Flat-panel detector-based volume computed tomography: a novel 3D imaging technique to monitor osteolytic bone lesions in a mouse tumor metastasis model.
Skeletal metastasis is an important cause of mortality in patients with breast cancer. Hence, animal models, in combination with various imaging techniques, are in high demand for preclinical assessment of novel therapies. We evaluated the applicability of flat-panel volume computed tomography (fpVCT) to noninvasive detection of osteolytic bone metastases that develop in severe immunodeficient mice after intracardial injection of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. A single fpVCT scan at 200-microm isotropic resolution was employed to detect osteolysis within the entire skeleton. Osteolytic lesions identified by fpVCT correlated with Faxitron X-ray analysis and were subsequently confirmed by histopathological examination. Isotropic three-dimensional image data sets obtained by fpVCT were the basis for the precise visualization of the extent of the lesion within the cortical bone and for the measurement of bone loss. Furthermore, fpVCT imaging allows continuous monitoring of growth kinetics for each metastatic site and visualization of lesions in more complex regions of the skeleton, such as the skull. Our findings suggest that fpVCT is a powerful tool that can be used to monitor the occurrence and progression of osteolytic lesions in vivo and can be further developed to monitor responses to antimetastatic therapies over the course of the disease.
Missbach-Guentner
Jeannine
J
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Georg-August-University, Göttingen 37075, Germany. j.missbach@med.uni-goettingen.de
Dullin
Christian
C
Zientkowska
Marta
M
Domeyer-Missbach
Melanie
M
Kimmina
Sarah
S
Obenauer
Silvia
S
Kauer
Fritz
F
Stühmer
Walter
W
Grabbe
Eckhardt
E
Vogel
Wolfgang F
WF
Alves
Frauke
F
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D000818:Animals; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005266:Femoral Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D006811:Humerus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D023421:Models, Animal; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D047368:Tumor Burden