Micro-computed tomography for hemorrhage disruption of mouse brain vasculature

The use of genetic engineering to develop important neuropathological mouse models has made cerebrovascular imaging essential for the investigation of numerous brain disorders, especially cerebrovascular disorders, such as aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. New laboratory-based X-ray microimagers exist that provide easy access, reliable operation, and performance previously found only in synchrotron-based instruments. Here, we reported a novel approach using such a system to detect intracerebral hemorrhage and resultant cerebrovascular pathology. Adult male C57BL/6 mice (n = 12) underwent 30 μl autologous blood injection into the right basal ganglia region. After sacrificing the animals and vascular perfusion with Microfil® MV-122 Yellow to opacify vascular and microvascular structures, the brain was post-fixed and partially hydrated for 3D imaging with a MicroXCT-400® at 30 KeV and 2-μm resolution. Tomographic reconstruction of high-resolution microimages was accomplished with Amira® software. High-quality 3D images included cerebrocortical microvessels, the circle of Willis, the sagittal sinus, transverse sinus, and other arterial and venous systems. In the ipsilateral hemisphere, there clearly were early-stage vasodilatation and later-stage neovascularization. Very high-resolution, laboratory-based, X-ray micro-CT contrast imaging can accomplish sensitive quantifications of normal and pathological small cerebrovascular changes, especially in hemorrhagic stroke and subsequent hemorrhage-induced neovascularization.