Technical note—Approach to myocardial perfusion with echo planar imaging

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of MRI-based myocardial first-pass contrast perfusion imaging with a multi-shot echo planar imaging (EPI) technique. Subjects and methods: A non-sequential (ECG-triggered) gradient echo two-shot EPI acquisition strategy capable of covering the entire heart in contiguous 10-mm sections every two cardiac cycles with an in-plane resolution of 1.56 × 1.56 mm was implemented on a 1.5-T Signa Advantage Scanner equipped with prototype hardware for non-resonant EPI in the transverse plane. The heart of a single volunteer was studied prior to and following the intravenous bolus application of a paramagnetic contrast agent (Gd-DOTA, 0.2 mmol/kg). Results: Twelve contiguous transaxial 10-mm EPI images were obtained every two RR intervals for a total of 40 s. The myocardial contrast perfusion study was technically adequate. Contrast caused a signal loss of 87% in the right and 67% in the left ventricle and 59% in the myocardium. Conclusion: First-pass myocardial perfusion imaging with a gradient echo, two-shot echo planar imaging strategy is feasible.This work has been supported in part by SNF grant 32-2549.88 and KWF grant 2194.1.     

Texture analysis of poly-adenylated mRNA staining following global brain ischemia and reperfusion

Texture analysis provides a means to quantify complex changes in microscope images. We previously showed that cytoplasmic poly-adenylated mRNAs form mRNA granules in post-ischemic neurons and that these granules correlated with protein synthesis inhibition and hence cell death. Here we utilized the texture analysis software MaZda to quantify mRNA granules in photomicrographs of the pyramidal cell layer of rat hippocampal region CA3 around 1 h of reperfusion after 10 min of normothermic global cerebral ischemia. At 1 h reperfusion, we observed variations in the texture of mRNA granules amongst samples that were readily quantified by texture analysis. Individual sample variation was consistent with the interpretation that animal-to-animal variations in mRNA granules reflected the time-course of mRNA granule formation. We also used texture analysis to quantify the effect of cycloheximide, given either before or after brain ischemia, on mRNA granules. If administered before ischemia, cycloheximide inhibited mRNA granule formation, but if administered after ischemia did not prevent mRNA granulation, indicating mRNA granule formation is dependent on dissociation of polysomes. We conclude that texture analysis is an effective means for quantifying the complex morphological changes induced in neurons by brain ischemia and reperfusion.     

医学领域中的新型生物传感器

生物传感器作为一项新技术已广泛地应用于人体生化指标和各种病原体的检测，糖尿病和缺血一再灌注损伤病人的监测以及空间生命科学的在线监视等医学领域，它以准确，灵敏、高效，快速，设备简便和成本低等优点，逐渐成为近年来医学诊断监测技术的热点之一，对近年来国内外应用中医学领域中的新型生物传感器进行综述。     

Reduced purine catabolite production in the postischemic rat heart: a31P NMR assessment of cytosolic metabolites

Ischemia can cause release of adenosine and purine catabolites from the heart, through the breakdown of ATP. If repeated periods of ischemia are induced, the efflux of purines is markedly reduced, although it is not clear if this is beneficial for the long-term survival of the heart. We have investigated changes in high-energy phosphates and purine release in the isolated perfused rat heart using³¹P NMR spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography. Hearts were subjected to one of the following protocols: Group A—1 min of total global ischemia (TGI) after 40 min, 60 min, and 85 min of perfusion (a total of 3 × 1 min ischemia); Group B—1 min of TGI after 40 min of perfusion, 10 min of TGI after 50 min of perfusion, and a final 1 min of TGI after 85 min of perfusion. The profile of high-energy phosphate metabolites, P_i accumulation and purine release was similar for each 1-min period of TGI in Group A, whereas phosphocreatine content was increased and ATP content reduced by an extended period of TGI in Group B, leading to a less severe acidosis and purine efflux in the final 1 min of TGI at 85 min of perfusion. In conclusion, the reduced purine release observed in Group B may be related to the preischemic ATP pool size and accessibility and the increased myocardial energy reserve in the form of phosphocreatine.     

Transient global brain ischemia in young and aged rats: differences in severity and progression, but not localisation, of lesions evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging

A model of transient global brain ischemia consisting of bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries for 10 min and mild hypoxia (15% O₂−85% N₂) for 20 min was studied by means of MRI in young and aged Fischer 344 rats (3–4 and 24–26 months, respectively). Ischemia was assessed by full suppression of spontaneous EEG activity, which reappeared and normalized similarly in the two age-groups. The survival of young with respect to aged rats was considerably higher both at 24 h (20/20, i.e. 100% vs 12/16, i.e. 75%) and at 48 h (16/20, i.e. 80% vs 6/16, i.e. 38%). The localisation of brain lesions, their severity and progression were evaluated by a diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) sequence at 24 and 48 h post-ischemia. There were no DWI-detectable lesions in eight out of 20 young and two out of 12 aged rats. The localisation of DWI-detected lesions was rather similar in rats of the two age-groups. In fact, the cerebral cortex, mainly parietal, occipital and temporal lobes were damaged in 83% of young and 90% of aged rats. The respective percentages for the thalamus were 83 and 60%, for the striatum 58 and 50%, and for the hippocampus 25 and 30%. The lesions present in the cerebral cortex and the thalamus were considerably more severe in aged than in young rats. In conclusion, in spite of similar localisation of ischemic lesions in the two age-groups, their incidence was higher, appearance more rapid and severity more pronounced in aged with respect to young rats. This resulted in a considerably higher mortality of the former. The overall data indicate that the age issue is very important in experimental ischemia research.     

T 波峰-末间期、T 波峰-末间期离散度与心肌缺血的关系

目的：对冠心病患者 T 波峰-末间期（Tp-Te 间期）和 Tp-Te 离散度（Tp-Ted）进行测定,探讨心肌缺血与Tp-Te 间期、心室肌跨壁复极离散度的关系,寻找一种便捷的观察指标。方法选择2010年1月至2012年6月在南昌大学第二附属医院做平板运动试验阳性,并住院行冠状动脉造影证实存在冠状动脉狭窄的冠心病患者56例（冠心病组）及健康体检者（行平板运动试验阴性者）56例（正常对照组）,分别测量2组 Tp-Te 间期和 Tp-Ted。结果与正常对照组比较,冠心病组 Tp-Te 间期显著延长,Tp-Ted 明显增大（P ＜0．05）。结论心肌缺血时,Tp-Te间期和 Tp-Ted 均增大,Tp-Te 间期和 Tp-Ted 可作为反映跨壁复极离散度的无创性指标。     

实验大鼠脑缺血模型的制作及效果评价

缺血性脑血管病是临床上常见的一类疾病，其致残率和死亡率均较高。采用一种线栓法，制备大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注模型，并从动物神经病学评分、鼠脑整体观、鼠脑切面氯化三苯四氮唑染色、鼠脑组织光镜下观察等进行评价，表明该模型达到脑缺血的效果。在此基础上可进行缺血性脑血管病的多种实验性研究。