopy , infiltration (hvac) , medicine , materials science , radiology , spin echo , immunology , disease , composite material
Purpose To determine if the architectural features revealed by magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) allow one to detect microscopic abnormalities associated with neuroinflammation in fixed brain sections from animals with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). Materials and Methods Imaging was performed at the Center for In Vivo Microscopy (CIVM) using a 9.4‐Tesla, 89‐mm bore, superconducting magnet with actively shielded gradients capable of 850 mT/m. A number of MR contrasts and spatial resolutions were explored. Results The assessment of EAE brain showed that it is possible to visualize perivascular cuffing in vitro by MRM on three‐dimensional T1 proton stains. Conclusion Inflammatory cell infiltration is a prerequisite for the development of lesions in EAE and MS. Thus, the ability to directly detect individual perivascular cuffs of inflammation may provide a useful means of monitoring the time course of inflammatory events, as conventional histopathological scoring of perivascular cuffs is utilized, but in the absence of sectioning and staining. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2002;16:28–36. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.