Investigation of a Photothrombosis Inducing System for an Observation of Transient Variations in an in vivo Rat Brain

For the spatiotemporally aligned observation of photothrombosis induction and transient variations of in vivo brain stroke, we developed a novel photothrombosis inducing system compatible to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system using nonmagnetic stereotaxic equipment. From the spatial point of view, the system provides a more reliable level of reproducibility of the photothrombosis in each brain. From the temporal point of view, from T1- and T2-weighted in vivo MR (magnetic resonance) images, the transient variations such as incidence, location, and size of the thrombosis are measured quantitatively. In addition, the final variation is observed in the ex vivo brain by TTC (Triphenyltetrazolium chloride) staining based on histological assay and utilized for the verification of the MR images. From the experimental result of the rat brain, the proposed system shows more reliable characteristics for transient variations of brain strokes.