title: High-resolution 3D volumetry versus conventional measuring techniques for the assessment of experimental lymphedema in the mouse hindlimb.
abstract: Secondary lymphedema is a common complication of cancer treatment characterized by chronic limb swelling with interstitial inflammation. The rodent hindlimb is a widely used model for the evaluation of novel lymphedema treatments. However, the assessment of limb volume in small animals is challenging. Recently, high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) imaging modalities have been introduced for rodent limb volumetry. In the present study we evaluated the validity of microcomputed tomography (μCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound in comparison to conventional measuring techniques. For this purpose, acute lymphedema was induced in the mouse hindlimb by a modified popliteal lymphadenectomy. The 4-week course of this type of lymphedema was first assessed in 6 animals. In additional 12 animals, limb volumes were analyzed by μCT, 9.4 T MRI and 30 MHz ultrasound as well as by planimetry, circumferential length and paw thickness measurements. Interobserver correlation was high for all modalities, in particular for μCT analysis (r = 0.975, p < 0.001). Importantly, caliper-measured paw thickness correlated well with μCT (r = 0.861), MRI (r = 0.821) and ultrasound (r = 0.800). Because the assessment of paw thickness represents a time- and cost-effective approach, it may be ideally suited for the quantification of rodent hindlimb lymphedema.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany.|Division of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Florian S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Frueh
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Körbel
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gassert
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Epameinondas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gousopoulos
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lindenblatt
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giovanoli
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Laschke
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Menger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015588:Observer Variation; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*