title: MicroCT for high-resolution imaging of ectopic pheochromocytoma tumors in the liver of nude mice.
abstract: Successful outcomes for patients with cancer often depend on the early detection of tumor and the prompt initiation of active therapy. Despite major advances in the treatment of many cancers, early-stage lesions often go undetected due to the suboptimal resolution of current anatomical and functional imaging modalities. This limitation also applies to preclinical animal tumor models that are crucial for the evaluation and development of new therapeutic approaches to cancer. We report a new mouse model of metastatic pheochromocytoma, generated using tail vein injection of the mouse pheochromocytoma cell (MPC) line that reproducibly generated multiple liver tumors in the animals. Furthermore, we show that in vivo microCT imaging enhanced using a hepatobiliary-specific contrast agent, glyceryl-2-oleyl-1,3-di-7-(3-amino-2,4,6-triiodophenyl)-heptanoate (DHOG), detected tumors as small as 0.35 mm as early as 4 weeks after the injection of the tumor cells. This model may be useful for in vivo studies of tumor biology and for development of new strategies to treat metastatic pheochromocytoma.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Biology and Medicine Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892-1109, USA.
authors.forename: Shoichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Edwin W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bakan
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Klaunberg
authors.forename: Susannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cleary
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: Arthur S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tischler
authors.forename: Mones
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abu-Asab
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schimel
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pacak
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media