In Vivo Imaging of Venous Thrombus and Pulmonary Embolism Using Novel Murine Venous Thromboembolism Model.

ABSTRACT

This work established a new murine venous thromboembolism (VTE) model. This model has multiple novel features representing clinical VTE that include the following 1) deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was formed and extended in the long axis of femoral/saphenous vein; 2) thrombus was formed in a venous valve pocket; 3) deligation of suture-induced spontaneous pulmonary emboli of fibrin-rich DVT; and 4) cardiac motion-free femoral/saphenous vein allowed high-resolution intravital microscopic imaging of fibrin-rich DVT. This new model requires only commercially available epifluorescence microscopy. Therefore, this model has significant potential for better understanding of VTE pathophysiology.