Technical Note: Contrast free angiography of the pulmonary vasculature in live mice using a laboratory x‐ray source. Issue 11 (18th October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Samarage, Chaminda R.; Carnibella, Richard; Preissner, Melissa; Jones, Heather D.; Pearson, James T.; Fouras, Andreas; Dubsky, Stephen
• Is Part Of: Medical physics. Volume 43:Issue 11(2016)
• Page Start: 6017
• Page End: 6023
• Publication Date: 2016-10-18
• Subjects: blood vessels -- computerised tomography -- diagnostic radiography -- image reconstruction -- lung -- medical image processing; Angiography -- Reconstruction -- Computed tomography; Computerised tomographs -- Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers -- Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific applications -- Image data processing or generation, in general; pulmonary vasculature -- x‐ray -- angiography -- contrast free -- lab‐source; Computed tomography -- Lungs -- X‐ray imaging -- Medical image reconstruction -- Medical image segmentation -- Angiography -- Medical image contrast -- Image analysis; Medical physics -- Periodicals; Medical physics; Geneeskunde; Natuurkunde; Toepassingen; Biophysics; Periodicals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 610.153
• DOI: 10.1118/1.4964794
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-2405

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: In vivo imaging of the pulmonary vasculature in small animals is difficult yet highly desirable in order to allow study of the effects of a host of dynamic biological processes such as hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. Here the authors present an approach for the quantification of changes in the vasculature. Methods: A contrast free angiography technique is validated in silico through the use of computer‐generated images and in vivo through microcomputed tomography (μCT) of live mice conducted using a laboratory‐based x‐ray source. Subsequent image processing on μCT data allowed for the quantification of the caliber of pulmonary vasculature without the need for external contrast agents. These measures were validated by comparing with quantitative contrast microangiography in the same mice. Results: Quantification of arterial diameters from the method proposed in this study is validated against laboratory‐based x‐ray contrast microangiography. The authors find that there is a high degree of correlation ( R = 0.91) between measures from microangiography and their contrast free method. Conclusions: A technique for quantification of murine pulmonary vasculature without the need for contrast is presented. As such, this technique could be applied for longitudinal studies of animals to study changes to vasculature without the risk of premature death in sensitive mouse models of disease. This approach may also be of value in the clinical setting.