Assessment of hepatic microcirculation by on-line visualization has been impossible for a long time. Sidestream dark-field (SDF) imaging is a relatively new method allowing direct visualization of both mucosal microcirculation and surface layers microcirculation of solid organs using hand-held probe for direct contact with target tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of studying the rat hepatic microcirculation in situ by SDF imaging. The liver lobes were left in situ, and images were obtained using SDF imaging on the surface of the liver via upper midline laparotomy. Images were captured intermittently during 10-sec apnoea and recorded. The microvascular parameters were compared with previous validation studies. Clear high contrast SDF images were successfully obtained. Quantitative analysis revealed a mean FSD (functional sinusoidal density) of 402±15 cm/cm2, a sinusoidal diameter of 10.2±0.5 μm and postsinusoidal venular diameter of 33.9±13 μm. SDF imaging is a suitable noninvasive method for accurate quantification of the basic microcirculatory parameters of the liver in situ without a need to exteriorize the liver lobes. This method seems to be applicable in animal studies with possibility to use SDF imaging also intraoperatively, providing unique opportunity to study liver microcirculation during various experimental and clinical settings., V. Černý, Z. Turek, R. Pařízková., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The pathophysiology of microcirculation is intensively investigated to understand disease development at the microscopic level. Orthogonal polarization spectral (OPS) imaging and its successor sidestream dark-field (SDF) imaging are relatively new noninvasive optical techniques allowing direct visualization of microcirculation in both clinical and experimental studies. The goal of this experimental study was to describe basic microcirculatory parameters of skeletal muscle and ileal serous surface microcirculation in the rat using SDF imaging and to standardize the technical aspects of the protocol. Interindividual variability in functional capillary density (FCD) and small vessels (<25 μm in diameter) proportion was determined in anesthetized rats on the surface of quadriceps femoris (m. rectus femoris and m. vastus medialis) and serous surface of ileum. Special custom made flexible arm was used to fix the SDF probe minimizing the pressure movement artifacts. Clear high contrast images were analyzed off-line. The mean FCD obtained from the surface of skeletal muscle and ileal serous surface was 219 (213-225 cm/cm2) and 290 (282-298 cm/cm2) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between rats in mean values of FCD obtained from the muscle (P = 0.273) in contrast to ileal serous surface, where such difference was statistically significant (P = 0.036). No statistically significant differences in small vessels percentage was detected on either the muscle surface (P = 0.739) or on ileal serous surface (P = 0.659). Our study has shown that interindividual variability of basic microcirculatory parameters in rat skeletal muscle and ileum is acceptable when using SDF imaging technique according to a highly standardized protocol and with appropriate fixation device. SDF imaging represents promising technology for experimental and clinical studies., Z. Turek, V. Černý, R. Pařízková., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy