Figure 2.

µCT visualizes and quantifies onset and progression of the inflammatory and fibrotic response upon silica-instillation. (a) Representative images of one control and one silica-instilled animal at selected time points, from baseline up until 15 weeks, visualize the inflammatory and fibrotic response. µCT-derived biomarkers reflect disease onset and progression in silica-instilled animals: (b) mean lung density expressed in HU (c) aerated lung volume (mL) (d) non-aerated lung volume (mL) (e) total lung volume (mL). Data are presented as mean ± SD. Full line represents longitudinal data. Mixed-effects model with Geisser–Greenhouse correction was based on the following number of animals for every timepoint: BL-w1 24 control and 34 silica mice; w2–5 18 control and 26 silica mice; w7–9 12 control and 16 silica mice; w11–15 6 control and 8 silica mice. *p value < 0.05; ***p value < 0.001; BL baseline; *under the x-axes indicate endpoints.