DETECTING METASTASIS OF GASTRIC CARCINOMA USING HIGH-RESOLUTION MICRO-CT SYSTEM: IN VIVO SMALL ANIMAL STUDY

摘要

Immunocytochemical and immunofluorescence staining are used for identifying the characteristics of metastasis in traditional ways. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a useful tool for monitoring and longitudinal imaging of tumor in small animal in vivo. In present study, we evaluated the feasibility of the detection for metastasis of gastric carcinoma by high-resolution micro-CT system with omnipaque accumulative enhancement method in the organs. Firstly, a high-resolution micro-CT ZKKS-MCT-sharp micro-CT was developed by our research group and Guangzhou Zhongke Kaisheng Medical Technology Co., Ltd. Secondly, several gastric carcinoma models were established through inoculating 2x10~6 BGC-823 gastric carcinoma cells subcutaneously. Thirdly, micro-CT scanning was performed after accumulative enhancement method of intraperitoneal injection of omnipaque contrast agent containing 360 mg iodine with a concentration of 350 mg I/ml. Finally, we obtained high-resolution anatomical information of the metastasis in vivo in a BALB/c NuNu nude mouse, the 3D tumor architecture is revealed in exquisite detail at about 35 urn spatial resolution. In addition, the accurate shape and volume of the micrometastasis as small as 0.78 mm~3 can be calculated with our software. Overall, our data suggest that this imaging approach and system could be used to enhance the understanding of tumor proliferation, metastasis and could be the basis for evaluating anti-tumor therapies.