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Updated: Oct 13, 2026
Computed Tomography-guided Time-domain Diffuse Fluorescence Tomography in Small Animals for Localization of Cancer Biomarkers
Published on: July 17, 2012
Imaging of human colon cancer xenograft with gadolinium-texaphyrin
Rationale And Objectives:
The authors explore the efficacy of gadolinium (Gd)-texaphyrin (PCI-0101), an expanded porphyrin, as a contrast medium for magnetic resonance imaging of nude mice implanted with the human colon cancer xenograft LS174T.
Methods:
Magnetic resonance images were obtained in six nude mice 7 to 8 days after implantation of LS174T cells in dorsal subcutaneous tissues. Spin-echo T1-weighted images were obtained at baseline and at 5, 15, and 60 minutes after injection of 10 or 20 mumols/kg of Gd-texaphyrin. Delayed images were obtained at 24 and 48 hours after injection. Region-of-interest measurements were taken of the tumors and of enhancing tumor rims at all time points. Percent enhancement was calculated and compared among the various time points.
Results:
All tumors were enhanced after injection of Gd-texaphyrin. Heterogeneous patterns of enhancement were seen, with peak enhancement seen at the 15-minute time point; however, greater enhancement was seen at 48 hours than at 24 hours after Gd-texaphyrin intravenous injection.
Conclusions:
Gadolinium-texaphyrin may prove to be a useful contrast medium for magnetic resonance imaging of tumors.
