title: Multiparametric Functional MRI: Non-Invasive Imaging of Inflammation and Edema Formation after Kidney Transplantation in Mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kidney transplantation (ktx) in mice is used to learn about rejection and to develop new treatment strategies. Past studies have mainly been based on histological or molecular biological methods. Imaging techniques to monitor allograft pathology have rarely been used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we investigated mice after isogenic and allogenic ktx over time with functional MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and mapping of T2-relaxation time (T2-mapping) to assess graft inflammation and edema formation. To characterize graft pathology, we used PAS-staining, counted CD3-positive T-lymphocytes, analyzed leukocytes by means flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DWI revealed progressive restriction of diffusion of water molecules in allogenic kidney grafts. This was paralleled by enhanced infiltration of the kidney by inflammatory cells. Changes in tissue diffusion were not seen following isogenic ktx. T2-times in renal cortex were increased after both isogenic and allogenic transplantation, consistent with tissue edema due to ischemic injury following prolonged cold ischemia time of 60 minutes. Lack of T2 increase in the inner stripe of the inner medulla in allogenic kidney grafts matched loss of tubular autofluorescence and may result from rejection-driven reductions in tubular water content due to tubular dysfunction and renal functional impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional MRI is a valuable non-invasive technique for monitoring inflammation, tissue edema and tubular function. It permits on to differentiate between acute rejection and ischemic renal injury in a mouse model of ktx.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3195-4400
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hueper
authors.affiliation: Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutberlet
authors.affiliation: Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan Hinrich
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bräsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Mi-Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thorenz
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.|The kidney disease centre of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Rongjun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hertel
authors.affiliation: Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Amelie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barrmeyer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidbauer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Vietinghoff
authors.affiliation: Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Abedalrazag
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalifa
authors.affiliation: Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hartung
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haller
authors.affiliation: Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wacker
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.|The Transplantation Center of the affiliated hospital, Zunyi Medical College, Zunyi, China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Faikah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gueler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004487:Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL