DCE-MRI of Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumor Xenografts: A Method to Assess Microvasculature in a Target Tumor Tissue

- An extensive network of highly disorganized and abnormal blood vessels supports tumor growth and metastasis. To assess this microvasculature, take an anesthetized tumor-bearing mouse and dilate its tail vein under a heat lamp. Intravenously insert a medical-grade microtubing assembly attached to a syringe carrying an appropriate MRI contrast agent. Secure the tail on a plastic board.

Place the mouse on a warm bed to regulate body temperature. Apply an orthogonally bent plastic board into the abdominal area and pull down to capture the tumor and secure it. Fix probes to monitor vital signs. Place a surface coil over the tumor region and slide the animal into a Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or DCE-MRI scanner. Inject the contrast agent and initiate the scan.

Owing to the hyper permeable morphology of tumor vasculature, the introduction of contrast agents results in their rapid leakage and accumulation within the extracellular space of the tumor tissue. The surface coil captures variation in MR signal intensity emitted from the tissue, dependent on the distribution of contrast agents, and helps quantify the extent of tumor vasculature. In the following protoc