Hepatopulmonary syndrome induced by common bile duct ligation in a rabbit model: correlation between pulmonary vascular dilatation on thin-section CT and angiography and serum nitrite concentration or endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)1 expression.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the correlation between radiologic vascular dilatation and serum nitrite concentration and eNOS expression in the endothelial cell and pneumocyte in a rabbit model of hepatopulmonary syndrome induced by common bile duct ligation (CBDL).


METHODS
Thin-section CT scans of the lung and pulmonary angiography were obtained 3 weeks after CBDL (n = 6), or a sham operation (n = 4), and intrapulmonary vasodilatation was assessed. The diameter and tortuosity of peripheral vessels in the right lower lobe by thin-section CT and angiography at the same level of the right lower lobe in all subjects were correlated to serum nitrite concentration and eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) expression as determined by immunostaining.


RESULTS
The diameters of pulmonary vessels on thin-section CT were well correlated with nitrite concentrations in serum (r = 0.92, p < 0.001). Dilated pulmonary vessels were significantly correlated with an increased eNOS expression (r = 0.94, p < 0.0001), and the severity of pulmonary vessel tortuosity was found to be well correlated with serum nitrite concentration (r = 0.90, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The peripheral pulmonary vasculature in hepatopulmonary syndrome induced by CBLD was dilated on thin-section CT and on angiographs. Our findings suggest that peripheral pulmonary vascular dilatations are correlated with serum nitrite concentrations and pulmonary eNOS expression.
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Seo-gu, Busan, Korea. kinamlee@chollian.net
Ki-Nam
KN
Lee
Seong Kuk
SK
Yoon
Jin Wha
JW
Lee
Ki Nam
KN
Kim
Byung-Ho
BH
Park
Jong Young
JY
Kwak
Jin Sook
JS
Jeong
Young Hoon
YH
Kim
D000792:Angiography; D000818:Animals; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000293:injuries; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D020065:Hepatopulmonary Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008026:Ligation; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011817:Rabbits; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
D009573:Nitrites; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III