title: Quantification of Hepatic Vascular and Parenchymal Regeneration in Mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver regeneration consists of cellular proliferation leading to parenchymal and vascular growth. This study complements previous studies on cellular proliferation and weight recovery by (1) quantitatively describing parenchymal and vascular regeneration, and (2) determining their relationship. Both together are needed to (3) characterize the underlying growth pattern.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens were created by injecting a polymerizing contrast agent in either portal or hepatic vein in normal or regenerating livers after 70% partial hepatectomy. 3D image data were obtained through micro-CT scanning. Parenchymal growth was assessed by determining weight and volume of the regenerating liver. Vascular growth was described by manually determined circumscribed parameters (maximal vessel length and radius of right inferior portal/hepatic vein), automatically determined cumulative parameters (total edge length and total vascular volume), and parameters describing vascular density (total edge length/volume, vascular volume fraction). The growth pattern was explored by comparing the relative increase of these parameters to the increase expected in case of isotropic expansion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Liver volume recovery paralleled weight recovery and reached 90% of the original liver volume within 7 days. Comparing radius-related vascular parameters immediately after surgical resection and after virtual resection in-silico revealed a slight increase, possibly reflecting the effect of resection-induced portal hyperperfusion. Comparing length-related parameters between post-operative day 7 and after virtual resection showed similar vascular growth in both vascular systems investigated. In contrast, radius-related parameters increased slightly more in the portal vein. Despite the seemingly homogeneous 3D growth, the observed vascular parameters were not compatible with the hypothesis of isotropic expansion of liver parenchyma and vascular structures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present an approach for the quantitative analysis of the vascular systems of regenerating mouse livers. We applied this technique for assessing the hepatic growth pattern. Prospectively, this approach can be used to investigate hepatic vascular regeneration under different conditions.
authors: Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Thüringen, Germany.
authors: Chichi
authors: C
authors: Xie
authors: Fraunhofer Institute for Medical Image Computing MEVIS, Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
authors: Lars Ole
authors: LO
authors: Schwen
authors: Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Thüringen, Germany.
authors: Weiwei
authors: W
authors: Wei
authors: Fraunhofer Institute for Medical Image Computing MEVIS, Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Schenk
authors: Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Zafarnia
authors: Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
authors: Felix
authors: F
authors: Gremse
authors: Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Thüringen, Germany.
authors: Uta
authors: U
authors: Dahmen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000166:cytology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000166:cytology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D000072356:Parenchymal Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed