Abstract
Three-dimensional imaging of the intact lung and its vasculature is essential if the hierarchical and volumetric aspects of its structures and functions are to be quantitated. Although this is possible with clinical multislice helical CT scanners, the spatial resolution does not scale down adequately for small rodents for which cubic voxel dimensions of 50-100 μm are required. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) provides the necessary spatial resolution of 3D images of the intact thoracic contents. Micro-CT can provide higher resolution so that basic micro-architectural structures, such as alveoli, can be individually visualized and quantitated. Dynamic events, such as the respiratory and cardiac cycles, can be imaged at multiple time points throughout a representative cycle by coordinating the scan sequence (i.e., gating) to the cycle phase of a sequence of cycles. Fusion of the micro-CT image data with other image data, such as micro-SPECT or histology, can enhance the information content beyond the mainly structural information provided by micro-CT. Conventional attenuation-based X-ray imaging can involve significant X-ray exposures at high spatial resolutions, and this could affect the phenotype (e.g., via interstitial fibrosis) and genotype (e.g., via mutation), so its use in longitudinal studies using micro-CT may be limited in some cases. However, because of recent developments in which the phase shift or refraction of X-rays rather than attenuation is used, the X-ray exposure may be significantly reduced.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 477-480 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2005 |
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Keywords
- Airways
- Alveoli
- Microarchitecture
- Pulmonary hypertension
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Physiology
- Cell Biology
Cite this
Micro-Computed Tomography of the Lungs and Pulmonary-Vascular System. / Ritman, Erik L.
In: Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society, Vol. 2, No. 6, 2005, p. 477-480.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Micro-Computed Tomography of the Lungs and Pulmonary-Vascular System
AU - Ritman, Erik L.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - Three-dimensional imaging of the intact lung and its vasculature is essential if the hierarchical and volumetric aspects of its structures and functions are to be quantitated. Although this is possible with clinical multislice helical CT scanners, the spatial resolution does not scale down adequately for small rodents for which cubic voxel dimensions of 50-100 μm are required. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) provides the necessary spatial resolution of 3D images of the intact thoracic contents. Micro-CT can provide higher resolution so that basic micro-architectural structures, such as alveoli, can be individually visualized and quantitated. Dynamic events, such as the respiratory and cardiac cycles, can be imaged at multiple time points throughout a representative cycle by coordinating the scan sequence (i.e., gating) to the cycle phase of a sequence of cycles. Fusion of the micro-CT image data with other image data, such as micro-SPECT or histology, can enhance the information content beyond the mainly structural information provided by micro-CT. Conventional attenuation-based X-ray imaging can involve significant X-ray exposures at high spatial resolutions, and this could affect the phenotype (e.g., via interstitial fibrosis) and genotype (e.g., via mutation), so its use in longitudinal studies using micro-CT may be limited in some cases. However, because of recent developments in which the phase shift or refraction of X-rays rather than attenuation is used, the X-ray exposure may be significantly reduced.
AB - Three-dimensional imaging of the intact lung and its vasculature is essential if the hierarchical and volumetric aspects of its structures and functions are to be quantitated. Although this is possible with clinical multislice helical CT scanners, the spatial resolution does not scale down adequately for small rodents for which cubic voxel dimensions of 50-100 μm are required. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) provides the necessary spatial resolution of 3D images of the intact thoracic contents. Micro-CT can provide higher resolution so that basic micro-architectural structures, such as alveoli, can be individually visualized and quantitated. Dynamic events, such as the respiratory and cardiac cycles, can be imaged at multiple time points throughout a representative cycle by coordinating the scan sequence (i.e., gating) to the cycle phase of a sequence of cycles. Fusion of the micro-CT image data with other image data, such as micro-SPECT or histology, can enhance the information content beyond the mainly structural information provided by micro-CT. Conventional attenuation-based X-ray imaging can involve significant X-ray exposures at high spatial resolutions, and this could affect the phenotype (e.g., via interstitial fibrosis) and genotype (e.g., via mutation), so its use in longitudinal studies using micro-CT may be limited in some cases. However, because of recent developments in which the phase shift or refraction of X-rays rather than attenuation is used, the X-ray exposure may be significantly reduced.
KW - Airways
KW - Alveoli
KW - Microarchitecture
KW - Pulmonary hypertension
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=31144434642&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=31144434642&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1513/pats.200508-080DS
DO - 10.1513/pats.200508-080DS
M3 - Article
C2 - 16352751
AN - SCOPUS:31144434642
VL - 2
SP - 477
EP - 480
JO - Annals of the American Thoracic Society
JF - Annals of the American Thoracic Society
SN - 2325-6621
IS - 6
ER -