title: Morphologic changes of mammary carcinomas in mice over time as monitored by flat-panel detector volume computed tomography.
abstract: Noninvasive methods are strongly needed to detect and quantify not only tumor growth in murine tumor models but also the development of vascularization and necrosis within tumors. This study investigates the use of a new imaging technique, flat-panel detector volume computed tomography (fpVCT), to monitor in vivo tumor progression and structural changes within tumors of two murine carcinoma models. After tumor cell inoculation, single fpVCT scans of the entire mice were performed at different time points. The acquired isotropic, high-resolution volume data sets enable an accurate real-time assessment and precise measurements of tumor volumes. Spreading of contrast agent-containing blood vessels around and within the tumors was clearly visible over time. Furthermore, fpVCT permits the identification of differences in the uptake of contrast media within tumors, thus delineating necrosis, tumor tissues, and blood vessels. Classification of tumor tissues based on the decomposition of the underlying mixture distribution of tissue-related Hounsfield units allowed the quantitative acquisition of necrotic tissues at each time point. Morphologic alterations of the tumor depicted by fpVCT were confirmed by histopathologic examination. Concluding, our data show that fpVCT may be highly suitable for the noninvasive evaluation of tumor responses to anticancer therapies during the course of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Medicine, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jeannine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Missbach-Guentner
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dullin
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kimmina
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zientkowska
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Domeyer-Missbach
authors.forename: Cordula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malz
authors.forename: Eckhardt
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grabbe
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stühmer
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003198:Computer Simulation; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008954:Models, Biological; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured