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Multi‐echo susceptibility‐weighted imaging and histology of open‐field blast‐induced traumatic brain injury in a rat model
Author(s) -
Verma Sanjay Kumar,
Kan Enci Mary,
Lu Jia,
Ng Kian Chye,
Ling Eng Ang,
Seramani Sankar,
Kn Bhanu Prakash,
Wong Yong Chiat,
Tan Mui Hong,
Velan S. Sendhil
Publication year - 2015
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.3351
Subject(s) - blast injury , susceptibility weighted imaging , medicine , traumatic brain injury , ischemia , cerebral blood flow , pathology , histology , magnetic resonance imaging , radiology , poison control , environmental health , psychiatry
Blast‐induced traumatic brain injury is on the rise, predominantly as a result of the use of improvised explosive devices, resulting in undesirable neuropsychological dysfunctions, as demonstrated in both animals and humans. This study investigated the effect of open‐field blast injury on the rat brain using multi‐echo, susceptibility‐weighted imaging (SWI). Multi‐echo SWI provided phase maps with better signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) and contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR), making it a sensitive technique for brain injury. Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were subjected to a survivable blast of 180 kPa. The visibility of blood vessels of varying sizes improved with multi‐echo SWI. Reduced signal intensity from major vessels post‐blast indicates increased deoxyhaemoglobin. Relative cerebral blood flow was computed from filtered phase SWI images using inferred changes in oxygen saturation from major blood vessels. Cerebral blood flow decreased significantly at day 3 and day 5 post‐blast compared with that pre‐blast. This was substantiated by the upregulation of β‐amyloid precursor protein (β‐APP), a marker of ischaemia, in the neuronal perikaya of the cerebral cortex, as observed by immunofluorescence, and in the cortical tissue by western blot analysis. Our findings indicate the presence of brain ischaemia in post‐blast acute phase of injury with possible recovery subsequently. Our results from cerebrovascular imaging, histology and staining provide an insight into the ischaemic state of the brain post‐blast and may be useful for prognosis and outcome. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.