Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 17
Neuroimaging Assessment of Traumatic Brain Injury
Janna L. Harris and William M. Brooks
Abstract
Noninvasive neuroimaging provides the means to quantify various structural and physiological aspects of
brain injury in intact animals. Different modalities are sensitive to lesion volume, metabolism, axonal con-
nectivity, blood-brain barrier status, and hemorrhage. Moreover, different contrast agents and tracers can
be used in most imaging modalities to highlight abnormalities or to follow certain molecular pathways.
Since neuroimaging is generally completed on anesthetized animals, longitudinal studies are feasible,
allowing within subject study designs. An added value of most neuroimaging techniques is that they can
also be carried out in human survivors of brain injury using widely available clinical systems. Hence, they
are well suited to translational studies for diagnosis, patient management, and drug development.
Key words:
Magnetic resonance imaging, Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Positron emission
tomography, Computed tomography, Single photon emission tomography, Structural imaging,
Functional imaging
1. Neuroimaging
of Traumatic Brain
Injury in Animal
Models
Noninvasive neuroimaging provides a broad range of quantitative
analytical tools to probe structure, function, metabolism, and
physiology in animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Although a wide array of imaging modalities is available for exam-
ining brain tissue ex vivo, either in the form of brain slices or at the
cellular level, such approaches are by defi nition only possible post-
mortem. Such imaging techniques take advantage of specialized
staining capabilities or autoradiography using radioactively labeled
dyes. In contrast, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron
emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed
tomography (SPECT), and computed tomography (CT) offer
two- or three-dimensional representations of the whole brain
in vivo. Each modality brings unique views of intact tissue. MR
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