3D Whole-Brain Imaging Approaches to Study Brain Tumors

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Two-dimensional (2D) studies have advanced brain tumor understanding, but spatial structures remain largely unknown.
• Tumor cell and microenvironment interactions occur in three-dimensional (3D) space, impacting tumor biology and therapy response.
• Current 2D imaging modalities are insufficient for understanding how malignant cells infiltrate the brain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the preclinical utility of in vivo two-photon microscopy for brain tumors.
• To present ex vivo imaging approaches, including light-sheet fluorescence microscopy and serial two-photon tomography.
• To highlight the utility of 3D imaging in neuro-oncology for studying solid tumors and pathological brain tissue.

Main Methods:

• In vivo two-photon microscopy for preclinical brain tumor imaging.
• Ex vivo light-sheet fluorescence microscopy.
• Ex vivo serial two-photon tomography.

Main Results:

• In vivo two-photon microscopy provides insights into brain tumor spatial structures.
• Ex vivo methods offer high-resolution 3D visualization of tumor-host interactions.
• These 3D imaging modalities are valuable for neuro-oncology research.

Conclusions:

• Three-dimensional imaging is essential for a comprehensive understanding of brain tumor biology and spatial architecture.
• Advanced imaging techniques like LSFM and STPT are critical for elucidating tumor-host interactions in the brain.
• 3D imaging holds significant potential for improving diagnosis, monitoring, and therapeutic strategies in neuro-oncology.