Imaging the evolution of reactivation pulmonary tuberculosis in mice using 18F-FDG PET

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging
• Infectious disease research
• Animal models

Background:

• Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) affects a third of the global population.
• LTBI can reactivate decades after initial infection.
• Current methods lack the ability to track disease evolution over time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel imaging model to study the temporal evolution of tuberculosis lesions.
• To simulate both infection and reactivation phases of tuberculosis in a live model.
• To provide a tool for evaluating new tuberculosis therapeutics.

Main Methods:

• C3HeB/FeJ mice were aerosol-infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Serial imaging was performed using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed Tomography (CT).
• A novel diffeomorphic registration technique was employed to monitor lesion spatial evolution.

Main Results:

• The study successfully monitored the spatial and temporal evolution of individual pulmonary lesions.
• Most relapse lesions appeared in previously affected areas.
• New lesions also emerged in previously unaffected regions, indicating de novo development.

Conclusions:

• A novel mouse model effectively simulates human tuberculosis infection and reactivation.
• This model can be utilized to study tuberculosis pathogenesis.
• The model offers a valuable platform for evaluating novel therapeutic strategies against tuberculosis.