title: High resolution MRI for non-invasive mouse lymph node mapping.
abstract: Mouse models are fundamental to the study and design of new techniques for the cancer diagnosis and treatment. The lymphatic system plays an active role in oncogenesis and metastatic disease progression. However, the in vivo identification of LNs in mice is challenging with conventional imaging modalities since the LN diameter in normal mice is 1-2 mm. Standard dissection techniques are challenging and can only provide endpoint data. Here, we describe high resolution MRI (HR-MRI) approaches for the non-invasive detection of mouse LNs in vivo. We compare in vivo non-invasive HR-MRI methods (without exogenous contrast injections) to the ex vivo dye injection methods for the identification of commonly studied LNs in both normal mice and a mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We demonstrated the potential to use HR-MRI techniques as a non-invasive imaging assay for visualizing mouse LNs in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, United States; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, United States. Electronic address: zhuoli-zhang@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Zhuoli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Procissi
authors.forename: Weiguo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dong-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kangan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guohong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huan
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Larson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000473:pathology; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D023421:Models, Animal; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents
keywords: India ink; Lymph node; Lymphatic drainage; Magnetic resonance imaging; Mouse