Feasibility of in vivo longitudinal micro-CT studies

微型计算机断层扫描（micro-CT）已迅速成为研究啮齿动物模型中人类疾病的重要实验室工具。与放射科对人体受试者进行的计算机断层扫描（CT）扫描一样，微型CT扫描仪使用从受试者周围不同角度获取的x射线图像来生成高质量的三维解剖图像。然而，微型ct扫描仪是高度专业化的，可以提供啮齿类动物体内小结构的高分辨率图像，比如肺部的分支气道，或者向肿瘤输送氧气和营养物质的血管。使用微ct成像技术的一个优点是这些技术的非侵入性。利用3D x射线成像技术，研究人员可以看到动物体内发生了什么。通过在指定时间点进行微型ct扫描并分析图像以诊断疾病、监测其传播或确定治疗效果，可以监测疾病进展或动物对治疗的反应。在微ct成像过程中，受试者暴露于x射线辐射，这通常用于放射治疗癌症。本研究的目的是研究成像技术，以确定在成像期间接受的x射线辐射与纵向成像研究中所调查的疾病模型之间是否存在相互作用。特别是，我的目标是优化成像技术，以确保所接受的辐射不会导致可能危及动物健康和研究结果的额外疾病或并发症。我还致力于确保在癌症模型中，成像过程中接受的辐射不会无意中治疗肿瘤，从而可能导致研究人员错误地将肿瘤的减少归因于正在测试的新疗法。本研究将深入了解x射线成像过程中接收的辐射与组织之间相互作用的物理规律，并旨在为纵向微ct研究提供最佳成像参数的指导方针。

Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) has rapidly become an important laboratory tool for studies of human disease in rodent models.  Like computed tomography (CT) scans performed in radiology departments on human subjects, micro-CT scanners use x-ray images acquired at different angles around the subject to produce high quality, 3D images of the anatomy.  However, micro-CT scanners are highly specialized to provide high-resolution images of the small structures inside rodents, such as the branching airways in the lungs, or the vessels bringing oxygen and nutrients to a tumour.  One advantage of using micro-CT imaging techniques is the non-invasive nature of these techniques.  Using 3D x-ray imaging, researchers can see what is happening inside the animal.  Disease progression or how the animal is responding to treatment can be monitored by performing micro-CT scans at specified timepoints and analysing the images to diagnose the disease, monitor its spread or determine how well the treatment is performing.  During micro-CT imaging sessions, the subjects are exposed to x-ray radiation, which is commonly used in radiation therapy to treat cancer.  The goal of this research is to study the imaging technique to determine if there are interactions between the x-ray radiation received during imaging and the disease model under investigation for longitudinal imaging studies.  In particular, I aim to optimize the imaging techniques to ensure that the radiation received will not cause additional disease or complications that may compromise the health of the animals, and the results of the study.  I also aim to ensure that in cancer models, the radiation received during the imaging sessions is not inadvertently treating the tumours, and potentially causing the researchers to wrongly attribute the reduction in tumours to a new treatment that is being tested.This research will provide insight into the physics governing the interactions between the radiation received during x-ray imaging and tissue, and aims to provide a guideline outlining the optimal imaging parameters for longitudinal micro-CT studies.