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Fig 3. Sagittal ex vivo MR imaging scans of contused rat spinal cord and corresponding histology. Midthoracic contusion injury 4 weeks postlesioning; same specimen as Fig 2 (2D multisection spin-echo; section thickness, 208 µm; FOV, 20 x 6 mm; in-plane resolution, 23 x 78 µm; TE, 7.5 milliseconds; TR, 2 seconds). Scale bar, 2 mm. A–D, Ex vivo MR imaging scans from lateral to medial. E–H, Corresponding Nissl-stained sections. I–L, Corresponding GFAP immunostained sections. M–P, Corresponding collagen type III immunostained sections. Homogenous hyperintensities at the injury center (A) correspond to cystic lesion defects in histologic sections (E, I, and M). In other sections. mixed hypo-/hyperintensities in the lesion center (B and C, arrows) are associated either with cystic lesion defects, hemosiderin deposits, or fibrotic scar formation (F, N, G, and O, arrows). A hypointensity following the path of the dorsal corticospinal tract caudal to the lesion—corresponding to hypointensities in the dorsal columns in axial MR images (Fig 2)—is highlighted by arrowheads (B).
