Imaging Brain Damage Induced by Cerebral Hypoxia-Ischemia in a Mouse Model

Take an anesthetized mouse and provide oxygen using a nose cone.

The mouse's right common carotid artery was ligated to reduce blood flow to the right brain hemisphere, predisposing it to hypoxia-induced damage.

Insert a catheter to deliver radiolabeled glucose intravenously.

Position the mouse in a scanner to simultaneously image glucose metabolism using positron-emission tomography, or PET, and structural changes using magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI.

Induce hypoxia by reducing oxygen, thereby exacerbating cellular stress in the vulnerable hemisphere. The stress leads to intracellular water accumulation, restricting water molecule movement within swollen cells compared to the extracellular space.

In MRI images, restricted water molecule movement appears as dark areas in the affected hemisphere, indicating hypoxia-induced damage.

Simultaneously, the injected radiolabeled glucose reaches the brain and is absorbed by healthy cells.

PET imaging shows radiolabeled glucose distribution, where dark areas in the affected hemisphere indicate reduced glucose uptake due to hypoxia-induced damage.

Check the operation of the oxygen and nitrogen flow meters by first turning on the oxygen and nitro