title: High-resolution positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging of the mouse heart.
abstract: Different animal models have been used to reproduce coronary heart disease, but in recent years mice have become the animals of choice, because of their short life cycle and the possibility of genetic manipulation. Various techniques are currently used for cardiovascular imaging in mice, including high-resolution ultrasound, X-ray computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear medicine procedures. In particular, molecular imaging with cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) allows non-invasive evaluation of changes in myocardial perfusion, metabolism, apoptosis, inflammation and gene expression or measurement of changes in left ventricular functional parameters. With technological advances, dedicated small laboratory PET/CT imaging has emerged in cardiovascular research, providing in vivo a non-invasive, serial and quantitative assessment of left ventricular function, myocardial perfusion and metabolism at a molecular level. This non-invasive methodology might be useful in longitudinal studies to monitor cardiac biochemical parameters and might facilitate studies to assess the effect of different interventions after acute myocardial ischaemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University Federico II, Via Pansini 5, Naples 80131, Italy.
authors.forename: Adelaide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fiumara
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gargiulo
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gramanzini
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuocolo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051379:Mice; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed