3.0 t 750 mri scanner

The ex-vivo expanded, fixed lungs were set in 2% agarose (Sigma-Aldrich, UK) and images were taken using a 3.0 T 750 MRI Scanner (General Electric Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA) as described previously^{34 (link)}. This enabled evaluation of the pulmonary disease burden at the end of the study period. Lung lesions were identified in MR images from their signal intensity and nodular morphology relative to normal lung parenchyma.

The clinical outcomes following exposure to M. tb for the macaques in the study in Figure 1, a have previously been described [11 (link)]. The gross pathological changes were scored immediately during the post mortem according to an established system based on number and extent of lesions present in the lungs (lung score), spleen, liver, kidney and lymph nodes (total score) [28 (link)]. Thoracic radiographs (SP VET 3.2, Xograph Imaging Systems, Ltd., Tetbury, UK) were acquired and evaluated by a consultant radiologist, with disease burden scored according to a system previously described [11 (link)], with the total score termed ‘X-ray score’ here. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was carried out on ex vivo expanded, fixed lungs set in 2% agarose (Sigma-Aldrich, Gillingham, UK) with a 3.0 T 750 MRI Scanner (General Electric Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA). Lung lesions were identified on the MR images, as previously described [11 (link),26 (link),28 (link)]. Lastly, a lung consolidation was established via histopathological examination, and scored based on the size, nature and severity of the microscopic lesions [11 (link)].