Characteristic analysis on susceptibility weighted imaging of intravitreous foreign body of autologous eyelashes in rabbits

Abstract Objective To explore the characteristics of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) of the intrav-itreous foreign body of autologous eyelashes in rabbits. Methods A total of 12 New Zealand white rabbits, either sex, weighing 2.5–3.5 kg, and provided by the Experimental Animal Center of Henan Province were employed in this study. For each rabbit, 5 autologous eyelashes (1 cm in length and 0.2–0.3 mm in diameter) were implanted into the right ocular vitreum, while the left control ocular vitreum received sham operation but nothing was implanted. SWI sequential test was made 2 hours postoperatively. Then the rabbits were killed and the specimens of the vitreous bodies of the rabbits were obtained. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and histological examinations were performed. Results The autologous eyelashes in 8 ocular vitreums of rabbits showed linear low signal intensity on the magnitude images and susceptibility weighted images, but linear high signal intensity on the phase images. Among the 12 experimental rabbits, 5 eyelashes in the right vitreum were completely shown in 3 rabbits, partly shown in 5 rabbits (2 eyelashes shown in 3 rabbits and 3 eyelashes shown in 2 rabbits), and not shown in 4 rabbits. Conclusion SWI of the foreign body of intravitreous autologous eyelashes in rabbits has its own characteristics. The combined application of SWI sequential magnitude images, susceptibility weighted images and phase images is helpful to the detection and diagnosis of intravitreous autologous eyelashes in rabbits.