Article
Ultra-fast high resolution cerebral artery micro-CTA in living mice
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Published: | May 20, 2009 |
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Objective: Animal models are frequently used in preclinical stroke research. Investigations of the status of cerebral vasculature in small rodents are of special interest in settings like experimental stroke or vasospasm. Because of their small caliber, in vivo imaging of the cerebrovasculature is extremely difficult. We developed a method to provide fast 3D in vivo imaging of the murine cerebral vasculature using micro-computed tomography-angiography (µCTA).
Methods: An industrial X-ray inspection system equipped with a nanofocus cone beam X-ray source and a 12-bit direct digital flatbed detector was used. We performed high-speed µCTA (180° rotation within 40 sec. at 30 fps) in anaesthetized mice. Mice received a tail vein injection of an iodinated contrast agent during the scan. Images were reconstructed using a filtered back projection algorithm and image analysis was performed by maximum intensity projection (MIP) and 3D volume reconstruction.
Results: Mice tolerated i.v. injection of the iodinated contrast agent well. We managed to acquire isotropic voxels as small as 16 µm while scanning the whole neurocranium of the mouse. The anatomy of the cerebral vessels was assessable in all animals and the anatomical differences between two mouse strains could be easily detected. Mean vessel diameter was measured in 8 C57BL/6 mice. Finally, we were able to demonstrate changes in vessel diameter by repetitive µCTA.
Conclusions: Ultra fast in vivo vCTA of the murine cerebrovasculature is feasible at resolutions down to 16 µm. Changes of the diameter of the cerebral arteries can be detected and measured. The technique could be helpful to provide fast insights in pathological changes of cerebral vessels in rodents as small as mice.