title: 3D architecture of myocardial microcirculation in intact rat heart: a study with micro-CT.
abstract: The branching geometry of the coronary arterial tree may play a significant role in the observed spatial heterogeneity in myocardial perfusion. To provide more insight into this possibility we used a micro-CT scanner to image the intact rat heart and its opacified coronary arterial tree, for quantitative analysis of the coronary arterial architecture. Results show a consistent pattern of branching throughout the heart wall.
authors.affiliation: Department Physiology and Biophysics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Beighley
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jorgensen
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Ritman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D051381:Rats; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012826:Silicone Elastomers