Short report
In vivo MRI assessment of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion by electrocoagulation: pitfalls of procedure
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* Corresponding author: Norbert Nighoghossian norbert.nighoghossian@chu-lyon.fr
- † Equal contributors
1 CREATIS, CNRS UMR 5220, INSERM U 630, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, France
2 Cerebrovascular Unit, Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Lyon, France
Experimental & Translational Stroke Medicine 2010, 2:4 doi:10.1186/2040-7378-2-4
Published: 4 February 2010Abstract
Permanent middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion (pMCAO) by electrocoagulation is a commonly used model but with potential traumatic lesions. Early MRI monitoring may assess pMCAO for non-specific brain damage. The surgical steps of pMCAO were evaluated for traumatic cerebral injury in 22 Swiss mice using diffusion and T2-weighted MRI (7T) performed within 1 h and 24 h after surgery. Temporal muscle cauterization without MCA occlusion produced an early T2 hyperintensity mimicking an infarct. No lesion was visible after temporal muscle incision or craniotomy. Early MRI monitoring is useful to identify non-specific brain injury that could hamper neuroprotective drugs assessment.