Vmeasur: A software package for experimental and clinical measurement of mesenteric lymphatic contractile function over an extended vessel length.
Microcirculation
; 29(6-7): e12748, 2022 10.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35092129
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Conventionally, in vivo mesenteric lymphatic contractile function is measured using a high magnification transmission microscope (field of view 0.3-1.5 mm), which precludes visualization of extended lengths of vessels embedded in mesenteric fat. Existing software is not optimized for imaging at a low magnification using a contrast agent. We aimed to develop a simple and clinically transferable method for in situ visualization, image analysis, and quantitative assessment of mesenteric lymphatic contractile function over an extended area.METHODS:
Subserosal injection of various blue dyes was taken up by mesenteric lymphatics and visualized under a stereomicroscope (25×), allowing for video recording of 1.4 × 1.1 cm of intact mesentery. A new R package ("vmeasur") that combines multiple high-performance image analyses into a single workflow was developed. The edges of each vessel were determined by applying an automated threshold to each frame (with real-time manual verification). The vessel width at every point in each frame was plotted to provide contractile parameters over time and along the lymphatic vessel length.RESULTS:
Contractile parameters and their differences along the length of the vessel were accurately calculated in a rodent model. In a human mesenteric lymphatic, the algorithm was also able to measure changes in diameter over length.CONCLUSION:
This software offers a low cost, rapid, and accessible method to measure lymphatic contractile function over a wide area, showing differences in contractility along the length of a vessel. Because the presence of mesenteric fat has less of an impact on imaging, due to the use of an exogenous contrast agent, there is potential for clinical application.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Meios de Contraste
/
Vasos Linfáticos
Tipo de estudo:
Guideline
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article