Microvascular imaging using synchrotron radiation

Synchrotron radiation X-ray angiography of a mouse showing the mouse blood vessels in the whole body.

In vascular diseases, visualization of microvasculatures is an important step in understanding the mechanism of early vessel disorders and developing effective therapeutic strategies. However, the microvessels involved are beyond the detection limit of conventional angiography. A new angiography system, synchrotron radiation microangiography, has been developed. Iodine and barium sulfate were used as blood vessel contrast agents. Dynamic angiography in mouse brain was performed with a high spatial image resolution of 20-30 µm. Physiological features of whole-body mouse microvasculature were investigated for the first time.