Abstract
BackgroundWe aimed to determine the accuracy of laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) in an animal model for hind limb ischemia.MethodsWe used a murine (C57Bl/6 mice) ischemic hind limb model in which we compared LDPI with the clinically used 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT perfusion imaging (n = 7). In addition, we used the SPECT tracer 99mTc-pyrophosphate (99mTc-PyP) to image muscular damage (n = 6).ResultsLDPI indicated a quick and prominent decrease in perfusion immediately after ligation, subsequently recovering to 21.9 and 25.2 % 14 days later in the 99mTc-sestamibi and 99mTc-PyP group, respectively. 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT scans also showed a quick decrease in perfusion. However, nearly full recovery was reached 7 days post ligation. Muscular damage, indicated by the uptake of 99mTc-PyP, was highest at day 3 and recovered to baseline levels at day 14 post ligation. Postmortem histology supported these findings, as a significantly increased collateral diameter was found 7 and 14 days after ligation and peak macrophage infiltration and TUNEL positivity was found on day 3 after ligation.ConclusionsHere, we indicate that LDPI strongly underestimates perfusion recovery in a hind limb model for profound ischemia.
Highlights
We aimed to determine the accuracy of laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) in an animal model for hind limb ischemia
Most hind limb ischemia studies have been conducted in mice and rats and regardless of the studied mode of neovascularization, and follow-up of post-ligation perfusion recovery is often performed by laser Doppler perfusion imaging
This study demonstrates that perfusion recovery as assessed by 99mTc-sestamibi Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) appears much faster than LDPI data suggest
Summary
We aimed to determine the accuracy of laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) in an animal model for hind limb ischemia. Numerous ischemic hind limb models have been developed in mice [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10], rats [11, 12], and rabbits [1] in order to study post-ligation perfusion recovery through neovascularization. Most hind limb ischemia studies have been conducted in mice and rats and regardless of the studied mode of neovascularization (i.e., arteriogenesis or angiogenesis), and follow-up of post-ligation perfusion recovery is often performed by laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) [2,3,4,5,6, 9, 10, 13, 14]. Since LDPI is limited by the penetration depth of the laser light [8, 18], allowing measurement of superficial skin perfusion only, the question arises whether LDPI scanning is accurately reflecting the Hendrikx et al EJNMMI Research (2016) 6:44 incremental perfusion improvement of skeletal muscles through arteriogenesis in the upper hind limb or angiogenesis in the lower hind limb of the animal
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