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Journal of Peking University (Health Sciences) ›› 2025, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (2): 262-266. doi: 10.19723/j.issn.1671-167X.2025.02.006

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Optical coherence tomography angiography and microvessel density quantification in penumbra after traumatic brain injury in rats

Peng ZHONG1, Xiaodan HU2,3, Zhenzhou WANG3,*()   

  1. 1. Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
    2. School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
    3. Trauma Center, National Center for Trauma Medicine, Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China
  • Received:2022-09-24 Online:2025-04-18 Published:2025-04-12
  • Contact: Zhenzhou WANG E-mail:13522470752@163.com
  • Supported by:
    Grants from Peking University People' s Hospital Research and Development Funds(RDJ2022-05)

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Abstract:

Objective: To observe the dynamic changes of microvascular injury and repair in the penumbra of traumatic brain injury (TBI) rats with effective cerebral perfusion microvascular imaging using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods: Transparent closed cranial windows were placed in craniotomy rats after TBI caused by weight drop. All the rats in TBI group and control group underwent head MRI examination on the first postoperative day, and the changes of cerebral cortical microvessel density were measured by OCTA through cranial windows on d0, d2, d4, d6, and d8. On the second day after the operation, the same number of rats in the two groups were selected to complete the immunohistochemical staining of brain tissue with pimonidazole, an indicator of hypoxia. Results: MRI T2W1 and immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that edema and hypoxia in the traumatic brain tissue extended deeply throughout the entire cortex. OCTA showed that the cortical surface veins of the rats in both groups were significantly dilated and tortuous after operation, and recovered to the postoperative day level on d8. The effective perfusion microvessel density of the rats in both groups gradually recovered after a temporary decrease, and the TBI group decreased from 39.38%±4.48% on d0 to 27.84%±6.01% on d2, which was significantly lower than that on d0, d6, and d8 (P < 0.05). The highest value was 61.71%±7.69% on d8, which was significantly higher than that on d0, d2, and d4 (P < 0.05). The control group decreased from 44.59%±7.78% on d0 to 36.69%±5.49% on d2, which was significantly lower than that on d0, d6, and d8 (P < 0.05). The highest value was 51.92%±5.96% on d8, which was significantly higher than that on d2, and d4 (P < 0.05). Comparing the two groups, the effective perfusion microvessel density in the TBI group was significantly lower than that in the control group on d2 (P=0.021), and significantly higher than that in the control group on d8 (P=0.030). Conclusion: OCTA can be used as a method of imaging and measurement of effective perfusion microvessels in the injured cerebral cortex of TBI rats. After TBI, the effective perfusion microvessel density in the wound penumbra gradually recovered after decreasing, and increased significantly on d8.

Key words: Tomography, optical coherence, Microvascular density, Brain injuries, traumatic, Cerebral cortex

CLC Number: 

  • R651.15

Figure 1

Head MRI on the second day in TBI group and control group T2WI sequence showed that the brain tissue under the cranial window in TBI group presented long T2 signal, involving the whole cortex, while the control group was limited to the superficial cortex. CTRL, control; TBI, traumatic brain injury; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging."

Figure 2

Comparison of Pemolidazole immunohistochemical staining between TBI and control group rats The hypoxia indicator pimonidazole was distributed in the nerve cells and intercellular substance of the cerebral cortex of the two groups.The degree of hypoxia in the TBI group was more severe and the range of hypoxia was larger. CTRL, control; TBI, traumatic brain injury."

Figure 3

OCTA imaging and microvessel density quantification of cerebral cortex vessels in TBI group and control group A, the veins (red arrows) of the cerebral cortex in both groups recovered after significant expansion and tortuosity, while the arteries (yellow arrows) did not change, and the density of microvessels (blue arrows) increased after decreasing. B, compared with the control group, the microvessel density in TBI group decreased significantly on the second day and increased significantly on the eighth day. CTRL, control; TBI, traumatic brain injury; OCTA, optical coherence tomography angiography; d, day."

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