title: Correlation of X-ray computed tomography with quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance methods for pre-clinical measurement of adipose and lean tissues in living mice.
abstract: Numerous obesity studies have coupled murine models with non-invasive methods to quantify body composition in longitudinal experiments, including X-ray computed tomography (CT) or quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (QMR). Both microCT and QMR have been separately validated with invasive techniques of adipose tissue quantification, like post-mortem fat extraction and measurement. Here we report a head-to-head study of both protocols using oil phantoms and mouse populations to determine the parameters that best align CT data with that from QMR. First, an in vitro analysis of oil/water mixtures was used to calibrate and assess the overall accuracy of microCT vs. QMR data. Next, experiments were conducted with two cohorts of living mice (either homogenous or heterogeneous by sex, age and genetic backgrounds) to assess the microCT imaging technique for adipose tissue segmentation and quantification relative to QMR. Adipose mass values were obtained from microCT data with three different resolutions, after which the data were analyzed with different filter and segmentation settings. Strong linearity was noted between the adipose mass values obtained with microCT and QMR, with optimal parameters and scan conditions reported herein. Lean tissue (muscle, internal organs) was also segmented and quantified using the microCT method relative to the analogous QMR values. Overall, the rigorous calibration and validation of the microCT method for murine body composition, relative to QMR, ensures its validity for segmentation, quantification and visualization of both adipose and lean tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 236 Nieuwland Science Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. luciesun101@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Matthew N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Metzinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Galvin Life Sciences Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. bmiramon@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Miramontes
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Galvin Life Sciences Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. pzhou@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 236 Nieuwland Science Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. luciesun101@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yueying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility, 416c Main Building, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. sarah.chapman@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.affiliation: Harper Cancer Research Institute, A200 Harper Hall, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN 46617, USA. luciesun101@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility, 416c Main Building, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. todd.sasser@carestream.com.
authors.forename: Todd A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sasser
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Galvin Life Sciences Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. gduffiel@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Giles E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Duffield
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 236 Nieuwland Science Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. luciesun101@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M Sharon
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Stack
authors.affiliation: Harper Cancer Research Institute, A200 Harper Hall, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN 46617, USA. wleevy@nd.edu.
authors.forename: W Matthew
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Leevy
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed