title: [3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging of pancreatic cancer in an orthotopic nude murine model].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the methods of establishing an orthotopic nude murine model of human pancreatic cancer and explore the manifestations of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and its pathological fundamentals so as to provide research rationales for human pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The BXPC-3 cell of human pancreatic cancer was orthotopically planted in nude mice. And the animals were examined by a clinical 3.0 T magnetic resonance imager. The MRI examinations were analyzed along with their pathological findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 18 mice, 15 of them grew tumors with a success ratio of 83.3%. The pathological findings conformed to those of high differentiation pancreatic parenchyma cancer. Comparing with the neighbor muscles, the tumors were homogeneous (66.7%, 10/15) or heterogeneous (33.3%, 5/15) of hypointense on T1-weighted images while homogeneous (26.7%, 4/15) or heterogeneous (73.3%, 11/15) hyperintense on T2-weighted images with heterogeneous enhancement. The border became obviously enhanced and there was mild central enhancement while the necrotic part showed no enhancement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3.0T MRI can detect pancreatic neoplasms ≥ 2 mm and visualize clearly their locations, shapes, dimensions and internal structures in an orthotopic nude murine model. Thus it provides a visible framework for further studies of human pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Hospital for Integration of Chinese & Western Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-juan
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhong-qiu
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-jian
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ming-min
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays