An in vivo study with an MRI tracer method reveals the biophysical properties of interstitial fluid in the rat brain

The nature of brain interstitial fluid (ISF) has long been a subject of controversy. Most of the previous studies on brain ISF were carried out in vitro . In the present study, a novel method was developed to characterize ISF in the living rat brain by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging using gadoliniu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science China. Life sciences 2012-09, Vol.55 (9), p.782-787
Main Authors: Han, HongBin, Li, Kai, Yan, JunHao, Zhu, Kai, Fu, Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algorithms
Animals
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biophysical Phenomena
Brain - diagnostic imaging
Brain - metabolism
Caudate Nucleus - diagnostic imaging
Caudate Nucleus - metabolism
Cerebral Cortex - diagnostic imaging
Cerebral Cortex - metabolism
Contrast Media - pharmacokinetics
Diffusion
Extracellular Fluid - diagnostic imaging
Extracellular Fluid - metabolism
Extracellular Space - diagnostic imaging
Extracellular Space - metabolism
Gadolinium DTPA - pharmacokinetics
Life Sciences
Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods
Male
Radiography
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Research Paper
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The nature of brain interstitial fluid (ISF) has long been a subject of controversy. Most of the previous studies on brain ISF were carried out in vitro . In the present study, a novel method was developed to characterize ISF in the living rat brain by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging using gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) as a tracer. Sprague Dawley rats ( n =8) were subjected to MR scanning before and after the introduction of Gd-DTPA into the caudate nucleus. A one-way drainage of brain ISF was demonstrated on the dynamic MR images. According to the traditional diffusion model, the diffusion and clearance rate constants of the tracer within brain extracellular space (ECS) were derived as (3.38+−1.07)×10 −4 mm 2 s −1 and (7.60±4.18)×10 −5 s −1 . Both diffusion and bulk flow contributed to the drainage of ISF from the caudate nucleus, which demonstrated an ISF-cerebrospinal fluid confluence in the subarachnoid space at the lateral and ventral surface of the brain cortex at 3 h after the injection. By using this newly developed method, the brain ECS and ISF can be quantitatively measured simultaneously in the living brain, which will enhance the understanding of ISF and improve the efficiency of drug therapy via the brain interstitium.
ISSN:1674-7305
1869-1889
DOI:10.1007/s11427-012-4361-4