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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging of an Orthotopic Pancreatic Cancer Mouse Model
Published on: April 18, 2015
Quantitative estimation of dynamic contrast enhanced MRI parameters in rat brain gliomas using a dual surface coil
Stephen Pickup1, Sanjeev Chawla, Harish Poptani
1Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. pickup@mail.med.upenn.edu
Rationale And Objectives:
The study of vascular targeted cancer therapies is critically dependent on the development of noninvasive methods for assessing changes in vascular permeability and blood flow in small-animal tumor models.
Materials And Methods:
A multicoil apparatus consisting of two receive-only surface coils for observation of the rat brain and chest, a whole-body transmit-only volume coil, and the switching circuitry necessary for sharing a single receiver channel between the two surface coils was constructed for the parallel observation of left ventricular arterial input function and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal intensity kinetics in the rat brain. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI was performed on four Fischer rats bearing intracranial 9L gliomas, and the dynamic data were evaluated using the bolus-enhanced relaxation overview (BOLERO) model yielding maps of K(trans), v(e), and tau(i) values from the tumor.
Results:
The use of the multicoil apparatus resulted in images with high signal-to-noise ratios from the rat brain and chest in parallel, with no detectable crosstalk between the surface coils. The BOLERO method accurately fit the observed data to within experimental error. Mean values of the parameters generated by the BOLERO analysis for the tumor were K(trans) = 0.023 +/- 0.014 s(-1), tau(i) = 1.3 +/- 0.6 seconds, and v(e) = 0.51. K(trans) and tau(i) values were slightly elevated in the tumor periphery, whereas v(e) was elevated in the tumor core.
Conclusion:
These results demonstrate the feasibility of measuring quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI parameters in a rat brain tumor model using a multicoil apparatus. These methods might play an important role in determining the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapies in small-animal models.
Insights
This study developed a multicoil MRI apparatus for noninvasive assessment of tumor vascular changes in rats. The system enables accurate measurement of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI parameters, aiding cancer therapy evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Imaging
- Oncology
Background:
- Assessing tumor vascular changes noninvasively is crucial for evaluating cancer therapies.
- Small-animal models are essential for preclinical cancer research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a multicoil apparatus for quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in rat brain tumor models.
- To assess vascular permeability and blood flow changes in tumors.
Main Methods:
- A novel multicoil apparatus was constructed for parallel imaging of rat brain and chest.
- Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI was performed on rats with intracranial gliomas.
- The BOLERO (bolus-enhanced relaxation overview) model was used to analyze dynamic MRI data.
Main Results:
- The multicoil apparatus produced high signal-to-noise ratio images without crosstalk.
- The BOLERO model accurately fitted the observed dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI data.
- Quantitative parameters (K(trans), tau(i), v(e)) were successfully mapped for the tumor, showing regional variations.
Conclusions:
- The developed multicoil MRI system is feasible for quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in rat brain tumors.
- This technique can be valuable for assessing the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapies in preclinical cancer models.
