OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate post-burn cerebral edema, establish its MM-MRI manifestation, and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: Rats were randomly assigned to four groups (8h, 24h, 48h, and 72h post-burn) and subjected to thermal burns to induce skin injury, following the rat burn model. Treatment was administered based on Parkland's formula. At specific time points, rats were evaluated using MM-MRI sequences (T RESULTS: All experimental groups exhibited significantly increased post-burn cerebral edema compared to the sham control group. While no significant changes were observed on T CONCLUSION: This study confirms the presence of post-burn cerebral edema in the early stages following burn trauma, might be mediated by AQP4, as supported by histological findings. Radiological results indicate that DWI and ADC mapping are sensitive methods for diagnosing and monitoring post-burn cerebral edema.