Combined ultra highfield MRI and SPECT-CT are promising tools in interdisciplinary research on animal models of human lung diseases

Animal models of lung disease have provided extraordinary information to understand human disease. They are powerful tools that enable the study of the mechanisms and natural history of such diseases. Nevertheless anatomic and immunologic differences between mice and humans mean that those models have limitations that must be considered when interpreting the results. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a promising tool especially for serial studies, because of the absence of ionizing radiation. The detailed representation of interstitial structures remains the strength of CT while SPECT-CT adds the functional an…