Qi W, Gao S, Liu C, Lan G, Yang X, Guo Q. Diffusion tensor MR imaging characteristics of cerebral white matter development in fetal pigs.
BMC Med Imaging 2017;
17:50. [PMID:
28830463 PMCID:
PMC5568215 DOI:
10.1186/s12880-017-0205-9]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background
The purpose of this study was to investigate the anisotropic features of fetal pig cerebral white matter (WM) development by magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging, and to evaluate the developmental status of cerebral WM in different anatomical sites at different times.
Methods
Fetal pigs were divided into three groups according to gestational age: E69 (n = 8), E85 (n = 11), and E114 (n = 6). All pigs were subjected to conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging using a GE Signa 3.0 T MRI system (GE Healthcare, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured in deep WM structures and peripheral WM regions. After the MRI scans,the animals were sacrificed and pathology sections were prepared for hematoxylin & eosin (HE) staining and luxol fast blue (LFB) staining. Data were statistically analyzed with SPSS version 16.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Mean FA values for each subject region of interest (ROI), and deep and peripheral WM at different gestational ages were calculated, respectively, and were plotted against gestational age with linear correlation statistical analyses. The differences of data were analyzed with univariate ANOVA analyses.
Results
There were no significant differences in FAs between the right and left hemispheres. Differences were observed between peripheral WM and deep WM in fetal brains. A significant FA growth with increased gestational age was found when comparing E85 group and E114 group. There was no difference in the FA value of deep WM between the E69 group and E85 group. The HE staining and LFB staining of fetal cerebral WM showed that the development from the E69 group to the E85 group, and the E85 group to the E114 group corresponded with myelin gliosis and myelination, respectively.
Conclusions
FA values can be used to quantify anisotropy of the different cerebral WM areas. FA values did not change significantly between 1/2 way and 3/4 of the way through gestation but was then increased dramatically at term, which could be explained by myelin gliosis and myelination ,respectively.
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