title: A step-wise approach for analysis of the mouse embryonic heart using 17.6Tesla MRI.
abstract: The mouse embryo is ideal for studying human cardiac development. However, laboratory discoveries do not easily translate into clinical findings partially because of histological diagnostic techniques that induce artifacts and lack standardization.
  
  
  
  To present a step-wise approach using 17.6T MRI, for evaluation of mice embryonic heart and accurate identification of congenital heart defects.
  
  
  
  17.5-embryonic days embryos from low-risk (non-diabetic) and high-risk (diabetic) model dams.
  
  
  
  Embryos were imaged using 17.6Tesla MRI. Three-dimensional volumes were analyzed using ImageJ software.
  
  
  
  Embryonic hearts were evaluated utilizing anatomic landmarks to locate the four-chamber view, the left- and right-outflow tracts, and the arrangement of the great arteries. Inter- and intra-observer agreement were calculated using kappa scores by comparing two researchers' evaluations independently analyzing all hearts, blinded to the model, on three different, timed occasions. Each evaluated 16 imaging volumes of 16 embryos: 4 embryos from normal dams, and 12 embryos from diabetic dams.
  
  
  
  Inter-observer agreement and reproducibility were 0.779 (95% CI 0.653-0.905) and 0.763 (95% CI 0.605-0.921), respectively. Embryonic hearts were structurally normal in 4/4 and 7/12 embryos from normal and diabetic dams, respectively. Five embryos from diabetic dams had defects: ventricular septal defects (n=2), transposition of great arteries (n=2) and Tetralogy of Fallot (n=1). Both researchers identified all cardiac lesions.
  
  
  
  A step-wise approach for analysis of MRI-derived 3D imaging provides reproducible detailed cardiac evaluation of normal and abnormal mice embryonic hearts. This approach can accurately reveal cardiac structure and, thus, increases the yield of animal model in congenital heart defect research.
authors: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Rinat
authors: R
authors: Gabbay-Benziv
authors: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: E Albert
authors: EA
authors: Reece
authors: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Amnon
authors: A
authors: Bar-Shir
authors: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Harman
authors: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Ozhan M
authors: OM
authors: Turan
authors: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Peixin
authors: P
authors: Yang
authors: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: sturan@fpi.umarlyand.edu.
authors: Sifa
authors: S
authors: Turan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: 17.6Tesla MRI; Cardiac development; Congenital heart defects; Diabetic pregnancy; Mouse heart 3D imaging