EFFECT OF BRINE INJECTION ON WATER DYNAMICS PN POSTMORTEM MUSCLE - STUDY OF T-2 AND DIFFUSION-COEFFICIENTS BY MR MICROSCOPY

The dynamics of water in postmortem muscle were studied by magnetic re sonance microscopy (MRM). Rabbit muscles were arterially injected with 3 and 5 M NaCl brine. T-2 and diffusion mapping were performed during the onset of rigor mortis. A wide spread of T-2 values and widely dif fering postmortem evolutions were observed for injected muscles, where as T-2 was spatially homogeneous for intact muscle. Also, highly varia ble spatial distribution of diffusion coefficients along (D-z) and acr oss (D-x) the muscle fibers was observed and diffusion anisotropy D-z/ D-x) was less marked in injected muscles. The results indicate heterog eneity of brine distribution far from the injection site soon after in jection. The postmortem evolution of the parameters is discussed in te rms of structural changes induced by brine injection. MRM provides ins ight into how water dynamics respond to different NaCl concentrations inside muscle.