Eric R. Muir1, William Lavery2,
Jeffrey W. Kiel2, Ren C. Rentera3,4, Timothy Q. Duong1
1Research Imaging
Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United
States; 2Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Health
Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States; 3Department of
Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX,
United States; 4Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of
Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness worldwide, is characterized by progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells and the optic nerve. Elevated intraocular pressure, which is associated with glaucoma, may reduce blood flow (BF) in the eye. The retina is nourished by two separate vasculatures, the retinal and choroidal vessels. Arterial spin labeling MRI was used to image layer-specific retinal and choroidal BF in the DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma at different stages of disease. Retinal and choroidal BF were distinctively reduced at different ages in DBA/2J mice. MRI provided a non-invasive method to monitor vascular changes in rodents in vivo.
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