title: Ultrasonography as the Gold Standard for In Vivo Volumetric Determination of Chemically-induced Mammary Tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we evaluated the dimensions and volume of rat mammary tumors and the association of these variables with tumor invasiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tumors were measured by caliper and ultrasonography. Volume was determined by water displacement and by application of four formulas using tumor length (L), width (W) and depth (D) or tumor weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results confirmed the data obtained in our previous work, where we verified that mammary tumors grow as oblate spheroids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The determination of mammary tumor volume by applying the formula V=(4/3)×π×(L/2)×(L/2)×(D/2) is the best way to evaluate tumor volume in vivo. Beyond volume evaluation by water displacement, the determination on the basis of tumor weight is the most accurate way to evaluate tumor volume after animal sacrifice or tumor excision. According to our results, it is not possible to predict if a tumor is invasive or non-invasive by its dimensions, volume or weight. Future work in chemically-induced mammary cancer should use ultrasonography and water displacement or tumor weight to determine tumor volume in vivo and after animal sacrifice or tumor excision, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal Center for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (ITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal Animal and Veterinary Research Center (CECAV), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal Organic Chemistry Natural Products and Foodstuffs (QORNA), Mass Spectrometry Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal anafaustino.faustino@sapo.pt.
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Faustino-Rocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal Animal and Veterinary Research Center (CECAV), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Adelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gama
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal Center for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (ITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paula A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal Center for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (ITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Central Western University "Lisandro Alvarado", Lara, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Antonieta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.affiliation: Center of Mathematics, Department of Engineering, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Lio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fidalgo-Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Organic Chemistry Natural Products and Foodstuffs (QORNA), Mass Spectrometry Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal Center for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (ITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mário
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ginja
mesh_terms: D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008770:Methylnitrosourea / Q000633:toxicity*; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D047368:Tumor Burden; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D008770:Methylnitrosourea
keywords: MNU; Mammary tumors; rat; ultrasonography; volume; water displacement