Ratio Computation of Stroke Rat Brain Infarct Volume and Atrophy Volume Relative to the Normal Brain Volume

Abstract

This study focused on ischemic stroke by using rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) as experimental subjects, and examining the images of their brains obtained from staining with 2, 3, 5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC). The stroke rat brain infarct volume and atrophy volume computation system (SRBIAVC system) segmented the images via methods of background removal, gamma correction, brain center line detection, and genetic algorithm to yield a correct estimate on the volume of brain infarct and atrophy. This way, the SRBIAVC system can provide useful information in the development of new drugs for stroke treatment. As indicated by the experimental results, the estimates obtained by the SRBIAVC system were better than those by other methods and more closely approximated the estimates by experts.