title: A Novel Procedure for Rapid Imaging of Adult Mouse Brains with MicroCT Using Iodine-Based Contrast.
abstract: High-resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been the primary modality for obtaining 3D cross-sectional anatomical information in animals for soft tissue, particularly brain. However, costs associated with MRI can be considerably high for large phenotypic screens for gross differences in the structure of the brain due to pathology and/or experimental manipulations. MicroCT (mCT), especially benchtop mCT, is becoming a common laboratory equipment with throughput rates equal or faster than any form of high-resolution MRI at lower costs. Here we explore adapting previously developed contrast based mCT to image adult mouse brains in-situ. We show that 2% weight per volume (w/v) iodine-potassium iodide solution can be successfully used to image adult mouse brains within 48 hours post-mortem when a structural support matrix is used. We demonstrate that hydrogel can be effectively used as a perfusant which limits the tissue shrinkage due to iodine.
authors.affiliation: Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.|Division of Craniofacial Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.|Department of Oral Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors.forename: A Murat
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Maga
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007455:Iodine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007455:Iodine