Magnetic resonance imaging of tumor vasculature

Angiogenic activity and formation of a vascular network facilitate tumor perfusion and play a critical role in tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor vasculature may be visualized by means of parametric imaging of specific morphological and physiological characteristics that collectively describe its properties. In this review, we describe advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques that have been developed in order to image and quantify the distribution of tumor vasculature throughout the tumor and characterize its function. These techniques have been used to monitor changes in the magnetic resonance signal intensity of tissue water hydrogens generated by intrinsic effects, as well as by exogenous contrast agents administered into the blood circulation. We further describe specific applications of magnetic resonance imaging using a contrast agent, gadolinium diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (GdDTPA), which has long been approved for clinical use. Examples include studies of the vascular properties of breast cancer tumors and metastases in animal models, as well as of breast cancer vasculature in patients. We also discuss the use of MRI to improve breast cancer diagnosis in humans by quantifying the permeability of the tumor vasculature. By maximizing the spatial resolution of the images in both animal and human studies, the capacity of magnetic resonance imaging to enhance our understanding of the processes regulating tumor angiogenesis, and improve the diagnosis of cancer, could be clearly demonstrated.