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Blood–spinal cord barrier permeability in experimental spinal cord injury: dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI
Author(s) -
Cohen David M.,
Patel Chirag B.,
AhobilaVajjula Pallavi,
Sundberg Laura M.,
Chacko Tessy,
Liu ShiJie,
Narayana Ponnada A.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
nmr in biomedicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.278
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1099-1492
pISSN - 0952-3480
DOI - 10.1002/nbm.1343
Subject(s) - spinal cord injury , spinal cord , magnetic resonance imaging , cord , medicine , pathology , anatomy , radiology , surgery , psychiatry
After a primary traumatic injury, spinal cord tissue undergoes a series of pathobiological changes, including compromised blood–spinal cord barrier (BSCB) integrity. These vascular changes occur over both time and space. In an experimental model of spinal cord injury (SCI), longitudinal dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI) studies were performed up to 56 days after SCI to quantify spatial and temporal changes in the BSCB permeability in tissue that did not show any visible enhancement on the post‐contrast MRI (non‐enhancing tissue). DCE‐MRI data were analyzed using a two‐compartment pharmacokinetic model. These studies demonstrate gradual restoration of BSCB with post‐SCI time. However, on the basis of DCE‐MRI, and confirmed by immunohistochemistry, the BSCB remained compromised even at 56 days after SCI. In addition, open‐field locomotion was evaluated using the 21‐point Basso–Beattie–Bresnahan scale. A significant correlation between decreased BSCB permeability and improved locomotor recovery was observed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.