Yann Jamin1, Jessica K. R. Boult1,
Jeffrey C. Bamber1, Ralph Sinkus2, Simon P. Robinson1
1CRUK & EPSRC Cancer
Imaging Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research & Royal Marsden NHS
Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom; 2INSERM U773, CRB3, Centre de
Recherches Biomdicales Bichat-Beaujon, Paris, France
In this proof-of-principle study, we demonstrate that magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) affords noninvasive measurements of the visco-elastic properties of orthotopic murine gliomas. We have specifically assessed the visco-elastic properties of orthotopically propagated RG2 gliomas in mouse brain, which are a faithful representation of the most common primary brain tumour, astrocytoma. MRE revealed that RG2 gliomas were softer and less viscous than the surrounding brain tissue, which is consistent with the described appearance of the RG2 glioma model and astrocytomas in the clinic.