Authors: Sebastian J Schambach, Simona Bag, Christoph Groden, Lothar Schilling, Marc A Brockmann
Methods (San Diego, Calif.). 09/2009;
In vivo animal models of neoplasm, stroke, subarachnoid haemorrhage, and other diseases involving alterations in vessel anatomy and diameter, require a fast and easy-to-use imaging tool that capturesIn vivo animal models of neoplasm, stroke, subarachnoid haemorrhage, and other diseases involving alterations in vessel anatomy and diameter, require a fast and easy-to-use imaging tool that captures anatomical structure and biologic function data. Micro-computed tomography angiography (muCTA) offers high spatial and temporal resolution and is suitable to perform this task. However, conducting muCTA in small rodents, especially in mice, requires a high degree of accuracy and precision. This article describes a setup for in vivo muCTA in mice using both a bolus technique with a conventional contrast agent, as well as, angiography with a blood pool contrast agent. Our setup in mice is at isotropic resolutions up to 16 mum with scanning times less than one minute. The described protocol also addresses some of the technical challenges associated with the imaging of vascular structures in mice models.
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