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Cerebral MRI on fetuses submitted to repeated cocaine administration during the gestation: an ovine model

Akoka, S ; Descamps, P ; Genberg, C ; Franconi, F ; Arbeille, B ; Laurini, Ricardo LU ; Locatelli, A ; Platt, L D and Arbeille, P (1999) In European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology 85(2). p.185-190
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in investigating fetal cerebral lesions induced by long term exposure to cocaine during sheep pregnancy. Cerebral Magnetic Resonance Imaging was performed on two groups of fetuses at 125 days of gestation (normal gestation: 145 days). The control group consisted of eight fetuses of four pregnant ewes. The study group consisted of eight fetuses of four pregnant ewes receiving daily 140 mg/kg injection of cocaine from day 60 until delivery. The following MR sequences were applied: T1-weighted FLASH, and T2-weighted Fast-Spin-Echo. Cerebral images were evaluated semi quantitatively using the following criteria: Heterogenicity, contrast between grey and white... (More)
The aim of this study was to determine the role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in investigating fetal cerebral lesions induced by long term exposure to cocaine during sheep pregnancy. Cerebral Magnetic Resonance Imaging was performed on two groups of fetuses at 125 days of gestation (normal gestation: 145 days). The control group consisted of eight fetuses of four pregnant ewes. The study group consisted of eight fetuses of four pregnant ewes receiving daily 140 mg/kg injection of cocaine from day 60 until delivery. The following MR sequences were applied: T1-weighted FLASH, and T2-weighted Fast-Spin-Echo. Cerebral images were evaluated semi quantitatively using the following criteria: Heterogenicity, contrast between grey and white matter, contours irregularity, hyposignal, lateral ventricle sizes. The brightness distribution and homogenicity of the images were analysed by means of edge pair distributions using a new computerized method originally designed for ultrasound images analysis developed by Ultrasight inc (USA). (1) Flash T1: Heterogenic areas and irregular contours were more frequent in cocaine exposed fetuses. The contrast between grey and white matter was more important in the cocaine group. Hyposignal was found only in the cocaine group. Enlarged lateral ventricle occurred more frequently in the cocaine group. (2) Spin echo T2: The contrast between grey and white matter was higher and the contours of the brain more irregular in the cocaine group. Heterogenicity and hyposignal were also more frequent in this group but the difference with the control group was not significant. The computerized analysis of the contrast density on the cerebral images showed that 88% of the areas exceeding the reference level concerned the cocaine group, while only 14% of the areas exceeding the reference level concerned the control group. Long term exposure to cocaine induces cerebral tissue modifications, in favor of an advanced maturation and the development of hypoxic lesions. The histology of the brains confirmed in the cocaine group, the existence of hypoxic lesions with gliosis, perivascular edema and hemorrhages, and neuronal death. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Ovine fetus, Cocaine, Cerebral tissue, Magnetic resonance imaging
in
European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology
volume
85
issue
2
pages
185 - 190
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:10584633
  • scopus:0033180998
ISSN
0301-2115
DOI
10.1016/S0301-2115(99)00019-6
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3c101bd5-3880-4833-9e7a-54187b751a52 (old id 1116032)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:39:53
date last changed
2022-01-26 08:22:31
@article{3c101bd5-3880-4833-9e7a-54187b751a52,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study was to determine the role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in investigating fetal cerebral lesions induced by long term exposure to cocaine during sheep pregnancy. Cerebral Magnetic Resonance Imaging was performed on two groups of fetuses at 125 days of gestation (normal gestation: 145 days). The control group consisted of eight fetuses of four pregnant ewes. The study group consisted of eight fetuses of four pregnant ewes receiving daily 140 mg/kg injection of cocaine from day 60 until delivery. The following MR sequences were applied: T1-weighted FLASH, and T2-weighted Fast-Spin-Echo. Cerebral images were evaluated semi quantitatively using the following criteria: Heterogenicity, contrast between grey and white matter, contours irregularity, hyposignal, lateral ventricle sizes. The brightness distribution and homogenicity of the images were analysed by means of edge pair distributions using a new computerized method originally designed for ultrasound images analysis developed by Ultrasight inc (USA). (1) Flash T1: Heterogenic areas and irregular contours were more frequent in cocaine exposed fetuses. The contrast between grey and white matter was more important in the cocaine group. Hyposignal was found only in the cocaine group. Enlarged lateral ventricle occurred more frequently in the cocaine group. (2) Spin echo T2: The contrast between grey and white matter was higher and the contours of the brain more irregular in the cocaine group. Heterogenicity and hyposignal were also more frequent in this group but the difference with the control group was not significant. The computerized analysis of the contrast density on the cerebral images showed that 88% of the areas exceeding the reference level concerned the cocaine group, while only 14% of the areas exceeding the reference level concerned the control group. Long term exposure to cocaine induces cerebral tissue modifications, in favor of an advanced maturation and the development of hypoxic lesions. The histology of the brains confirmed in the cocaine group, the existence of hypoxic lesions with gliosis, perivascular edema and hemorrhages, and neuronal death.}},
  author       = {{Akoka, S and Descamps, P and Genberg, C and Franconi, F and Arbeille, B and Laurini, Ricardo and Locatelli, A and Platt, L D and Arbeille, P}},
  issn         = {{0301-2115}},
  keywords     = {{Ovine fetus; Cocaine; Cerebral tissue; Magnetic resonance imaging}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{185--190}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology}},
  title        = {{Cerebral MRI on fetuses submitted to repeated cocaine administration during the gestation: an ovine model}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0301-2115(99)00019-6}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0301-2115(99)00019-6}},
  volume       = {{85}},
  year         = {{1999}},
}