Su Xu1, 2,
Stephen J.P. Pratt3, Roger J. Mullins1, 2,
Richard M. Lovering3
1Department
of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School
of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; 2Core for Translational
Research in Imaging @ Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States; 3Department
of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,
United States
In vivo high resolution T2-weighted MRI at 7 Tesla was used to monitor dystrophic hindlimb muscles in a Duchenne muscular dystrophy murine model (mdx mouse) over time. The results clearly show areas of brightness in mdx muscles, which peaks near the critical period, when the muscles are thought to undergo maximal degeneration/regeneration. Such findings suggest that researchers need to consider the age of mdx mice when evaluating MRI findings.