Magnetic Resonance Imaging after MCAO

MRI was performed on days 1 and 84 post-MCAO on a Siemens 3.0 Tesla Magnetom Avanto MRI system. Utilizing the previously described surgical anesthesia protocol [35 (link)], MRI of the cranium was performed using a 12-channel head coil, 25 cm in diameter, with the pig positioned in supine recumbency. Standard multiplanar magnetic resonance (MR) brain imaging sequences were acquired including T2FLAIR, T2W, DWI, and DTI. T2FLAIR, T2W, DWI, and ADC maps were analyzed using Osirix software (version 5.8.5, Pixme, Geneva, Switzerland). DTI and computed FA values were analyzed using ImageJ software. Analysis of MLS was performed by two trained blinded independent raters on coronal and axial planes on T2-weighted MR images at the level of the septum pellucidum. To determine inter-rater reliability, Pearson’s correlation was conducted on MLS measurements in axial and coronal planes by two raters in both NSC EV–treated and non-treated animals. Pearson’s correlation of raters’ measurements showed a NSC EV axial of R² = 0.679 (p = 0.0228), NSC EV coronal of R² = 0.841 (p = 0.0036), non-treated axial of R² = 0.970 (p < 0.0001), and non-treated coronal of R² 0.936 (p < 0.001) indicating that their measurements were significantly related. Average MLS values of both raters per animal were utilized for all correlation analysis.