Identification of cerebral ischemic lesions in rat using eigenimage filtered magnetic resonance imaging

An accurate noninvasive time-independent identification of an ischemic cerebral lesion is an important objective of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study describes a novel application of a multiparameter MRI analysis algorithm, the Eigenimage (EI) filter, to experimental stroke. The EI is a linear filter that maximizes the projection of a desired tissue (ischemic tissue) while it minimizes the projection of undesired tissues (nonischemic tissue) onto a composite image called an eigenimage. Rats (n = 26) were subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. T2- and T1- weighted coronal MRI were acquired on separate groups of animals. The animals were immediately sacrificed after each imaging session for histopathological analysis of tissue at 4-8 h, 16-24 h, and 48-168 h after stroke onset. Lesion areas from MRI were defined using EI. The EI defined lesion areas were coregistered and warped to the corresponding histopathological sections. The ischemic lesion as defined by EI exhibited ischemic cell damage ranging from scattered acute cell damage to pan necrosis. Ischemic cellular damage was not detected in homologous contralateral hemisphere regions. EI lesion areas overlaid on histopathological sections were significantly correlated (r = 0.92, p < 0.05) acutely, (r = 0.98, p < 0.05) subacutely, and (r = 0.99, p < 0.05) chronically. These data indicate that EI methodology can accurately segment ischemic damage after MCA occlusion from 4-168 h after stroke.