Contrast enhanced MRI of electroporation injury

Skeletal muscle electroporation can follow high-energy electric shock causing edema and changes in the permeability of muscle cell membranes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may allow the detection and evaluation of electrically induced muscle injury non-invasively with high spatial resolution. T₂-weighted and contrast enhanced T ₁-weighted images were acquired to provide information about edema localization and contrast agent distribution volume, respectively, in the authors´ well-established rat hind limb non-thermal electrical injury model. Significant differences in both the T₂and dynamic contrast enhanced T₁-weighted images were observed between control (non-shocked) and electrically shocked animals. The authors found a strong regional correlation between edematous tissue (T ₂) and areas of increased contrast agent distribution volume (T₁) indicating the cell membrane permeabilizing nature of electroporation injury. In addition, the sensitivity of contrast enhanced MR imaging indicates its usefulness in the early detection of electrical injury