Blood Brain Barrier and Brain Tissue Injury by Gd-DTPA in Uremia-induced Rabbits

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: An experimental study was carried out to evaluate the morphological changes in the blood brain barrier and neighbouring brain tissue caused by Gd-DTPA in uremia-induced rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bilateral renal arteries and veins of ten rabbits were ligated. Gd-DTPA(0.2 mmol/kg) was intravenously injectedinto seven rabbits immediately after ligation. After MRI, they were sacrificed 2 or 3 days after ligation in orderto observe light and electron microscopic changes in the blood brain barrier and brain tissue. RESULTS: MRIfindings were normal, except for enhancement of the superior and inferior sagittal sinuses on T1 weighted imagesin uremia-induced rabbits injected with Gd-DTPA. On light microscopic examination, these rabbits showed perivascular edema and glial fibrillary acidic protein expression ; electron microscopic examination showed separation of tight junctions of endothelial cells, duplication/rarefaction of basal lamina, increased lysosomes of neurons with neuronal death, demyelination of myelin, and extravasation of red blood cells. Uremia-induced rabbits injected with Gd-DTPA showed more severe changes than those without Gd-DTPA injection. CONCLUSION: Injuries to the blood brain barrier and neighbouring brain tissue were aggravated by Gd-DTPA administration inuremia-induced rabbits. These findings appear to be associated with the neurotoxicity of Gd-DTPA.