Effects of osmotically driven cell volume changes on diffusion‐weighted imaging of the rat optic nerve

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Abstract
The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the rat optic nerve was measuredIn vitro, using magnetic resonance imaging, to determine the effects of changes in cellular volume fraction on the diffusion of tissue water. Nerve ADC was determined under conditions of cell membrane depolarization and (i) increased intracellular volume, (ii) decreased intracellular volume, and (iii) negligible volume change. Depolarization alone had little affect on ADC, whereas volume changes produced strong, reversible effects. Increased cell volume decreased ADC andvice versa. These results are consistent with the view that changes in the extracellular space are the major source of ADC changes in brain tissue.