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Updated: Aug 3, 2026
Intracranial Implantation with Subsequent 3D In Vivo Bioluminescent Imaging of Murine Gliomas
Published on: November 6, 2011
Fluorescent imaging in a glioma model in vivo
D C Nikas1, J W Foley, P M Black
1Center for Neurosurgical Sciences, Brain Tumor Research Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute; Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. dnikas@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
Background And Objective:
Nile blue dyes have been shown to have affinity for tumor tissue as compared to surrounding normal tissue and to be relatively non-toxic. We have employed EtNBA, a lipophilic, fluorescent benzophenoxazine dye, in a murine model to image subcutaneous and intracranial U-87 glioma implants.
Study Design/Materials And Methods:
The imaging system used to detect fluorescence consists of a SIT video camera fitted with a zoom microscope-magnifying lens. The tumor was illuminated with a 632.8-nm diffuse beam from a helium-neon laser. The video image was processed using a Sony image processor to give real-time pseudocolor and enhanced black and white images.
Results:
Following subcutaneous injection of the dye at doses of 2.5-5.0 mg/kg bw, we observed a gradual increase of the fluorescent signal from the tumor which peaked 1-3 hours post-injection with variable selectivity (typically 4:1) for tumor to normal surrounding tissues permitting the clear demarcation of the tumor.
Conclusions:
The present in vivo study demonstrates that EtNBA is a safe and effective photodiagnostic agent, able to demarcate U87-MG solid tumors in mice on a real-time basis at a concentration of 2.5-5.0 mg/kg 1-3 hours after administration.
