Utility of Micro CT in a Murine Model of Bleomycin-Induced Lung Fibrosis. |
Jae A Lee, Gong Yong Jin, Se Mi Bok, Young Min Han, Seoung Ju Park, Yong Chul Lee, Myung Ja Chung, Gun Ha Youn |
1Department of Radiology, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea. gyjin@jbnu.ac.kr 2Research Center for Pulmonary Disorders, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea. leeyc@jbnu.ac.kr 3Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea. 4Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea. 5Department of Pathology, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea. 6Department of Radiology, Iksan Hospital, Iksan, Korea. |
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Abstract |
BACKGROUND Micro computed tomography (CT) is rapidly developing as an imaging tool, especially for mice, which have become the experimental animal of choice for many pulmonary disease studies. We evaluated the usefulness of micro CT for evaluating lung fibrosis in the murine model of bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis. METHODS: The control mice (n=10) were treated with saline. The murine model of lung fibrosis (n=60) was established by administering bleomycin intra-tracheally. Among the 70 mice, only 20 mice had successful imaging analyses. We analyzed the micro CT and pathological findings and examined the correlation between imaging scoring in micro CT and histological scoring of pulmonary inflammation or fibrosis. RESULTS: The control group showed normal findings on micro CT. The abnormal findings on micro CT performed at 3 weeks after the administration of bleomycin were ground-glass opacity (GGO) and consolidation. At 6 weeks after bleomycin administration, micro CT showed various patterns such as GGO, consolidation, bronchiectasis, small nodules, and reticular opacity. GGO (r=0.84) and consolidation (r=0.69) on micro CT were significantly correlated with histological scoring that reflected pulmonary inflammation (p<0.05). In addition, bronchiectasis (r=0.63) and reticular opacity (r=0.83) on micro CT shown at 6 weeks after bleomycin administration correlated with histological scoring that reflected lung fibrosis (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that micro CT findings from a murine model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis reflect pathologic findings, and micro CT may be useful for predicting bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis in mice. |
Key Words:
X-ray Microtomography, Bleomycin, Fibrosis, Mice |
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