In utero localized diffusion MRI of the embryonic mouse brain microstructure and injury. Issue 3 (24th December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Dan; Lei, Jun; Rosenzweig, Jason M.; Burd, Irina; Zhang, Jiangyang
• Is Part Of: Journal of magnetic resonance imaging. Volume 42:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 717
• Page End: 728
• Publication Date: 2014-12-24
• Subjects: Magnetic resonance imaging -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.24828
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1053-1807

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jmri24828-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Purpose</title> <p>To develop an in vivo diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) technique to study embryonic mouse brain structure and injury.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmri24828-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Materials and Methods</title> <p>Pregnant CD‐1 mice were examined on embryonic day 17 on an 11.7T scanner. Spatially selective excitation pulses were used to achieve localized imaging of individual mouse brains, in combination with a 3D fast imaging sequence to acquire dMRI at 0.16–0.2 mm isotropic resolution. Subject motions were corrected by navigator echoes and image registration. Further acceleration was achieved by simultaneous imaging of two embryos in an interleaved fashion. We applied this technique to detect embryonic brain injury in a mouse model of intrauterine inflammation.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmri24828-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>With the localized imaging technique, we achieved in utero high‐resolution <italic>T</italic><sub>2</sub>‐weighted and dMRI of the embryonic mouse brain for the first time. Early embryonic brain structures were delineated from diffusion tensor images, and major white matter tracts were reconstructed in 3D. Comparison with ex vivo data showed significant changes in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), but mostly unchanged fractional anisotropy. In the inflammation‐affected embryonic brains, ADC in the cortical regions was reduced at 6 hours after the injury, potentially caused by cellular edema.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmri24828-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>The feasibility of in utero dMRI of embryonic mouse brains was demonstrated. The technique is important for noninvasive monitoring of embryonic mouse brain microstructure and injury. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:717–728.</p> </sec> </abstract>