Figure 1.

(a) Experimental protocol. Ischaemic stroke induction by Middle Cerebral Artery occlusion (MCAo). MRI protocol acquisition started 20 min after MCAo, lasting for 53 min at day 0. Reperfusion took place 90 min after MCAo. MRI acquisition was repeated 21 days after (duration 20 min); finally the animals were euthanized for histological analyses; n =  10 rats. (b) Representative image of regions of interest (ROIs) delineated on the ADC (apparent diffusion coefficient) map: ROIs measured at day 0: LesionD0, ContraD0, hemisphere (H) ipsilateral (ipsi) HIpsiD0 and HContraD0. ROIs measured at day 21: LesionD21, ContraD21, HIpsiD21 and HContraD21. ROI Mismatch was delineated on the CBF (cerebral blood flow) map; ROI Hypoxia was delineated on the StO₂ (brain tissue oxygen saturation) map.