Bone metastasis imaging with SPECT/CT/MRI: a preclinical toolbox for therapy studies
Pedro Gomes Sanches1, Steffie Peters1, Raffaella Rossin2
1Biomedical NMR, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Bone
|February 15, 2015
Summary
This study introduces a novel multimodality imaging platform for tracking breast cancer bone metastases in mice. The system combines SPECT, CT, and MRI to visualize tumor growth, bone lesions, and treatment response non-invasively.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Medical Imaging
- Molecular Imaging
Background:
- Breast cancer commonly metastasizes to bone, necessitating effective monitoring tools.
- Current methods for tracking bone metastases can be invasive or lack comprehensive detail.
- Developing non-invasive imaging techniques is crucial for quantifying metastasis growth and treatment efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a multimodality imaging platform for non-invasive quantification of bone metastasis growth in small animals.
- To integrate SPECT, CT, and MRI for comprehensive assessment of bone metastases and their associated lesions.
- To evaluate the platform's utility in monitoring metastasis progression and potential treatment responses.
Main Methods:
- Genetically modified MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells expressing herpes simplex virus-1 thymidine kinase (hsv-1 tk) were used in a mouse model.
- SPECT/CT and T2-weighted MRI were employed to image bone metastasis growth over time post-intracardiac injection.
- The reporter gene system utilized [(123)I]FIAU tracer for SPECT imaging of tumor cells.
Main Results:
- SPECT/MRI and SPECT/CT overlays demonstrated strong linear correlations for quantifying tumor burden (%ID/cm(3)).
- Early-stage bone metastases (<2mm(3)) were detectable by SPECT around day 20, preceding MRI visualization.
- Osteolytic bone lesions were clearly visualized by in vivo CT and ex vivo micro-CT.
Conclusions:
- A novel multimodality imaging platform combining SPECT, MRI, and CT has been successfully established for non-invasive bone metastasis monitoring.
- This platform integrates active tumor imaging (SPECT), tumor volume (MRI), and bone lesion visualization (CT).
- This represents the first report utilizing this specific combination of imaging modalities for longitudinal tracking of metastatic bone lesions.
