Turn-table micro-CT scanner for dynamic perfusion imaging in mice: design, implementation, and evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Preclinical Research
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Preclinical imaging requires high-resolution, low-dose dynamic capabilities.
• Existing micro-CT systems may have limitations in dynamic perfusion imaging.
• Advancements are needed to better understand disease mechanisms in vivo.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce a novel desktop micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanner for dynamic perfusion imaging in mice.
• Enhance preclinical imaging with high resolution and low radiation doses.
• Assess the system's static and dynamic performance for quantitative perfusion analysis.

Main Methods:

• Developed a custom desktop micro-CT system with a rotating table for circular and helical scans.
• Achieved image reconstruction with 3.125 s temporal resolution and 65 µm isotropic voxel size.
• Validated static performance with QA phantoms and dynamic performance using a 3D-bioprinted phantom and in vivo mouse models.

Main Results:

• Static performance met standard quality metrics for spatial resolution and uniformity.
• Dynamic phantom studies showed linear hemodynamic flow measurements and accurate perfusion metric quantification.
• In vivo imaging demonstrated detailed perfusion maps in mouse brains, lungs, and kidneys, detecting physiological variations.

Conclusions:

• The novel turn-table micro-CT system provides significant advancements for high-resolution, low-dose dynamic preclinical imaging.
• The system effectively captures dynamic perfusion in various organs, aiding in the study of diseases like Alzheimer's and cardiovascular conditions.
• Future development will focus on improving temporal resolution, spectral capabilities, and incorporating deep learning for enhanced analysis.