Angiographic Atlas of the Visceral Vascular Anatomy in Translational Rat Models

PURPOSE: To characterize the angiographic and cross sectional imaging anatomy of the rat visceral vasculature in two translational models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Animal studies were conducted in accordance with institutional guidelines and approval of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees. Retrospective review of digital subtraction arteriography was performed in 65 Wistar and 50 Sprague-Dawley male rats through a left common carotid artery or right common femoral artery approach. Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen was performed on these rats to correlate imaging modalities. RESULTS: Aortography was performed in three locations including cranial to the celiac artery, cranial to the renal arteries, and cranial to the caudal (inferior) mesenteric artery enabling characterization of the visceral branch arteries in all 65 Wistar rats. Selective arteriography of first, second and/or third order branch vessels of the aorta was performed allowing characterization of normal and variant anatomy. Dedicated selective arteriography of the celiac artery was performed in 65 Wistar and 10 Sprague-Dawley rats, of the common hepatic artery in 65 Wistar and 50 Sprague-Dawley rats, and of the cranial mesenteric artery in 43 Wistar rats. Magnetic resonance imaging enabled correlation with the lobar and portal venous anatomy. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of arteriography and magnetic resonance imaging in these rat models will provide translational researchers with anatomic details needed to develop new endovascular protocols for small animal research in interventional radiology.