Abstract #1730

Zhang J, Zhang G, Mori S, Sheikh K

Research on mouse models of human neuromuscular diseases requires imaging tools for characterization of changes in mouse muscle morphology. In this study, the progression of mouse calf muscle atrophy after left sciatic nerve axotomy was examined using in vivo 3D high resolution MRI followed by ex vivo 3D MRI. T2 changes in affected muscles were detected. Changes in individual muscle morphology were characterized based on segmentation and computational techniques. We show that the amount of atrophy in different muscles after complete denervation is not uniform.