Imaging Services in IBD Animal Models

Colonoscopy and biopsy are the current gold standard diagnostic tools for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, as a chronic disease, IBD requires continuous follow-up to examine disease progression, response to treatment, and remission. Unfortunately, both of these diagnostic methods are invasive and usually fail to show the cellular and molecular changes occurring in the body. A variety of non-invasive imaging techniques are currently used in animal models of IBD to drive its pathophysiology, monitor disease activity, and assess treatment efficacy.

Fig. 1. Longitudinal PET/CT evaluation of TNBS-induced IBD rat model. (Seoane-Viaño et al., 2018)

Our Imaging Services

Ace Therapeutics has well-established imaging technology platforms to address clients' imaging needs in animal models of IBD. Our advanced imaging techniques not only allow direct visualization of intestinal inflammation, but also enable molecular imaging and targeting of specific alterations of the inflamed murine mucosa.

Our imaging services are designed to help clients accurately characterize animal models of IBD and evaluate the potential and efficacy of new therapies. We use these imaging techniques to conduct a variety of studies in animal models of IBD.

• Evaluating the severity and three-dimensional distribution of macrophages
• Visualizing mucosal CD4⁺ T cells in animal models of colitis
• Observing the extent and distribution of lesions in the intestinal mucosa to assess the severity of inflammation
• Investigating changes in the gut microbiome
• Stem cell tracking
• Imaging and validating new probes and biomarkers
• Analyzing the non-invasively image changes in signaling cascades
• Exploring how genetics, small molecules, and therapeutics affect biochemical pathways
• High-throughput pharmacodynamic studies
• Assessing the integrity and permeability of the intestinal mucosal barrier

Our Imaging Technology Platforms

• Ultrasound. This imaging technique allows us to help clients visualize and examine the intestinal tract of IBD animals to assess intestinal wall thickness and detect inflammation.
• Optical imaging. Our bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging technologies can provide more detailed images to observe intestinal inflammation and perform longitudinal and comprehensive assessments of disease progression in IBD animal models.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We provide MRI to investigate colitis in IBD animal models, using colonic wall thickness, contrast media-enhanced T1-weighted (T1W) as well as T2-weighted (T2W) signals to detect intestinal inflammation.
• Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). We use PET/CT imaging to monitor disease activity, assess the extent of inflammation, and evaluate the efficacy of new therapeutics. This imaging modality can detect changes in metabolic activity, glucose uptake, cell proliferation, and tissue perfusion.

Ace Therapeutics provides reliable imaging technologies to help clients study the pathogenesis of IBD and develop therapeutics. Our imaging services allow detailed visualization of structural and functional changes in intestinal inflammation at high spatial resolution. If you are interested in our services, please do not hesitate to contact us.