MR Spectroscopy of Cerebral Fat Embolism in Cats

To investigate the spectroscopic findings of embolized lesions induced with a fat-emulsion technique with magnetic resonance images (MRI). A fat emulsion was made with 0.1 ml of triolein and 20 ml of normal saline. In 12 cats, the internal carotid artery was infused with the fat emulsion. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI and multivoxel spectroscopy were obtained at 1 hour, 1 and 4 days, and 1 week after embolization. NAA (N-acetylaspartate), Cr (creatine) and Cho (choline) were evaluated on the spectroscopy. Statitistical analysis wsperformed at the embolized and contralateral normal hemisphere in the integral and amplitude of NAA, Cr and Nho in time course. Also NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr were compared in both hemisphere and in time course. The emboli zed lesions showed contrast enhance ments on Gd-enhanced Tl-weighted i~ages at 1 hour. This contrast enhancement was decreased at day 1, and id not appear agter day 4. In spectroscopy, the embolized hemisphere showed no statistical difference to the normal contralateral side at 1 hour and in time course. NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr were not significantly different in both hemispheres at 1 hour and in time course. Cerebral-fat embolism induced by a triolein emulsion in cats revealed no statistical difference on MR spectroscopy. Triolein-emulsion can be used in the study of blood-brain barrier.