Identifying Optimal Anesthesia Drugs for Intracranial Disease

Approximately four million dogs in the United States suffer from brain cancer, and even more from intracranial disease and injury. Many important diagnostic tests used in patients with intracranial disease, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), require general anesthesia. Researchers will study how three general anesthetic agents affect cerebral blood flow and vasculature using two MRI techniques. The team also will determine if a new general anesthetic would be a safer and better alternative for at-risk patients. Findings will help anesthesiologists and radiologists with choosing the appropriate anesthetic drug for canine patients with intracranial disease.