Contrast-aided diagnostic ultrasound does not enhance lung metastasis in a mouse melanoma tumor model

The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that contrast-aided diagnostic ultrasound (CADUS) could exacerbate the metastatic spread of mouse melanoma tumor cells to the lungs.

The melanoma cell lines B16 and B16-D5 (metastatic specifically to lung) were implanted on a hind leg of female C57/bl6 mice. Growing tumors were scanned by 1.5-MHz diagnostic ultrasound in a 37 degrees C water bath. Four hundred image frames were triggered at a 1-Hz rate with 4 retro-orbital injections of an ultrasonographic contrast agent at dosage of 10 microL/kg at 100-second intervals. Sham-treated mice received 400 frames of ultrasonography followed by the contrast agent with the ultrasound off. The primary tumor was surgically removed 1 day after ultrasound administration. Lungs were removed and evaluated blind after 2 weeks of bleaching in Fekete solution.

Three experiments were performed. The first experiment involved scanning sham and CADUS groups of 20 mice each with B16 tumors; B16 metastasis was not enhanced. The second experiment repeated this test with the D5 cell line; the metastasis enhancement was marginally significant for average number (0.3 and 3.2; P = .06) and incidence (3 and 9 of 19; P = .08) in mice without tumor recurrence. Finally, a third experiment was performed to clarify ambiguous results in the second experiment and consisted of 2 groups of 40 mice each. In this larger experiment, the results were essentially equal for the sham and CADUS groups.

Overall, the results do not support the hypothesis of CADUS-enhanced metastasis.