Peripheral nerve repair: monitoring by using gadofluorine M-enhanced MR imaging with chitosan nerve conduits with cultured mesenchymal stem cells in rat model of neurotmesis.

PURPOSE: To observe the longitudinal changes of nerve repair in rats after tissue-engineered construct implantation at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and to determine whether the enhanced nerve regeneration with use of tissue-engineered constructs could be monitored with gadofluorine M-enhanced MR imaging or nerve T2 relaxation time measurement.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: All experimental protocols were approved by the institutional Animal Use and Care Committee. Tissue-engineered constructs were prepared by seeding mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into chitosan nerve tubes. Thirty-six rats with sciatic nerve transection injury underwent nerve tube implantation with (n = 18) or without (n = 18) MSC seeding. Sequential T2 measurement, gadofluorine M-enhanced MR imaging, and sciatic function index measurement were performed over an 8-week follow-up period, with histologic assessments performed at regular intervals. T2 relaxation times and signal intensity at gadofluorine M-enhanced T1-weighted imaging were measured and were compared by using repeated-measures analysis of variance followed by the Student-Neuman-Keuls post-hoc test for multiple pairwise comparisons.
RESULTS: Nerve T2 relaxation times and gadofluorine M enhancement, as well as functional changes, showed a similar time course. Nerves implanted with MSC-seeded tubes achieved slightly better functional recovery and enhanced nerve regeneration while showing a slower return to baseline T2 relaxation time and a more rapid decline in gadofluorine M enhancement compared with nerves implanted with chitosan tubes alone. T2 values of the distal portion of transected nerves showed a more rapid return to baseline level than did gadofluorine M enhancement.
CONCLUSION: Peripheral nerve repair with use of tissue-engineered constructs can be monitored by using gadofluorine M-enhanced MR imaging and T2 relaxation time measurements. T2 relaxation time seems more sensitive than gadofluorine M-enhanced MR imaging for detecting nerve regeneration. © RSNA, 2011.