Susceptibility tensor imaging of the kidney and its microstructural underpinnings.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine whether susceptibility tensor imaging (STI) could overcome limitations of current techniques to detect tubules throughout the kidney.

Methods

Normal mouse kidneys (n = 4) were imaged at 9.4T using a three-dimensional gradient multi-echo sequence (55-micron isotropic resolution). Phase images from 12 orientations were obtained to compute the susceptibility tensor. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with 12 encoding directions was compared with STI. Tractography was performed to visualize and track the course of tubules with DTI and STI. Confocal microscopy was used to identify which tubular segments of the nephron were detected by DTI and STI.

Results

Diffusion anisotropy was limited to the inner medulla of the kidney. DTI

SUBMITTER: Xie L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4183741 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature