Sevoflurane and nitrous oxide increase regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) in a drug-specific manner in human volunteers

Anesthesia for diagnostic procedures, e.g., MRI measurements, has increasingly used sevoflurane and nitrous oxide in recent years. Sevoflurane and nitrous oxide are known cerebrovasodilatators, however, which potentially interferes with MRI examination of cerebral hemodynamics. To compare the effects of relevant equianesthetic concentrations (0.4 MAC) of both drugs on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) we used contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) perfusion measurement, which has the advantage of providing regional anatomic resolution.

Sevoflurane increased rCBF more than did nitrous oxide in all regions except in parietal and frontal gray matter. Nitrous oxide, by contrast, increased rCBV in most of the gray matter regions more than did sevoflurane. In summary we show that, in contrast to nitrous oxide, sevoflurane supratentorially reversed the anterior-posterior gradient in rCBF and typically redistributed rCBF to infratentorial gray matter. In contrast, nitrous oxide increased rCBV more than did sevoflurane. Both inhalational anesthetics had a drug-specific influence on cerebral hemodynamics, which is of importance when interpreting MRI studies of cerebral hemodynamics in anesthetized patients.     

Age dependency of the regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) measured with dynamic susceptibility contrast MR imaging (DSC)

The changes of the regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) with age were studied using dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI (DSC). We examined an unselected, random sample of 71 consecutive patients referred for work-up of suspected intracranial tumors (35 normal examinations, 36 tumors) with a standard 1.5 T clinical MR system. Determination of the rCBV was performed with a T₂¹-weighted simultaneous dual (SD) FLASH sequence (TR/TE1/TE2/α = 32/25/16/10°, 55 images) after bolus injection of Gd-DTPA. Absolute quantification of the rCBV was achieved by normalizing the measured tissue concentration-time curves with the integrated arterial input function (AIF), which was simultaneously measured in the brain feeding arteries. The rCBV (mean ± SD) was 8.4 ± 2.9 ml/100 g and 4.2 ± 1.7 ml/100 g in gray and white matter, respectively, with a decline of about 3% and 6% per decade for white and gray matter, respectively. We conclude that DSC using a SD FLASH sequence allows the simultaneous measurement of the AIF and the tissue concentration-time curve and thus an absolute quantification of the rCBV, which is the basis for interperson comparisons and follow-up studies.     

Conventional MR imaging with simultaneous measurements of cerebral blood volume and vascular permeability in ganglioglioma

The conventional MR imaging appearance of gangliogliomas is often variable and nonspecific. Conventional MR images, relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and vascular permeability (K(trans)) measurements were reviewed in 20 patients with pathologically proven grade 1 and 2 gangliogliomas (n = 20) and compared to a group of grade 2 low-grade gliomas (n = 30). The conventional MRI findings demonstrated an average lesion size of 4.1 cm, contrast enhancement (n = 19), variable degree of edema, variable mass effect, necrosis/cystic areas (n = 8), well defined (n = 12), signal heterogeneity (n = 9), calcification (n = 4). The mean rCBV was 3.66 +/- 2.20 (mean +/- std) for grade 1 and 2 gangliogliomas. The mean rCBV in a comparative group of low-grade gliomas (n = 30), was 2.14 +/- 1.67. p Value < 0.05 compared with grade 1 and 2 ganglioglioma. The mean K(trans) was 0.0018 +/- 0.0035. The mean K(trans) in a comparative group of low-grade gliomas (n = 30), was 0.0005 +/- 0.001. p Value = 0.14 compared with grade 1 and 2 ganglioglioma. The rCBV measurements of grade 1 and 2 gangliogliomas are elevated compared with other low-grade gliomas. The K(trans), however, did not demonstrate a significant difference. Gangliogliomas demonstrate higher cerebral blood volume compared with other low-grade gliomas, but the degree of vascular permeability in gangliogliomas is similar to other low-grade gliomas. Higher cerebral blood volume measurements can help differentiate gangliogliomas from other low-grade gliomas.     

Improved T(1)-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to probe microvascularity and heterogeneity of human glioma

Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) T(1)-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool capable of providing quantitative assessment of contrast uptake and characterization of microvascular structure in human gliomas. The kinetics of the bolus injection doped with increasing concentrations of gadopentate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) depends on tissue as well as pulse sequence parameters. A simple method is described that overcomes the limitation of relative signal increase measurement and may lead to improved accuracy in quantification of perfusion indices of glioma. Based on an analysis of the contrast behavior of spoiled gradient-recalled echo sequence; a parameter K with arbitrary unit 5.0 is introduced, which provides a better approximation to the differential T(1) relaxation rate. DCE-MRI measurements of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were calculated in 25 patients with brain tumors (15=high-grade glioma, 10=low-grade glioma). The mean rCBV was 6.46 +/- 2.45 in high-grade glioma and 2.89 +/- 1.47 in the low-grade glioma. The rCBF was 3.94 +/- 1.47 in high-grade glioma while 2.25 +/- 0.87 in low-grade glioma. A significant difference in rCBF and rCBV was found between high- and low-grade gliomas. This simple and robust technique reveals the complexity of tumor vasculature and heterogeneity that may aid in therapeutic management especially in nonenhancing high-grade gliomas. We conclude that the precontrast medium steady-state residue parameter K may be useful in improved quantification of perfusion indices in human glioma using T(1)-weighted DCE-MRI.     

Increasing mean airway pressure reduces functional MRI (fMRI) signal in the primary visual cortex

Changes in both blood flow and blood oxygenation determine the functional MRI (fMRI) signal. In the present study factors responsible for blood oxygenation (e.g., FiO(2)) were held constant so that changes in pixel count would above all reflect changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) breathing at 12 cm H(2)O, which was previously shown to influence rCBF, was applied in human volunteers (n = 19) to investigate the sensitivity of fMRI for changes in rCBF caused by increased mean airway pressure. Increasing the mean airway pressure decreased the pixel count in the primary visual cortex (median (range)): baseline: 219 (58-425) pixels vs. CPAP (12 cm H(2)O): 92 (0-262) pixels). These findings indicate that fMRI is sensitive to detect a reduced rCBF-response in the primary visual cortex. The underlying mechanism is likely to be a reduced basal rCBF due to constriction and/or compression of postcapillary venoles during CPAP breathing. These findings are important for interpreting fMRI results in awake and in artificially respirated patients, in whom positive airway pressure is used to improve pulmonary function during the diagnostic procedure.     

Correlation of regional cerebral blood flow from perfusion MRI and spect in normal subjects

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) as measured with perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI) and single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT). rCBF was determined in 26 healthy subjects with pMRI and SPECT. After co-registration of pMRI with SPECT, rCBF was determined in 10 brain regions relative to the whole slice value. pMRI was evaluated with and without elimination of large vessels. rCBF from pMRI correlates significantly with rCBF from SPECT (r = 0.69 with and r = 0.59 without elimination of large vessels; p < 0.0001 for both). Elimination of large vessels reduced the interindividual variance of the pMRI measurements in most regions. rCBF from pMRI shows good correlation with rCBF from SPECT. Because pMRI is sensitive to flow in large vessels while SPECT is not, elimination of large vessels in pMRI reduces the interindividual variability of pMRI and improves the-correlation between the two methods. pMRI is a reliable noninvasive method for rCBF measurements.     

Aspects on the accuracy of cerebral perfusion parameters obtained by dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI: a simulation study

Several studies have indicated that deconvolution based on singular value decomposition (SVD) is a robust concept for retrieval of cerebral blood flow in dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI. However, the behavior of the technique under typical experimental conditions has not been completely investigated. In the present study, cerebral perfusion was simulated using different temporal resolutions, different signal-to-noise ratios (S/Ns), different shapes of the arterial input function (AIF), different signal drops, and different cut-off levels in the SVD deconvolution. Using Zierler's area-to-height relationship in combination with the central volume theorem, calculations of regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV), regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and regional mean transit time (rMTT) were accomplished, based on simulated DSC-MRI signal curves corresponding to artery, gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and ischemic tissue. Gaussian noise was added to the noise-free signal curves to generate different S/Ns. We studied image time intervals of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 s, as well as different degrees of signal decrease. The singular-value threshold in the SVD procedure and the shape of the AIF were also varied. Increased rCBF was seen when noise was added, especially for rCBF in WM at the larger image time intervals. The rCBF showed large standard deviations using a low threshold value. A prolonged time interval led to a lower absolute value of rCBF both in GM and WM, and a low/broad AIF also underestimated the rCBF. When a larger maximal signal decrease was assumed, smaller standard deviations were observed. No systematic change of the average rCBV was observed with increasing noise or with increasing image time interval. At S/N = 40, a low cut-off value resulted in an rCBF that was closer to the true value. Furthermore, at low S/N it was difficult to differentiate ischemic tissue from WM.     

Visualisation of changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) produced by ketamine using long TE gradient-echo sequences: Preliminary results

Autoradiographic studies have shown that low dose ketamine produces increases in regional glucose utilisation and blood flow in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and olfactory lobe in the rat brain, probably due to antagonism at the NMDA receptor. Functional MRI using deoxyhaemoglobin contrast can be used to study changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Long TE gradient-echo sequences were used to study changes in rCBF produced by low dose ketamine in rats anaesthetised with nitrous oxide, supplemented with either halothane (HAL) or fentanyl/fluanisone/midazolam (FFM) combination. Images from rats in the FFM group showed a 10–14% increase in signal intensity in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and olfactory lobe following either a single bolus or a low dose infusion of ketamine (p < .05). These changes were significantly reduced in the HAL group (p < .005). Halothane is known to attenuate the changes in regional glucose utilisation produced by the noncompetitive NMDA antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801), and its effects on ketamine-induced changes in rCBF seen in this study may be due to a similar effect. The potential use of functional MRI in studying the effect of pharmacological interventions on rCBF is discussed.     

Comparison of MR perfusion imaging and microsphere measurements of regional cerebral blood flow in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion

The purpose of this investigation was to correlate magnetic resonance (MR) perfusion measurements with absolute regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in a rat model of focal ischemia. The MR perfusion measurements were made using dynamic first-pass bolus tracking of a susceptibility contrast agent, whereas rCBF was measured using radioactive microspheres. Two simple MR perfusion parameters, the maximum change in ( ) and time delay to ( ), were derived from the signal intensity versus time curves on a pixel-to-pixel basis, without applying curve-fitting procedures or tracer kinetic theory. In each hemisphere, and were compared with the rCBF measurements in four selected regions of interest. Sixteen MR bolus tracking series were performed in 12 rats with occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. In all of the individual series there was a significant correlation (.0001 ≤ p ≤ .02) between and the microsphere rCBF measurements, with correlation coefficients ranging from .784 to .983. Pooling the data resulted in a correlation coefficient of .809 (p = .0001). There was a nonlinear correlation between the and rCBF. For both parameters there was considerable variation between different measurements regarding both the slope of the regression line and its intercept with the y-axis. Our results justify the use of as a relative measure of perfusion during acute cerebral ischemia. Because of the interindividual variation, calibration of MR perfusion measurements for the estimation of absolute flow values must be considered unreliable. The may have physiological relevance as a marker of collateral flow.     

On the sensitivity of ASL MRI in detecting regional differences in cerebral blood flow

Arterial-spin-labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a noninvasive tool to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) and is increasingly used as a surrogate for baseline neural activity. However, the power of ASL MRI in detecting CBF differences between patient and control subjects is hampered by inter-subject variations in global CBF, which are associated with non-neural factors and may contribute to the noise in the across-group comparison. Here, we investigated the sensitivity of this technique and proposed a normalization strategy to better detect such a difference. A “model” situation was employed in which two visual stimuli (i.e. cross fixation and flashing checkerboard) were presented to two groups of subjects to mimic “control” and “patient” groups (N=7 for each group), respectively. It was found that absolute CBF (aCBF) in the occipital lobe in the checkerboard group was 26.0% greater compared to the fixation group, but the level of significance was modest (P=.03). In contrast, when normalizing the CBF with whole-brain CBF or CBF in a reference region [termed relative CBF (rCBF)], the statistical significance was improved considerably (P<.003). For voxel-based analysis, the rCBF indices correctly detected CBF differences in the occipital lobe in the across-group comparison, while aCBF failed to detect any significant cluster using the same statistical threshold. We also performed Monte Carlo simulation to confirm the experimental findings and found that the power improvement was most pronounced when signal-to-noise-ratio is moderate and the underlying CBF difference was small. The simulation also showed that, with the proposed normalization, a detection power of 80% can be achieved using a sample size of about 20. In summary, rCBF is a more sensitive index to detect small differences in CBF, rather than the much-sought-after aCBF, since it reduces data noise caused by inter-subject variations in global CBF.     

Hemodynamic investigation of peritumoral impaired blood oxygenation-level dependent cerebrovascular reactivity in patients with diffuse glioma

IntroductionThe presence of peritumorally impaired blood oxygenation-level dependent cerebrovascular reactivity (BOLD-CVR) has been unequivocally demonstrated in patients with diffuse glioma, and may have value to better identify tumor infiltration zone. Since BOLD-CVR does not measure hemodynamic changes directly, we performed additional MR perfusion studies to better characterize the peritumoral hemodynamic environment.MethodsSeventeen patients with WHO grade III and IV diffuse glioma underwent high resolution advanced hemodynamic MR imaging including BOLD-CVR and MR perfusion. The obtained multiparametric hemodynamic factors (i.e., regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), mean transit time (MTT), time-to-peak (TTP) and BOLD-CVR, were analyzed within 10 concentric expanding 3 mm volumes of interest (VOIs) up to 30 mm from the tumor tissue mask.ResultsBOLD-CVR impairment was found within the tumor tissue mask and the peritumoral VOIs up to 21 mm as compared to the contralateral flipped CVR analysis (p<0.05). In the affected hemisphere, we observed positive spatial correlations including all VOIs between BOLD-CVR and rCBV values (r=0.27; p<0.001), rCBF (r=0.42; p<0.001) and a negative correlation between BOLD-CVR and TTP (r=-0.47; p<0.001).ConclusionsPeritumorally impaired BOLD-CVR is associated with concomitant hemodynamic alterations with severity correlating to tumor volume. The distribution of these multiparametric hemodynamic MRI patterns may be considered for future studies characterizing the hemodynamic peritumoral environment, thereby better identifying the extent of tumor infiltration.     

Application of FT-based MMSE deconvolution method for cerebral blood flow measurement in patients with leukoaraiosis

Introduction

The bolus-tracking (BT) technique is the most popular perfusion-weighted (PW) dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI method used for estimating cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume and mean transit time. The BT technique uses a convolution model that establishes the input–output relationship between blood flow and the vascular tracer concentration. Singular value decomposition (SVD)- and Fourier transform (FT)-based deconvolution methods are popular and widely used for estimating PW MRI parameters. However, from the published literature, it appears that SVD is more widely accepted than other methods. In a previous article, an FT-based minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) technique was proposed and simulation experiments were performed to compare it with the well-established circular SVD (oSVD) method. In this study, the FT-based MMSE method has been used to estimate relative CBF (rCBF) in 13 patients with white matter lesions (WMLs) (leukoaraiosis), and results are compared with the widely used oSVD method.

Materials and Methods

Thirteen patients with leukoaraiosis were imaged on a 1.5-T Siemens whole-body scanner. After acquiring the localizer and structural scans consisting of FLAIR (fluid attenuated with inversion recovery), T₁-weighted and T₂-weighted images, perfusion study was implemented as part of the MRI protocol. For each patient and method, two values were calculated: (a) rCBF for normal white matter (NWM) ROI, obtained by dividing the average CBF value in NWM ROI with average CBF in gray matter (GM) ROI, and (b) rCBF for WML ROI, obtained by dividing the average CBF value in WML ROI with average CBF in GM ROI. Results for the two deconvolution methods were computed.

Results and Discussion

A significant (P<.05) decrease in estimated rCBF was observed in the WML in all the patients using the MMSE method, while for the oSVD method, the decrease was observed in all but one patient. Initial results suggest that the MMSE method is comparable to the oSVD method for estimating rCBF in NMW while it may be better than oSVD for estimating rCBF in lesions of low flow. Studies involving a larger patient population may be required to further validate the findings of this work.     

Model-free arterial spin labelling for cerebral blood flow quantification: introduction of regional arterial input functions identified by factor analysis

PURPOSE: To identify regional arterial input functions (AIFs) using factor analysis of dynamic studies (FADS) when quantification of perfusion is performed using model-free arterial spin labelling. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Five healthy volunteers and one patient were examined on a 3-T Philips unit using quantitative STAR labelling of arterial regions (QUASAR). Two sets of images were retrieved, one where the arterial signal had been crushed and another where it was retained. FADS was applied to the arterial signal curves to acquire the AIFs. Perfusion maps were obtained using block-circulant SVD deconvolution and regional AIFs obtained by FADS. In the volunteers, the ASL experiment was repeated within 24 h. The patient was also examined using dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI. RESULTS: In the healthy volunteers, CBF was 64+/-10 ml/[min 100 g] (mean+/-S.D.) in GM and 24+/-4 ml/[min 100 g] in WM, while the mean aBV was 0.94% in GM and 0.25% in WM. DISCUSSION: Good CBF image quality and reasonable quantitative CBF values were obtained using the combined QUASAR/FADS technique. We conclude that FADS may be a useful supplement in the evaluation of ASL data using QUASAR.     

Relationship between diffusion-weighted MR images,cerebral blood flow,and energy state in experimental brain infarction

The regional evolution of brain infarction was studied in Wistar rats submitted to remotely controlled thread occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Occlusion was performed in the magnet of an NMR tomography system to allow continuous recording of diffusion-weighted images. After 30 min (n = 6) or 2 h (n = 9), cerebral blood flow was measured by [¹⁴C] iodoantipyrine autoradiography while the regional distribution of ATP, glucose, lactate, and pH was imaged using pictorial bioluminescence and fluoroscopic methods. In diffusion-weighted images, the hemispheric lesion area (HLA) at the level of caudate-putamen amounted to 54.2 ± 10.9% after 30 min and to 67.0 ± 5.9% after 2 h vascular occlusion. These areas corresponded to the regions exhibiting tissue acidosis (60.8 ± 9.3% and 70.4 ± 4.5%), but were clearly larger than those in which ATP was depleted (22.3 ± 20.8% and 49.6 ± 12.9% after 30 min and 2 h, respectively). The threshold of blood flow for the increase of signal intensity in diffusion-weighted images increased between 30 min and 2 h occlusion from 34 to 41 ml/100 g per minute, the threshold of acidosis from 40 to 47 ml/100 g per minute, and the threshold for ATP depletion from 13 to 19 ml/100 g per minute. Our study demonstrates that diffusion-weighted imaging detects both the core and the penumbra of the evolving infarction but is not able to differentiate between the two parts. It further shows that the ischemic lesion grows during the initial 2 h of vascular occlusion, and that the size of the infarct core increases more rapidly than that of the penumbra.     

A universal criterion for plastic yielding of metallic glasses with a (T/Tg) 2/3 temperature dependence

Room temperature (TR) elastic constants and compressive yield strengths of approximately 30 metallic glasses reveal an average shear limit gammaC=0.0267+/-0.0020, where tauY=gamma CG is the maximum resolved shear stress at yielding, and G the shear modulus. The gammaC values for individual glasses are correlated with t=TR/Tg , and gamma C for a single glass follows the same correlation (vs t=T/Tg). A cooperative shear model, inspired by Frenkel's analysis of the shear strength of solids, is proposed. Using a scaling analysis leads to a universal law tauCT/G=gammaC0-gammaC1(t)2/3 for the flow stress at finite T where gammaC0=(0.036+/-0.002) and gammaC1=(0.016+/-0.002).     

Measurement of relative cerebral blood volume using BOLD contrast and mild hypoxic hypoxia

Relative cerebral blood volume (CBV) was estimated using a mild hypoxic challenge in humans, combined with BOLD contrast gradient-echo imaging at 3 T. Subjects breathed 16% inspired oxygen, eliciting mild arterial desaturation. The fractional BOLD signal change induced by mild hypoxia is expected to be proportional to CBV under conditions in which there are negligible changes in cerebral perfusion. By comparing the regional BOLD signal changes arising with the transition between normoxia and mild hypoxia, we calculated CBV ratios of 1.5±0.2 (mean±S.D.) for cortical gray matter to white matter and 1.0±0.3 for cortical gray matter to deep gray matter.     

Near-infrared spectroscopy extended with indocyanine green dye dilution for cerebral blood flow measurement: Median values in healthy volunteers

The cerebral blood flow (CBF) is an important vital parameter in neurointensive care. Currently, there is no non-invasive method for its measurement that can easily be applied at the bedside. A new tool to determine CBF is based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) applied together with indocyanine green (ICG) dye dilution. From a bilateral measurement on selected regions on the head of infrared (IR) absorption at various wavelengths during the dilution maneuver, the vascular perfusion characteristics of the two brain hemispheres can be determined in terms of mean transit time (mtt) of ICG, cerebral blood volume (CBV) and CBF. So far, on nine healthy volunteers, NIRS ICG dye dilution bihemispheric measurements were performed, which yielded to mtt given as median (range) of 9.3 s (5.1–16.3 s), CBV of 3.5 ml/100 g (1.7–4.1 ml/100 g), and CBF of 18.2 ml/(100 g×min) [11.1–48.6 ml/(100 g×min)]. Additionally, the blood flow index (BFI) was calculated with BFI= 13.8 mg/(100 g×s) [6.6–15.2 mg/(100 g×s)]. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient between CBF and BFI was R_S = 0.76. However, as the Bland & Altman plot between CBFNIRS and the CBF_BFI documents, the limits of agreement are rather wide (21.9±6.7). Under physiological conditions in healthy volunteers, no differences could be detected between the hemispheres.     

Visual cortex reactivity in sedated children examined with perfusion MRI (FAIR)

Sleeping and sedated children can respond to visual stimulation with a decrease in blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI signal response. The contribution of metabolic and hemodynamic parameters to this inverse signal response is incompletely understood. It has been hypothesized that it is caused by a relatively greater increase of oxygen consumption compared to rCBF (regional cerebral blood flow) increase. We studied the rCBF changes during visual stimulation in four sedated children, aged 4-71 months, and four alert adults, with an arterial water spin labeling technique (FAIR) and BOLD fMRI in a 1.5T MR scanner. In the children, FAIR signal decreased by a mean of 0.96% (range 0.77-1.05) of the baseline periods of the non-selective images, while BOLD signal decreased by 2.03% (range 1.99-2.93). In the adults, FAIR and BOLD signal increased by 0.88% (range 0.8-0.99) and 2.63% (range 1.99-2.93), respectively. Thus, in the children, an rCBF increase could not be detected by perfusion MRI, but indications of a FAIR signal decrease were found. An rCBF decrease in the primary visual cortex during stimulation has not been reported previously, but it is a possible explanation for the negative BOLD response. Future studies will have to address if this response pattern is a consequence of age or sleep/sedation.     

Comparison of T2 and LASER T2dagger image contrast in a rat model of acute cerebral ischemia

Previous studies have shown that T2(dagger)-weighted magnetic resonance images acquired using localization by adiabatic selective refocusing (LASER) can provide early tissue contrast following ischemia, possibly due to alterations in microscopic susceptibility within the tissue. The purpose of this study was to make a direct in vivo comparison of T2-, T2(dagger)- and diffusion-weighted image contrast during acute ischemia. Acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion was attempted in 14 rats using a modified Tamura approach incorporating electrocoagulation of the left MCA. T2(dagger)-weighted LASER images (Echo Time [TE]=108 ms), T2-weighted Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) images (TE=110 ms) and diffusion-weighted images (b value=105 s/mm(2)) were acquired at 4 T within 1.5 h of ischemia onset. Tissue contrast in the MCA territory was quantified for histologically verified ischemic tissue (n=6) and in sham controls (n=4). T2(dagger)-weighted LASER images demonstrated greater contrast compared to the T2-weighted CPMG images, and more focal contrast compared to the diffusion-weighted images, suggesting different contrast mechanisms were involved.     

Biochemistry and physiology of overwintering in the mature larva of the pine needle gall midge,Thecodiplosis japonensis (Diptera: cecidomyiidae) in Korea

The pine needle gall midge, Thecodiplosis japonensis, overwinters in the soil as a third instar mature larva. The metabolic and physiological compensations and adjustments during its overwintering and acclimation were studied. Field-sampled larvae in 1997/98 winter showed a significant increase in whole-body trehalose by January (5.71 +/- 0.09 vs. 9.41 +/- 0.42 mg/g wet weight) along with a more significant decrease in whole-body glycogen (16.25 +/- 0.18 vs. 5.65 +/- 0.45 mg/g wet weight). Afterwards, there was a partial reconversion of trehalose to glycogen. Moreover, trace amounts of glycerol and steady content of glucose as potential cryoprotectants were found during the overwintering period. Temperature acclimation of field-sampled larvae affects interconversion between trehalose and glycogen. Trehalose accumulation does not affect the larval supercooling capacity. The mean supercooling point of the larvae remained nearly constant at about -20 degree he winter and was unchanged after temperature acclimation. Low temperature survival experiment suggested that the larvae adopt a freeze-avoiding strategy for overwintering.