Cranial anatomy and detection of ischemic stroke in the cat by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract

1H NMR images of cat heads were obtained using a small, experimental imaging system. As a prelude to the study of experimental ischemic brain infarction, the normal cat head was imaged for identification of anatomical features. Images of 1 cat which had undergone ligation of the middle cerebral artery 3 wk previously showed brain changes associated with chronic ischemic stroke and compared favorably with findings on computed tomography (CT). The NMR images have millimetric spatial resolution. NMR parameters inherent in the tissues provide intensity variations and are sufficiently sensitive to yield contrast resolution surpassing that of CT.