title: Visualizing regional myocardial blood flow in the mouse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The spatial distribution of blood flow in the hearts of genetically modified mice is a phenotype of interest because derangements in blood flow may precede detectable changes in organ function. However, quantifying the regional distribution of blood flow within organs of mice is challenging because of the small organ volume and the high resolution required to observe spatial differences in flow. Traditional microsphere methods in which the numbers of microspheres per region are indirectly estimated from radioactive counts or extracted fluorescence have been limited to larger organs for 2 reasons; to ensure statistical confidence in the measured flow per region and to be able to physically dissect the organ to acquire spatial information.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop methods to quantify and statistically compare the spatial distribution of blood flow within organs of mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We developed and validated statistical methods to compare blood flow between regions and with the same regions over time using 15-µm fluorescent microspheres. We then tested this approach by injecting fluorescent microspheres into isolated perfused mice hearts, determining the spatial location of every microsphere in the hearts, and then visualizing regional flow patterns. We demonstrated application of these statistical and visualizing methods in a coronary artery ligation model in mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These new methods provide tools to investigate the spatial and temporal changes in blood flow within organs of mice at a much higher spatial resolution than currently available by other methods.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Box 356522, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. krueger@uw.edu
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.forename: Sabine S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Huke
authors.forename: Robb W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Glenny
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004699:Endocardium / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008026:Ligation; D051379:Mice; D008863:Microspheres; D015233:Models, Statistical; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009716:Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted; D061848:Optical Imaging; D010496:Pericardium / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes