This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Liu, K.-F. Articles by Fenstermacher, J. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Liu, K.-F. Articles by Fenstermacher, J. D. Related Collections Pediatric and congenital heart disease, including cardiovascular surgery Computerized tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

(Stroke. 2001;32:1897.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Contributions

Regional Variations in the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and the Intracellular Distribution of Water in Rat Brain During Acute Focal Ischemia

Kai-Feng Liu, MD; Fuhai Li, MD; Turgut Tatlisumak, MD; Julio H. Garcia, MD; Christopher H. Sotak, PhD; Marc Fisher, MD Joseph D. Fenstermacher, PhD

From the Departments of Pathology (Neuropathology) (K.-F.L., J.H.G) and Anesthesiology (J.D.F), Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Mich; Departments of Neurology (F.L., T.T., M.F.) and Radiology (C.H.S., M.F.), University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Care Center and Medical School (Worcester); Departments of Biomedical Engineering and of Chemistry and Biochemistry (C.H.S.), Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass; and Department of Neurology (T.T.), Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.

Correspondence to Dr J.D. Fenstermacher, Department of Anesthesiology, Henry Ford Hospital, 2799 West Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI. 48202-2689. E-mail anjdf{at}neuro.hfh.edu

Background and Purpose—— The apparent diffusion coefficient of water (ADC) rapidly drops in ischemic tissue after cerebral artery occlusion. This acute drop is thought to be caused by the loss of extracellular fluid and the gain of intracellular fluid. To test the latter possibility, changes in ADC and the size of several cellular compartments were assessed in 3 regions of rat brain at the end of 90 minutes of focal cerebral ischemia.

Methods—— One middle cerebral artery was permanently occluded in 8 Sprague-Dawley rats; sham occlusions were performed in 2 other rats. ADC maps were generated 90 minutes later, and the brains were immediately perfusion fixed. Three regions of interest (ROIs) were defined on the basis of ADC range. Various neuronal, astrocytic, and capillary compartments in each ROI were quantified with light and electron microscopy.

Results—— At the end of 90 minutes of ischemia, mean ADC was normal in the cortex of sham-operated rats and the contralateral cortex of ischemic rats (ROI-a), 25% lower in the ipsilateral frontoparietal cortex (ROI-b), and 45% lower in the ischemic lateral caudoputamen (ROI-c). At this time, the frequency of swollen astrocytic cell bodies and volume of swollen dendrites and astrocytic processes in neuropil were ROI-a<ROI-b<ROI-c. In ROI-b and ROI-c, 40% and 60% of the neurons, respectively, were shrunken; the shrunken neurons were 25% smaller in ROI-c than in ROI-b. In these areas, many capillary endothelial cells, pericytes, and perivascular foot processes were swollen.

Conclusions—— The initial lowering of ADC during focal ischemia probably is the result of not only the acute loss of extracellular fluid and concomitant swelling of various cellular compartments but also concurrent neuronal shrinkage.

Key Words: brain edema • cerebral ischemia • MRI • rats

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. N. Nagaraja, K. Karki, J. R. Ewing, R. L. Croxen, and R. A. Knight Identification of Variations in Blood-Brain Barrier Opening After Cerebral Ischemia by Dual Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and T1sat Measurements Stroke, February 1, 2008; 39(2): 427 - 432. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Brillault, T. I. Lam, J. M. Rutkowsky, S. Foroutan, and M. E. O'Donnell Hypoxia effects on cell volume and ion uptake of cerebral microvascular endothelial cells Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, January 1, 2008; 294(1): C88 - C96. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Rojas, A. Martin, C. Justicia, C. Falcon, N. Bargallo, A. Chamorro, and A. M. Planas Modest MRI Signal Intensity Changes Precede Delayed Cortical Necrosis After Transient Focal Ischemia in the Rat Stroke, June 1, 2006; 37(6): 1525 - 1532. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Jacobs, E. H. Herskovits, and H. S. Kim Uterine Fibroids: Diffusion-weighted MR Imaging for Monitoring Therapy with Focused Ultrasound Surgery--Preliminary Study Radiology, July 1, 2005; 236(1): 196 - 203. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. E. Haskew-Layton, A. A. Mongin, and H. K. Kimelberg Hydrogen Peroxide Potentiates Volume-sensitive Excitatory Amino Acid Release via a Mechanism Involving Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II J. Biol. Chem., February 4, 2005; 280(5): 3548 - 3554. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. I. Lam, S. E. Anderson, N. Glaser, and M. E. O'Donnell Bumetanide Reduces Cerebral Edema Formation in Rats With Diabetic Ketoacidosis Diabetes, February 1, 2005; 54(2): 510 - 516. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. T. Carmichael and M.-F. Chesselet Synchronous Neuronal Activity Is a Signal for Axonal Sprouting after Cortical Lesions in the Adult J. Neurosci., July 15, 2002; 22(14): 6062 - 6070. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Li, K.-F. Liu, M. D. Silva, X. Meng, T. Gerriets, K. G. Helmer, J. D. Fenstermacher, C. H. Sotak, and M. Fisher Acute Postischemic Renormalization of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient of Water is not Associated with Reversal of Astrocytic Swelling and Neuronal Shrinkage in Rats AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., February 1, 2002; 23(2): 180 - 188. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Fiehler, M. Foth, T. Kucinski, R. Knab, M. von Bezold, C. Weiller, H. Zeumer, and J. Rother Severe ADC Decreases Do Not Predict Irreversible Tissue Damage In Humans Stroke, January 1, 2002; 33(1): 79 - 86. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]