Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 20, 2026
Tumor Hypoxia Assessment: In Vivo 3D Oxygen Imaging Through Electron Paramagnetic Resonance
Published on: February 14, 2025
Tissue oxygen tension measurements in the Shionogi model of prostate cancer using 19F MRS and MRI
J A McNab1, A C Yung, P Kozlowski
1The Prostate Centre at VGH, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6H 3Z6.
Objectives:
To investigate changes in tumour tissue oxygenation throughout the tumour growth-regression-relapse cycle in an androgen-dependent animal tumour model.
Materials And Methods:
19F T1 relaxometry of Perfluoro-15-Crown-5-Ether was used to measure in vivo partial oxygen pressure (pO2) of Shionogi tumours on a 2.35-T MR scanner. Perfluoro-15-Crown-5-Ether was administered as an emulsion injected intravenously or as a neat compound injected directly into the tumour. Non-localized, tumour 19F T1 measurements, made at multiple time points throughout the tumour cycle, were translated into pO2 levels.
Results:
No correlation between tumour size and pO2 values was found. Values of pO2 for growing tumours (50 +/- 30 torr) were significantly lower than for regressing and relapsing tumours after 9 days post-castration (70 +/- 10 torr, p<0.05). Maximum pO2 values (90 +/- 30 torr) were reached between fifth and eighth day post-castration, when tumour pO2 was significantly higher than both pre-castration (p<0.001) and after 9 days post-castration (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
We demonstrate that longitudinal pO2 measurements in vivo are feasible. Values of pO2 for growing androgen-dependent tumours were significantly lower than for regressing and relapsing androgen-independent tumours. These results have potential clinical importance in optimizing the timing of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy of hormone dependent tumours.
