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Characterization of an intraperitoneal ovarian cancer xenograft model in nude rats using noninvasive microPET imaging
  1. C. L. Zavaleta*,
  2. W. T. Phillips*,
  3. Y. C. Bradley,
  4. L. M. McMANUS,
  5. P. A. Jerabek§ and
  6. B. A. Goins*
  1. * Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas
  3. Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
  4. § Research Imaging Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Beth A. Goins, PhD, Department of Radiology, MSC 7800, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. Email: goins{at}uthscsa.edu

Abstract

MicroPET is a noninvasive imaging modality that can potentially track tumor development in nude rats using the radiotracer fluorine 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG). Our goal was to determine whether microPET, as opposed to more invasive techniques, could be used to noninvasively monitor the development of ovarian cancer in the peritoneal cavity of nude rats for monitoring treatment response in future studies. Female nude rats were inoculated intraperitoneally with 36 million NIH:OVCAR-3 cells. Imaging was carried out at 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks postinoculation. Each rat was fasted overnight and intravenously injected with 11.1 MBq (300 μCi) of 18F-FDG in 0.2 mL of saline. Thirty minutes following injection, the rats were placed in the microPET and scanned for 30 min. After imaging, rats were euthanized for ascites and tissue collection for biodistribution and histopathologic correlation. Standard uptake values (SUVs) of 18F-FDG within the peritoneal cavity were also calculated from regions of interest analysis of the microPET images. MicroPET images showed diffuse increased uptake of 18F-FDG throughout the peritoneal cavity of tumor rats (mean SUV = 4.64) compared with control rats (mean SUV = 1.03). Ascites gathered from tumor-bearing rats had increased 18F-FDG uptake as opposed to the peritoneal fluid collected from control rats. Biodistribution data revealed that the percent injected dose per gram (% ID/g) was significantly higher in tumor-bearing rats (6.29%) than in control rats (0.59%) in the peritoneal lymph nodes. Pathology verified that these lymph nodes were more reactive in tumor-bearing rats. By 6 weeks, some rats developed solid masses within the peritoneum, which could be detected on microPET images and confirmed as tumor by histopathology. 18F-FDG uptake in these tumors at necropsy was 2.83% ID/g. These results correlate with previous invasive laparoscopic studies of the same tumor model and demonstrate that microPET using 18F-FDG is a promising noninvasive tool to localize and follow tumor growth in an intraperitoneal ovarian cancer model.

  • 18F-FDG
  • intraperitoneal delivery
  • microPET
  • nude rats
  • ovarian cancer

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