MicroCT for high-resolution imaging of ectopic pheochromocytoma tumors in the liver of nude mice.
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.
Ohta
Shoichiro
S
Reproductive Biology and Medicine Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892-1109, USA.
Lai
Edwin W
EW
Morris
John C
JC
Bakan
Douglas A
DA
Klaunberg
Brenda
B
Cleary
Susannah
S
Powers
James F
JF
Tischler
Arthur S
AS
Abu-Asab
Mones
M
Schimel
Daniel
D
Pacak
Karel
K
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*
D003287:Contrast Media