The Study of Vascular Permeability in Animal Tumor Model using Dynamic Contrast
Enhanced MRI

Keimyung Medical Journal 2009;28(1):89-95.

The Study of Vascular Permeability in Animal Tumor Model using Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI

역동적 조영증강 자기공명 영상기법을 이용한 동물모델에서의 종양 혈관 투과율에 관한 연구

정건식; 우성구; 이상권; 노병학; 장용민

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of pharmacokinetic analysis of MR contrast agent in dynamic MR for providing quantitative vascular permeability; which reflects the angiogenesis. The dynamic MR was performed at 10 and 17 days after VX2 tumor implantation on thigh of adult rabbit. The gadopentetate dimeglumine (0.2 mmol/kg) was injected through ear vein. All MR experiments were carried out in 1.5T MR scanner with human extremity coil. Dynamic images were acquired every 17 sec for the first 3 minutes and then every 2 or 3 minutes up to 45 minutes using 2D SPGR sequence. By locating ROI on tumor; the signal intensity was measured for each image and the corresponding time-intensity curve was obtained. The time-intensity curve was fitted with pharmacokinetic model of MR contrast agent using symbolic calculation computer software to yield the fitting parameters such as vascular permeability and EES volume. Ten days after tumor implantation; the tumor size was 2 cm and increased to 5 cm at 17 days. The calculated vascular permeability (Kp↔t/VT) was 0.2584 ± 0.0275 min-1 and EES volume (Ve) was 0.0870 ± 0.0021 at 10 days after tumor implantation. After 17 days; the vascular permeability was 0.2574 ± 0.0315 min-1 and EES volume (Ve) was 0.1259 ± 0.0040. The statistical significance using t-test was P < 0.05. By employing quantitative analysis of dynamic MR data with pharmacokinetic model of MR contrast agent; it might be possible to obtain quantitative value of vascular permeability; which has close relation with microstructure of vessel.

Key Words: Contrast media, Experimental studies, Magnetic resonance (MR), Muscle neoplasms