Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 13, 2026
Development and Angiographic Use of the Rabbit VX2 Model for Liver Cancer
Published on: January 7, 2019
Utilization of iron (III)-doped nanoshells for in vivo marking of nonpalpable tumors using a VX2 rabbit model
Erin P Ward1, James Wang2, Natalie Mendez3
1Moores Cancer Center, University of California, 3855 Heath Science Dr MC 0987, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.
Background:
We aimed to evaluate the potential for ultrasound (US) visible biodegradable nanoshells (NS) as an alternative to wire-guided localization for nonpalpable tumors in vivo.
Methods:
VX2 tumor was injected in bilateral thighs of 22 New Zealand rabbits and after 5 to 10 days, 1 tumor was marked with a wire as a control and the contralateral tumor was injected with 1 mL of 500 nm gas-filled silica NS under Doppler US. Tumors were excised after 24 hours. Chi-square was used for significance, P = .05.
Results:
One rabbit was excluded on postoperative day 1 due to equipment failure, no ill effects were observed from the NS. The NS were used to localize and resect 100% of marked tissue, 4/21 wires were displaced (P < .05).
Conclusions:
We have shown that preoperatively injected US visible silica NS can be successfully used to mark nonpalpable tumors in vivo more consistently than WL.
