Liver tumor model with implanted rhabdomyosarcoma in rats: MR imaging, microangiography, and histopathologic analysis.
In compliance with institutional regulations for care and use of laboratory animals, the aim of this study was to establish and characterize a rodent liver tumor model to provide a platform for preclinical assessment of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. A rhabdomyosarcoma tumor was implanted in the right and left liver lobes of 20 rats, for a total of 40 tumors. T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images, diffusion-weighted images, and dynamic susceptibility contrast agent-enhanced perfusion-weighted images were obtained up to 16 days after tumor implantation and were compared with postmortem three-dimensional computed tomographic (CT) images, digital microangiograms, and histopathologic findings. Fifteen tumors were examined with proton ((1)H) MR spectroscopy. All tumors grew, with a mean volume doubling time of 2.2 days +/- 0.9 (standard deviation) and a final size of 591 mm(3)+/- 124. The rhabdomyosarcoma tumor showed hypervascularity at MR imaging, three-dimensional CT, microangiography, and histologic analysis. On dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced perfusion-weighted images, the maximum signal intensity decrease differed in time and extent between the tumor and the liver, with a significantly (P < .001) higher relative blood volume, relative blood flow, and permeability value in the tumor than in the liver. With (1)H MR spectroscopy, the rhabdomyosarcoma tumor and the liver featured significant (P < .001) choline and lipid peaks, respectively. Implantation of a rhabdomyosarcoma tumor in the livers of rats is feasible and reproducible, and this animal model seems promising for future testing of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Department of Radiology and Laboratory of Experimental Radiobiology and Oncology, University Hospitals, Catholic University of Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Feng
F
Chen
Xihe
X
Sun
Frederik
F
De Keyzer
Jie
J
Yu
Ronald
R
Peeters
Walter
W
Coudyzer
Vincent
V
Vandecaveye
Willy
W
Landuyt
Hilde
H
Bosmans
Paul
P
Van Hecke
Guy
G
Marchal
Yicheng
Y
Ni
D000792:Angiography; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D051381:Rats; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology