Micro-CT imaging of breast tumors in rodents using a liposomal, nanoparticle contrast agent

Ehsan Samei^1,2,3,4, Robert S Saunders¹, Cristian T Badea^2,5, Ketan B Ghaghada^2,5†, Laurence W Hedlund^2,5, Yi Qi^2,5, Hong Yuan⁶, Rex C Bentley⁷, Srinivasan Mukundan Jr^2,3,5*

¹Carl E Ravin Advanced Imaging Laboratories, ²Department of Radiology, ³Department of Biomedical Engineering, ⁴Department of Physics, ⁵Center for In Vivo Microscopy, ⁶Department of Radiation Oncology, ⁷Department of Pathology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; ^†Current address: School of Health Information Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA; ^*Current address: Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Abstract: A long circulating liposomal, nanoscale blood pool agent encapsulating traditional iodinated contrast agent (65 mg I/mL) was used for micro-computed tomography (CT) imaging of rats implanted with R3230AC mammary carcinoma. Three-dimensional vascular architecture of tumors was imaged at 100-micron isotropic resolution. The image data showed good qualitative correlation with pathologic findings. The approach holds promise for studying tumor angiogenesis and for evaluating anti-angiogenesis therapies.

Keywords: molecular imaging, liposome, angiogenesis, breast cancer, small animal imaging, micro-CT