Skeletal Muscle State Estimation by T2 and Rotating Frame Relaxations in Ischemic Hind Limb Mouse Model

Hanne Hakkarainen¹, Galina Dragneva, Petra Korpisalo-Pirinen, Seppo Yl-Herttuala, Olli Grhn, Timo Liimatainen

T₂ and rotating frame relaxation time constants were applied to estimate ischemic muscle viability in a mouse hind limb ischemia model with and without AdhVEGF-D gene therapy. On ischemic leg, percentages of pixels where relaxation times were at the same range as in intact leg were determined and correlated with normal areas determined from histology. High correlations were found with the relaxation times studied (T₂, T_1&[rho], T_RAFF2), indicating that they could be used to evaluate ischemic muscle state non-invasively and provide potential imaging marker for therapy outcome.