High-resolution X-ray microtomography is a sensitive method to detect vascular calcification in living rats with chronic renal failure.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic renal failure (CRF) is associated with a 10- to 20-fold increase in cardiovascular risk. Vascular calcification is a prominent feature of cardiovascular disease in patients with end-stage renal failure and contributes to the excess mortality in this population. In this study, we explored in vivo X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) as a tool to detect and follow-up vascular calcifications in the aorta of living rats with adenine-induced CRF.


RESULTS
With in vivo micro-CT, calcification of the aorta in uremic rats was clearly discernible on transversal virtual cross-sections. Micro-CT findings correlated well with tissue calcium content and histology. Repetitive scans in animals with light, moderate, and severe vascular calcification showed good reproducibility with minimal interference of motion artifacts. Moreover, both calcified volume and area could be quantified with this method.


CONCLUSIONS
In vivo micro-CT scanning is a sensitive method to detect vascular calcifications in CRF rats, allowing follow-up and quantification of the development, and potential reversal during treatment, of vascular calcifications in living animals.
Persy
Veerle
V
University of Antwerp, Department of Pathophysiology, Universiteitsplein 1, T 3.06, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium. veerle.persy@ua.ac.be
Postnov
Andrei
A
Neven
Ellen
E
Dams
Geert
G
De Broe
Marc
M
D'Haese
Patrick
P
De Clerck
Nora
N
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000378:metabolism; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D051381:Rats; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D002118:Calcium