title: Early detection and quantification of murine melanoma bone metastases with magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bone metastases occur in approximately 80% of patients with advanced cancer and cause significant morbidity. There are currently no established means by which to identify the early growth of micro-metastatic cells or their effects on bone at a time when curative therapy might be initiated. We postulated that high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could detect and quantify the growth and destructive effects of bone micrometastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a mouse model for metastasis of malignant melanoma, we have examined the ability of MRI to quantify cortical bone destruction and the percentage of the medullary cavity occupied by tumour, trabecular bone, and marrow. The results from MRI were compared to histomorphometry (the reference standard) and to radiographs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vivo gradient-echo and spin-echo MRI demonstrated that metastatic melanoma replaced the marrow space but that the cortical bone integrity was preserved (P < or = 0.001). The smallest detectable micrometastasis had an area of 0.323 mm(2). In contrast, we observed no trends after quantifying the radiograph data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These approaches delineated the limits of MRI in its ability to quantify tumour burden and the effect on bone in this model. Given the increasing use of MRI as a non-invasive clinical diagnostic method, the present findings may be applicable in detecting bone metastases in the clinical setting at an early and potentially treatable stage.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of British Columbia, West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4E3, Canada. Michael.Weber@NRC.ca
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Latta
authors.forename: Thomas H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hassard
authors.forename: F William
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Orr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011859:Radiography