title: Imaging lung microstructure in mice with hyperpolarized 3He diffusion MRI.
abstract: Quantitative measurement of lung microstructure is of great significance in assessment of pulmonary disease, particularly in the earliest stages. The technique for MRI-based 3He lung morphometry was previously developed and validated for human lungs, and was recently extended to ex vivo mouse lungs. The technique yields accurate, quantitative information about the microstructure and geometry of acinar airways. In this study, the 3He lung morphometry technique is successfully implemented for in vivo studies of mice. Results indicate excellent agreement between in vivo morphometry via 3He MRI and microscopic morphometry after sacrifice. This opens up new avenues for application of the technique as a precise, noninvasive, in vivo biomarker of changes in lung microstructure, within various mouse models of lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Nguyet M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Dmitriy A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Yablonskiy
authors.forename: Alexander L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sukstanskii
authors.forename: Emir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Osmanagic
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Conradi
authors.forename: Jason C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006371:Helium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007554:Isotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007554:Isotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D006371:Helium