Cardiovascular MRI in small animals.
Imaging studies of cardiovascular disease in small rodents have become a prerequisite in preclinical cardiovascular research. Transgenic and gene-knockout models of cardiovascular diseases enables the investigation of the influence of single genes or groups of genes on disease pathogenesis. In addition, experimental and genetically altered models provide valuable in vivo platforms to investigate the efficacy of novel drugs and contrast agents. Owing to the excellent soft tissue contrast, high spatial and temporal resolution, as well as the tomographic nature of MRI, anatomy and function can be assessed with unique accuracy and reproducibility. Furthermore, using novel targeted MRI contrast agents, molecular changes associated with cardiovascular disease can be investigated in the same imaging session. This review focuses on recent advances in hardware, imaging sequences and probe design.
Makowski
Marcus R
MR
Division of Imaging Sciences, King's College London, 4th Floor, Lambeth Wing, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK. marcus.makowski@kcl.ac.uk
Wiethoff
Andrea J
AJ
Jansen
Christian H P
CH
Botnar
René M
RM
D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D003287:Contrast Media