Fetal program ming of hepatic lobular architecture in the rat demonstratedex vivo with magnetic resonance imaging

Citation
Sp. Burns et al., Fetal program ming of hepatic lobular architecture in the rat demonstratedex vivo with magnetic resonance imaging, NMR BIOMED, 13(2), 2000, pp. 82-91
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
Journal title
NMR IN BIOMEDICINE
ISSN journal
09523480 → ACNP
Volume
13
Issue
2
Year of publication
2000
Pages
82 - 91
Database
ISI
SICI code
0952-3480(200004)13:2<82:FPMOHL>2.0.ZU;2-V
Abstract
We demonstrate that MRI imaging at sub-millimetre resolution can distinguis h between periportal and perivenous zones of the rat liver lobule. This mad e it possible to measure the hepatic lobular radius in ex-vivo perfused fix ed livers using MRI. Comparisons of histomorphometric and MRI measurements of lobular radius were in good agreement, although MRI measurements were si gnificantly smaller (P < 0.001). Male rats whose mothers were fed 40% of th e protein of controls during gestation and lactation, had a significantly l arger hepatic lobular radius than that of controls [449 +/- 11 mu m vs 373 +/- 9 mu m (mean +/- SEM), respectively, p < 0.001, n = 12; histomorphometr y data]. The proton T-2 in periportal and perivenous zones was mapped both before and after antegrade or retrograde perfusion of 10 ml of digitonin (4 mg ml(-1)). Only the T-2 of the hypointense regions increased significantl y following antegrade perfusion of digitonin and conversely only that of th e intense regions following retrograde perfusion. Digitonin causes permeabi lization of cells in specific hepatic zones, determined by the direction of perfusion. The intense and hypointense regions of the hepatic MR images th us arise from the perivenous and periportal zones of the hepatic lobule, re spectively. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.