1. The Effects of the Method of Death and Lapsed Time on Proton Relaxation Time T1 in Autopsied Muscle Samples
- Author
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Hannu Kalimo, Anu Alanen, Kimmo O.J. Virtanen, Marttij. Kormano, Iris G.V. Lillsunde, Riita K. Parkkola, and Markku Komu
- Subjects
Male ,Muscle tissue ,Programmed cell death ,Pentobarbital ,Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ,Time Factors ,Human muscle ,Cause of Death ,medicine ,Animals ,Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging ,Rats, Wistar ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,business.industry ,Muscles ,Spin–lattice relaxation ,Magnetic resonance imaging ,General Medicine ,Magnetic Resonance Imaging ,Rats ,Investigation methods ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Spinal Injuries ,Postmortem Changes ,Anesthesia ,Cervical dislocation ,Cervical Vertebrae ,business ,medicine.drug - Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES The variation of measured magnetic resonance T1 relaxation times of autopsied human muscle samples is confusing. Hence, the authors studied rats' muscles to evaluate the effect of fiber type, the relative area of nonmyofiber space, fat and water content, cell death, and the mechanism of death on proton T1. METHODS Rats were studied on a 0.1 T magnetic resonance device. We studied how death by cervical dislocation, pentobarbital injection, or a combination of these methods, as well as the amount of time lapsed after death, variably affected T1. RESULTS Death itself did not affect T1, but the mechanism of death did: rats killed by cervical dislocation after ether anesthesia had longer T1 than those killed with an overdose of pentobarbital. T1 was significantly shorter 1 day after death than at 4 hours after and returned to baseline levels within 4 days after death. Repeated warming caused variation in T1 and obscured other possible changes. CONCLUSIONS Investigation methods should be strictly controlled and standardized before measurements of the relaxation time, T1, of muscle tissue will provide consistent results.
- Published
- 1993
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