title: Advances in imaging of animal models of Chagas disease.
abstract: Since serial studies of patients are limited, researchers interested in Chagas disease have relied on animal models of Trypanosoma cruzi infection to explore many aspects of this important human disease. These studies have been important for evaluation of the immunology, pathology, physiology and other aspects of pathogenesis. While larger animals have been employed, mice have remained the most favoured animal model, as they recapitulate many aspects of the human disease, are easy to manipulate genetically and are amenable to study by small animal imaging technologies. Further, developments in non-invasive imaging technologies have permitted the study of the same animal over an extended period of time by multiple imaging modalities, thus permitting the study of the transition from acute infection through the chronic stage and during therapeutic regimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Linda A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Jelicks
authors.forename: Herbert B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Tanowitz
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011323:Primates; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018754:Ventricular Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D015430:Weight Gain