Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of nonthermal irreversible electroporation in vegetable tissue

J Membr Biol. 2010 Jul;236(1):137-46. doi: 10.1007/s00232-010-9281-2. Epub 2010 Jul 15.

Abstract

We introduce and characterize the use of MRI for studying nonthermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) in a vegetative tissue model. NTIRE is a new minimally invasive surgical technique for tissue ablation in which microsecond, high electric-field pulses form nanoscale defects in the cell membrane that lead to cell death. Clinical NTIRE sequences were applied to a potato tuber tissue model. The potato is used for NTIRE studies because cell damage is readily visible with optical means through a natural oxidation process of released intracellular enzymes (polyphenol oxidase) and the formation of brown-black melanins. MRI sequences of the treated area were taken at various times before and after NTIRE and compared with photographic images. A comparison was made between T1W, T2W, FLAIR and STIR MRIs of NTIRE and photographic images. Some MRI sequences show changes in areas treated by irreversible electroporation. T1W and FLAIR produce brighter images of the treated areas. In contrast, the signal was lost from the treated area when a suppression technique, STIR, was used. There was similarity between optical photographic images of the treated tissue and MRIs of the same areas. This is the first study to characterize MRI of NTIRE in vegetative tissue. We find that NTIRE produces changes in vegetative tissue that can be imaged by certain MRI sequences. This could make MRI an effective tool to study the fundamentals of NTIRE in nonanimal tissue.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Catechol Oxidase / chemistry
  • Cell Membrane / chemistry
  • Electroporation / methods*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry
  • Plant Tubers*
  • Solanum tuberosum*

Substances

  • Plant Proteins
  • Catechol Oxidase