Q-SPACE IMAGING OF THE BRAIN

q-Space imaging (Callaghan, J. Magn. Reson. 88, 493 (1990)) has been u sed to obtain mouse brain water displacement profiles. These profiles take the form of a unidirectional incoherent-displacement probability density distribution. Two groups of mice were studied, a normal group and one in which surgery had been performed to reduce the supply of bl ood to the forebrain. In the normal group the incoherent displacement of water was reduced postmortem. Four of the surgically treated mice y ielded displacement profiles that resembled those obtained postmortem; the remaining two were near normal. This study demonstrates the feasi bility of in vivo q-space imaging. The displacement profile changes th at occur subsequent to an interruption of the forebrain blood supply a re consistent with the hyperintensity changes seen in diffusion-weight ed imaging.