MRI-based method for lower urinary tract dysfunction in adult male mice

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) develops in the majority of men as they age. As a result, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) often develop, which significantly decrease quality of life. One model of studying BPH/LUTS in mice is to use a hormone-induced model of lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD), but current methods for studying endpoints require multiple analysis techniques that contribute to an overall lengthy process. However, developments in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have opened the door for more accurate and time efficient methods. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the capabilities of MRI for the analysis of LUTD in mice. To do this, whole and partial urogenital tracts were extracted from mice and imaged on a 9.4 Tesla MRI system. Additionally, a device was designed and fabricated to aid in the imaging of up to 100 mouse urogenital tracts in a single imaging session. Images were processed for both qualitative representation of MRI resolution capabilities and quantitative measurements of urogenital tract components. Even the smallest anatomical structures of the urogenital tracts were resolved and quantified, including the ureters, urethra, ductus deferens, and fine nodules and textures on the seminal vesicles, bladder, and prostatic lobes. The visual representations and urogenital component quantifications demonstrated in this study may be of value in lesion detection, diagnosis, and LUTS symptom progression tracking.