Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 7, 2012; 18(13): 1496-1501
Published online Apr 7, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i13.1496
Magnetic resonance imaging: A new tool for diagnosis of acute ischemic colitis?
Francesca Iacobellis, Daniela Berritto, Francesco Somma, Carlo Cavaliere, Marco Corona, Santolo Cozzolino, Franco Fulciniti, Salvatore Cappabianca, Antonio Rotondo, Roberto Grassi
Francesca Iacobellis, Daniela Berritto, Francesco Somma, Carlo Cavaliere, Salvatore Cappabianca, Antonio Rotondo, Roberto Grassi, Institute of Radiology, Second University of Naples, 80138 Naples, Italy
Marco Corona, Santolo Cozzolino, Biotechnology Center, A.O.R.N. Cardarelli, 80131 Naples, Italy
Franco Fulciniti, S.S.D. di Citopatologia, A.F. di Anatomia Patologica, Istituto Nazionale Tumori “Fondazione G. Pascale”, 80131 Naples, Italy
Author contributions: Iacobellis F performed the research and wrote the manuscript, Berritto D, Somma F, Cavaliere C and Corona M contributed to the conception and design of the study and to the acquisition and interpretation of the data; Cozzolino S contributed to the acquisition of the data; Fulciniti F performed the histological analysis; Cappabianca S and Rotondo A revised the article critically for important intellectual content; Grassi R designed the research and approved the final version for publication.
Correspondence to: Dr. Francesca Iacobellis, MD, Institute of Radiology, Second University of Naples, P.za Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy. francesca.iacobellis@libero.it
Telephone: +39-081-5665203 Fax: +39-081-5665200
Received: April 27, 2011
Revised: July 7, 2011
Accepted: July 14, 2011
Published online: April 7, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To define the evolution of ischemic lesions with 7T magnetic resonance imaging (7T-MRI) in an animal model of acute colonic ischemia.

METHODS: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups. Group I underwent inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) ligation followed by macroscopic observations and histological analysis. In group II, 7T-MRI was performed before and after IMA ligation and followed by histological analysis.

RESULTS: Morphological alterations started to develop 1 h after IMA ligation, when pale areas became evident in the splenic flexure mesentery and progressively worsened up to 8 h thereafter, when the mesentery was less pale, and the splenic flexure loop appeared very dark. The 7T-MRI results reflected these alterations, showing a hyperintense signal in both the intraperitoneal space and the colonic loop wall 1 h after IMA ligation; the latter progressively increased to demonstrate a reduction in the colonic loop lumen at 6 h. Eight hours after IMA ligation, MRI showed a persistent colonic mural hyperintensity associated with a reduction in peritoneal free fluid. The 7T-MRI findings were correlated with histological alterations, varying from an attenuated epithelium with glandular apex lesions at 1 h to coagulative necrosis and loss of the surface epithelium detected 8 h after IMA ligation.

CONCLUSION: MRI may be used as a substitute for invasive procedures in diagnosing and grading acute ischemic colitis, allowing for the early identification of pathological findings.

Keywords: Ischemic colitis; Animal models; Sprague-Dawley rats; Magnetic resonance imaging; Histopathology