title: SPECT-computed tomography in rats with TNBS-induced colitis: A first step toward functional imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility of SPECT-computed tomography (CT) in rats with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced acute colitis and confront it with model inflammatory characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Colitis was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by intrarectal injection of TNBS (n= 10) while controls received vehicle (n= 10). SPECT-CT with intravenous injection of 10 MBq of 67Ga-Citrate was performed at day 2. SPECT-CT criteria were colon wall thickness and maximal wall signal intensity. Laboratory parameters were assessed: colon weight:length ratio, colon cyclooxygenase-2 expression by western blot and histological inflammatory score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Colon weight/length ratio, colon COX-2 expression and histological inflammatory score were significantly higher in the TNBS group than in the control group (P= 0.0296,P< 0.0001,P= 0.0007 respectively). Pixel max tend to be higher in the TNBS group than in the control group but did not reach statistical significance (P= 0.0662). Maximal thickness is significantly increased in the TNBS group compared to the control group (P= 0.0016) while colon diameter is not (P= 0.1904). Maximal thickness and colon diameter were correlated to colon COX-2 expression (P= 0.0093,P= 0.009 respectively) while pixel max was not (P= 0.22). Maximal thickness was significantly increased when inflammation was histologically observed (P= 0.0043) while pixel max and colon diameter did not (P= 0.2452,P= 0.3541, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SPECT-CT is feasible and easily distinguished control from colitic rats.
authors.affiliation: Rachel Marion-Letellier, Charlène Guérin, Guillaume Savoye, INSERM Unit UMR1073, Rouen University and Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marion-Letellier
authors.affiliation: Rachel Marion-Letellier, Charlène Guérin, Guillaume Savoye, INSERM Unit UMR1073, Rouen University and Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bohn
authors.affiliation: Rachel Marion-Letellier, Charlène Guérin, Guillaume Savoye, INSERM Unit UMR1073, Rouen University and Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Modzelewski
authors.affiliation: Rachel Marion-Letellier, Charlène Guérin, Guillaume Savoye, INSERM Unit UMR1073, Rouen University and Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vera
authors.affiliation: Rachel Marion-Letellier, Charlène Guérin, Guillaume Savoye, INSERM Unit UMR1073, Rouen University and Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: Moutaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.affiliation: Rachel Marion-Letellier, Charlène Guérin, Guillaume Savoye, INSERM Unit UMR1073, Rouen University and Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: Charlène
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guérin
authors.affiliation: Rachel Marion-Letellier, Charlène Guérin, Guillaume Savoye, INSERM Unit UMR1073, Rouen University and Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savoye
authors.affiliation: Rachel Marion-Letellier, Charlène Guérin, Guillaume Savoye, INSERM Unit UMR1073, Rouen University and Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savoye-Collet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002951:Citrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003106:Colon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005708:Gallium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid; D005708:Gallium; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C489691:Ptgs2 protein, rat; C103850:gallium citrate
keywords: Colitis; Colitis imaging; Crohn’s disease; Cyclooxygenase-2; SPECT-computed tomography