title: Kidney volume quantification using contrast-enhanced in vivo X-ray micro-CT in mice.
abstract: The present study sought to establish a standard in vivo imaging procedure for mouse kidney anatomy evaluation using contrast-enhanced high-resolution X-ray microtomography (micro-CT). Micro-CT estimation of kidney volume was compared with ex vivo measurement by micro-CT and water displacement. Control values were obtained in four strains (BALB/c, C3H/HeN, 129/Sv and C57BL/6J) of healthy male and female mice aged 22 +/- 2 weeks. An excellent correlation was found between in vivo and ex vivo kidney volumes (n = 26 mice; 52 kidneys; r = 0.96). In vivo measurement systematically overestimated ex vivo kidney volume by 28 +/- 4%, while there was no significant difference between the ex vivo micro-CT value and the true kidney volume on water displacement (2.3 +/- 2.1%). In vivo kidney volume also correlated strongly with kidney weight and in vivo kidney length (n = 52 mice; 104 kidneys; r = 0.84, r = 0.92 respectively). Differences between strains were observed for kidney volume when comparing either kidney volume or kidney weight to body weight. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that contrast-enhanced micro-CT enables accurate in vivo measurement of kidney volume, length and thickness in mice. Reference parameters are reported for four strains. The technique provides a useful follow-up research tool for mouse phenotyping and renal disease studies.
authors.affiliation: ANIMAGE, Rhône-Alpes GENOPOLE, Université de Lyon, Bât. CERMEP-59, Boulevard Pinel, 69677 Bron Cedex, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almajdub
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magnier
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Juillard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janier
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009929:Organ Size; D012016:Reference Values; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media