Rapid Monitoring of Diffusion, DC Potential, and Blood Oxygenation Changes During Global Ischemia

Abstract

Background and Purpose —The increasing interest in diffusion-weighted MRI (MRI) for diagnosis and monitoring of acute stroke in humans calls for a sound understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this image contrast in acute cerebral ischemia. The present study aimed to show that a rapid decrease in brain-water apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) occurs coincident with anoxic depolarization and that this change is delayed by hyperglycemia and sodium channel blockade but accelerated by hypoglycemia. Methods —Rats were divided into groups: normoglycemic, hypoglycemic, and hyperglycemic, and those given local tetrodotoxin (TTX) application. Cardiac arrest was effected by intravenous KCl injection during serial high-speed diffusion and blood oxygenation–sensitive gradient-recalled echo MRI. Brain DC potential was recorded simultaneously. Serial ADC maps were calculated from the diffusion-weighted data and fitted to a model function to measure the delay between cardiac arrest and rapid ADC decrease. Results —The time of anoxic depolarization indicated by DC change agreed well with the rapid drop in ADC in all groups; both were accelerated with hypoglycemia and delayed by hyperglycemia. A more gradual ADC decline occurred before anoxic depolarization, which was more pronounced in hyperglycemic animals and less pronounced in hypoglycemic animals. Rapid drop in ADC was also delayed by local TTX application. Changes in gradient-recalled echo image intensity were not significantly different among groups. Conclusions —While much of the ADC decrease in ischemia occurs during anoxic depolarization, significant but gradual ADC changes occur earlier that may not be due to a massive loss in ion homeostasis.