Radiological and pathological evaluation of the spinal cord in a rat model of electrical injury-induced myelopathy.

Abstract

No study has reported an animal-based experimental model of electrical injury to the spinal cord. This paper presents the first systematic establishment of an animal model of electrical injury to the spinal cord with subsequent pathophysiologic analysis. The voltage required for the electrical shock was generated by an electroconvulsive therapy apparatus (57800 ECT unit; UGO BASILE, Italy). We used one side ear as the entry site and the contralateral hind limb as the exit site. Seven electrical shock (frequency, 120 Hz; pulse width, 0.9 ms; duration, 3 s; current, 99 mA) was applied to each rat and used rat showing hind limb weakness. Radiologic and histologic evaluations were performed at one day, one, two and four weeks after injury. Twelve rats showed the hind limb weakness among the total 18 rats. Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging showed interruption of spinal cord enhancement in the thoracic area. Histological examination showed a greater decrease in the number of neurons in the ventral horn versus the dorsal horn. This study demonstrates a novel design and analysis of an animal-based experimental model of spinal cord injury by electrical etiology. This model is useful for experimental studies of injuries to the spinal cord.