MRI-Compatible Microcirculation System Using Ultrasonic Pumps for Microvascular Imaging on 3T MRI.

The diagnosis of small vessel disease is attracting interest; however, it remains difficult to visualize the microvasculature using 3 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Therefore, this study aimed to visualize the microvascular structure and measure a slow flow on 3T MRI. We developed a microcirculation system using piezoelectric pumps connected to small tubes (0.4, 0.5, 0.8, and 1.0 mm) and evaluated various MR sequences and imaging parameters to identify the most appropriate acquisition parameters. We found that the system could image small structures with a diameter of 0.5 mm or more when using a 1 m-long tube (maximal signal intensity of 241 in 1 mm, 199 in 0.8 mm, and 133 in 0.5 mm). We also found that the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) appeared on 2-dimensional time-of-flight low-resolution imaging and that the flow velocity (10.03 cm/s) was similar to the actual velocity (11.01 cm/s in a flowmeter) when velocity encoding of 30 cm/s was used in a 0.8 mm-diameter tube. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that a microcirculation system can be used to image small vessels. Therefore, our results could serve as a basis for research on vessels' anatomical structure and pathophysiological function in small vessel disease.

Paroxysmal dyskinesia suspected as canine epileptoid cramping syndrome in a young Yorkshire terrier dog.

A 9-month-old intact female Yorkshire terrier dog was presented with episodic partial seizure-like cramping of the limbs. The patient's episodes began six months previously; the interval between episodes became shorter, and the duration of the episodes increased. Various tests including neurologic examination, blood examination, abdominal radiography, ultrasonographic examination, angiographic computed tomography (CT) and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected no remarkable changes. After these tests were conducted, the patient's condition was suspected to be canine epileptoid cramping syndrome (CECS), which could be a form of paroxysmal dyskinesia (PD), and as a trial therapy, Science Diet k/d (Hill's Pet Nutrition, Topeka, KS, U.S.A.) was prescribed. The clinical signs were dramatically reduced after diet therapy, and we diagnosed the patient with CECS. This is the first case report of CECS in a Yorkshire terrier dog.