FMT-XCT: in vivo animal studies with hybrid fluorescence molecular tomography-X-ray computed tomography

Nat Methods. 2012 Jun;9(6):615-20. doi: 10.1038/nmeth.2014. Epub 2012 May 6.

Abstract

The development of hybrid optical tomography methods to improve imaging performance has been suggested over a decade ago and has been experimentally demonstrated in animals and humans. Here we examined in vivo performance of a camera-based hybrid fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) system for 360° imaging combined with X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Offering an accurately co-registered, information-rich hybrid data set, FMT-XCT has new imaging possibilities compared to stand-alone FMT and XCT. We applied FMT-XCT to a subcutaneous 4T1 tumor mouse model, an Aga2 osteogenesis imperfecta model and a Kras lung cancer mouse model, using XCT information during FMT inversion. We validated in vivo imaging results against post-mortem planar fluorescence images of cryoslices and histology data. Besides offering concurrent anatomical and functional information, FMT-XCT resulted in the most accurate FMT performance to date. These findings indicate that addition of FMT optics into the XCT gantry may be a potent upgrade for small-animal XCT systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Remodeling
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Equipment Design
  • Female
  • Fluorescence
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / diagnostic imaging
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Osteogenesis Imperfecta / diagnostic imaging
  • Osteogenesis Imperfecta / pathology
  • Tomography, Optical / methods*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*