Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of Carcinogen-induced Murine Bladder Tumors

This methodology can be used to reproducibly generate bladder tumors using the BBN carcinogen and to image the size and extension of the bladder tumor burden through MRI. This technique uses an operator independent rapid imaging approach with short acquisition times at a high diagnostic quality to conduct high-throughput assays of mice at intermediate stages of tumor development. To induce bladder cancer tumor formation, add 0.05%BBN to an opaque drinking water container and provide the water to 6-week old C57 black six mice ad libitum.

Then monitor the animals two times a week for sign of distress associated with bladder tumors in accordance with the local IACUC guidelines. 16 to 24 weeks after exposure, load a one milliliter syringe equipped with a 25 to 27 gauge needle with 100 to 200 microliters of sterile saline and inject the saline subcutaneously into a BBN-treated animal. After 10 minutes, transfer the mouse into the imaging holder of a magnetic resonance imager and insert a rectal temperature probe connected to the physiological recording computer to monitor the animal's body temperature.