Contrast-enhanced MRI of right ventricular abnormalities in Cx43 mutant mouse embryos

Imaging of the mammalian cardiac right ventricle (RV) is particularly challenging, especially when a two-dimensional method such as conventional histology is used to evaluate the morphology of this asymmetric, crescent-shaped chamber. MRI may improve the characterization of mutants with RV phenotypes by allowing analysis of the samples in any plane and by facilitating three-dimensional image reconstruction. MRI was used to examine the conditional knockout Cx43-PCKO mouse line known to have RV malformations. To help delineate the cardiovascular system and facilitate identification of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), embryonic day (E) 17.5 embryos were perfusion fixed through the umbilical vein followed by a gadolinium-based contrast agent mixed in 7% gelatin. Micro-MRI experiments were performed at 7 T and followed by paraffin embedding of specimens, histological sectioning and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Imaging of up to four embryos simultaneously allowed for higher throughput than traditional individual imaging techniques, while intravascular contrast afforded excellent signal-to-noise characteristics. All control embryos (n = 4) and heterozygous Cx43 knockout embryos (n = 4) had normal-appearing right ventricular outflow tract contours by MRI. Obvious abnormalities in the RVOT, including abnormal bulging and infiltration of contrast into the wall of the RV, were seen in three out of four Cx43-PCKO mutants with MRI. Furthermore, three-dimensional reconstruction of MR images with orthogonal projections as well as maximum-intensity projection allowed for visualization of the relationship of infundibular bulging segments to the pulmonary trunk in Cx43-PCKO mutant hearts. The addition of MRI to standard histology in the characterization of RV malformations in mutant mouse embryos aids in the assessment and understanding of morphologic abnormalities. Flexibility in the viewing of MR images, which can be retrospectively sectioned in any desired orientation, is particularly useful in the investigation of the RV, an asymmetric chamber that is difficult to analyze with two-dimensional techniques.