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American Journal of Neuroradiology 25:958-963, June-July 2004
© 2004 American Society of Neuroradiology

BRAIN

Reversible MR Changes in the Cat Brain after Cerebral Fat Embolism Induced by Triolein Emulsion

Chang H. Leeb, Hak J. Kima,b, Hae G. Kimc,b, Sang D. Leed,b, Suk M. Sone,b, Yong W. Kimf,b, Seung M. Kima,b and Choong K. Euna,b

a Department of Radiology, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan, South Korea
b Department of Pathology, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan, South Korea
c Department of Anesthesiology, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan, South Korea
d Department of Urology, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan, South Korea
e Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan, South Korea
f the Department of Radiology, Inje University College of Medicine, Pusan, South Korea

Address reprint requests to Chang Hun Lee, MD, the Department of Pathology, Pusan National University Hospital, 10, 1-Ga, Ami-Dong, Seo-Ku, Pusan, 602-739, South Korea

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Clinical cerebral-fat embolism shows both reversible and irreversible changes. We used MR imaging to investigate the reversibility of embolized lesions induced with a fat-emulsion technique and to evaluate the histologic findings.

METHODS: A fat emulsion was made with 0.05 mL of triolein and 20 mL of normal saline and vigorous to-and-fro movement through a three-way stopcock. In 50 cats, the internal carotid artery was infused with the fat emulsion. Cats were divided into six groups on the basis of time delay after embolization: 1 hour; 1 and 4 days; and 1, 2, and 3 weeks. MR imaging and histologic examination were performed at these times.

RESULTS: Embolized lesions were hyperintense on T2-weighted images, isointense or mildly hyperintense on diffusion-weighted images, isointense on apparent diffusion coefficient maps, and enhancing on gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images at 1 hour. These MR imaging findings were less evident at day 1 and reverted to normal after day 4 (isointense on all images). Electron microscopy showed minimal findings in the cortical lesion in groups 1 and 2 (group 1 at 1 hour and group 2 at 1 hour and 1 day). Light microscopic findings revealed evidence of necrosis—small focal gliosis and demyelination in the periventricular white matter—in only one cat. The number of intravascular fat globules was not significantly different between groups, as visualized by oil red O staining.

CONCLUSION: Cerebral-fat embolism induced by a triolein emulsion revealed reversible MR findings and minimal histologic findings.






Copyright © 2008 by the American Society of Neuroradiology. Print ISSN: 0195-6108 Online ISSN: 1936-959X