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Abstract #1066

Pharmacological Analysis in Experimental Lung Fibrosis Performed by MRI

Anna Louise Babin1, Catherine Cannet1, Christelle Gerard1, Clive P. Page2, Nicolau Beckmann1

1Global Imaging Group, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, BS, Switzerland; 2Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, King's College, London, SE1 1UL, United Kingdom


Experimental studies of lung fibrosis in animals have usually examined the effects of treatments starting before or at the time of lung injury. However, treatment in humans only begins after disease has been established. Since timing of treatment initiation is critical in this chronic model, we used MRI to assess non-invasively the effects of steroids (budesonide and dexamethasone) in the lungs of bleomycin (BLM) treated rats. MRI relying on non-ionizing radiation opens new avenues in testing compounds in vivo as the responses at several time points during the course of treatment can be easily compared.