RESUMO
Dedicated high-resolution small animal systems have recently emerged as important new tools for laboratory animal research. These imaging systems permit researchers to noninvasively screen animal models for mutations or pathologies and to monitor disease progression and response to therapy. The authors survey various small animal imaging modalities, including MRI, PET, SPECT, and microCT, and discuss several representative microCT mouse imaging studies.
Assuntos
Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética/veterinária , Tomografia Computadorizada de Emissão de Fóton Único/veterinária , Tomografia Computadorizada de Emissão/veterinária , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X/veterinária , Tecido Adiposo/anatomia & histologia , Animais , Osso e Ossos/anatomia & histologia , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Camundongos , Tórax/anatomia & histologia , Tomografia Computadorizada de Emissão/métodos , Tomografia Computadorizada de Emissão de Fóton Único/métodos , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X/instrumentação , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X/métodosRESUMO
A Body Condition Scoring (BCS) protocol is an easily learned tool that can be used as a means of body condition assessment for random populations of mice. Here, the authors use X-ray computed tomography technology to show that BCS is a quick and effective method for evaluating parameters such as muscle thickness and fat, and that the method is equally as accurate when employed by newly trained or expert scorers.