Hexachlorophene-induced brain edema in rat observed by proton magnetic resonance

Rat brain was examined with 4.7 T proton magnetic resonance (MR). On administering hexachlorophene (HCP) 30 mg/kg/day for 5 days, myelin-rich structures stood out in T2-weighted images. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was markedly suppressed in all regions examined except for cerebral cortex. Seven days after terminating the exposure to HCP, without enhancement in T2-weighted images, ADC was still decreased in corpus callosum, optic nerve and trigeminal nerve. Rat administered with HCP and followed with high magnetic field proton MR seems to provide a good model for cytotoxic brain edema, and it may also be useful to visualize heavily myelinated structures.