Digital subtraction angiography and computer assisted image analysis for the evaluation of the antiangiogenetic effect of ionizing radiation on tumor angiogenesis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to evaluate and quantify the antiangiogenetic effect of ionizing radiation on tumor angiogenesis using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in conjunction with computer assisted image analysis (CAIA).


METHODS
Walker 256 carcinosarcoma was inoculated in both glutei of 12 Wistar rats. When the tumors reached a diameter of 1.5 cm, local irradiation of the right gluteus was performed. The left gluteus of each animal served as a control. After 24 hours of irradiation, angiography was performed, and images where digitized and subsequently processed. The effect of irradiation was observed both in big and small vessels (smaller or greater than 200 microm).


RESULTS
Irradiated areas of both small and big vessels showed a statistically significant reduction in both total vessel area and length. Small vessels showed a greater trend toward suppression by irradiation (not statistically significant).


CONCLUSIONS
Irradiation had a deleterious effect in both macro- and micro-blood supply of a tumor. The use of CAIA enhanced the efficacy of DSA and enabled the in vivo identification of the effect of irradiation on various caliber vessels as well as the ratios of total length and total area of small and big vessels.
Siablis
Dimitrios
D
Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University Hospital, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece.
Liatsikos
Evangelos N
EN
Karnabatidis
Dimitrios
D
Kagadis
George C
GC
Sakelaropoulos
George C
GC
Maroulis
John
J
Kardamakis
Dimitrios
D
Athanassopoulos
Anastasios
A
Perimenis
Petros
P
Nikiforidis
George
G
Barbalias
George A
GA
D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar