Demonstration of differences in vascular permeability in experimental tumors by use of 19F magnetic resonance imaging.
OBJECTIVE
In vivo assessment of tumor vascular permeability may provide useful information for chemotherapy treatment planning or for the assessment of treatment effectiveness. We aimed to assess vascular permeability in two tumor sublines as well as changes in vascular permeability with tumor growth by using 19F magnetic resonance imaging.


METHODS
An emulsion of perfluorotributylamine was used as a tumor extravascular contrast agent for 19F MRI. The amount of emulsion that leaked into tumor interstitial space was analyzed qualitatively with imaging. A quantitative study of vascular permeability was done with a separate group of tumors by use of Evans blue dye.


RESULTS
One tumor type was more permeable to both perfluorotributylamine emulsion and Evans blue than was the second tumor type. The difference was attributed to a difference in surface area for exchange. In larger tumors of both types, pooling of large amounts of perfluorocarbon occurred and was assumed to be attributable to hemorrhage or blood flow stasis or both.


CONCLUSIONS
19F MRI is capable of demonstrating the permeability of tumor vessels to macromolecular substances.
Meyer
K L
KL
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Joseph
P M
PM
Mukherji
B
B
LiVolsi
V A
VA
Lin
R
R
Phelan-Belfield
M
M
Salscheider
M
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001802:Blood Substitutes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003287:Contrast Media; D005070:Evans Blue; D005119:Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D005461:Fluorine; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D001802:Blood Substitutes; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003287:Contrast Media; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D005461:Fluorine; C008807:perfluorotributylamine; D005070:Evans Blue