Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Bioluminescence Imaging for Evaluating Tumor Burden in Orthotopic Colon Cancer.

Quantifying tumor burden is important for following the natural history of orthotopic colon cancer and therapeutic efficacy. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is commonly used for such assessment and has both advantages and limitations. We compared BLI and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for quantifying orthotopic tumors in a mouse model of colon cancer. Among sequences tested, T2-based MRI imaging ranked best overall for colon cancer border delineation, contrast, and conspicuity. Longitudinal MRI detected tumor outside the colon, indistinguished by BLI. Colon tumor weights calculated from MRI in vivo correlated highly with tumor weights measured ex vivo whereas the BLI signal intensities correlated relatively poorly and this difference in correlations was highly significant. This suggests that MRI may more accurately assess tumor burden in longitudinal monitoring of orthotopic colon cancer in this model as well as in other models.

Multimodal Magnetic Resonance and Near-Infrared-Fluorescent Imaging of Intraperitoneal Ovarian Cancer Using a Dual-Mode-Dual-Gadolinium Liposomal Contrast Agent.

The degree of tumor removal at surgery is a major factor in predicting outcome for ovarian cancer. A single multimodality agent that can be used with magnetic resonance (MR) for staging and pre-surgical planning, and with optical imaging to aid surgical removal of tumors, would present a new paradigm for ovarian cancer. We assessed whether a dual-mode, dual-Gadolinium (DM-Dual-Gd-ICG) contrast agent can be used to visualize ovarian tumors in the peritoneal cavity by multimodal MR and near infra-red imaging (NIR). Intraperitoneal ovarian tumors (Hey-A8 or OVCAR3) in mice enhanced on MR two days after intravenous DM-Dual Gd-ICG injection compared to controls (SNR, CNR, p < 0.05, n = 6). As seen on open abdomen and excised tumors views and confirmed by optical radiant efficiency measurement, Hey-A8 or OVCAR3 tumors from animals injected with DM-Dual Gd-ICG had increased fluorescence (p < 0.05, n = 6). This suggests clinical potential to localize ovarian tumors by MR for staging and surgical planning, and, by NIR at surgery for resection.