A total of 10 Sprague Dawley rats were used for in vivo and ex vivo study (five rats/group). Microangiography in vivo and ex vivo was performed and images were compared with those by conventional method. Synchrotron radiation-based micro-computed tomography (SRμCT) was also performed to reveal three-dimensional (3D) morphology of the blood vessel in rat hind limb.
By microangiographic technique, blood vessels in the rat limb could be clearly depicted with the minimum visualized blood vessel about 9 μm in diameter, and higher angiographic scores were achieved than those by conventional X-ray. In addition, the vascular network could be defined and analyzed at the micrometer scale from the 3D renderings of limb vessel as shown by SRμCT.
Synchrotron radiation-based microangiography and SRμCT thus provided a practical and effective means to observe the microvasculature of limbs, which might be useful in assessment of angiogenesis in lower limbs.