Pharmacological MRI in Mice with the Rapid Steady State T1-Technique and Intraperitoneal Contrast Agent Administration

Teodora-Adriana Perles-Barbacaru¹, Francois Berger¹, Hana Lahrech¹

The Rapid Steady State T₁ (RSST₁) MRI technique, previously used with intravenous injections, can be used with intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of Gd-DOTA to acquire cerebral blood volume fraction (BVf) maps in mice. The longer time window after i.p. administration of Gd-DOTA is used to study the sensitivity of the RSST₁-technique to BVf changes induced by the vasodilator Acetazolamide. A 20% BVf increase was observed within 10 minutes after Acetazolamide injection confirming the vascular biodistribution of Gd-DOTA and validating the technique. The RSST₁-technique with i.p. administration of Gd-DOTA can therefore be used for pharmacological MRI experiments in mice.