Ting Liu1, Haiju Zhou2, Rui Xia3,
Jichun Liao3, Hui Wang3, Hua Ai4, Feng Bi2,
Fabao Gao1
1Department of Radiology,
West China HospitalSichuan University, CHENGDU, SICHUAN , China, People's
Republic of; 2Department of Oncology, West China HospitalSichuan
University, CHENGDU, SICHUAN, China, People's Republic of; 3Department
of Radiology, West China HospitalSichuan University, CHENGDU, SICHUAN,
China, People's Republic of; 4National Engineering Research Center
for BiomaterialsSichuan University, CHENGDU, SICHUAN, China, People's
Republic of
To investigate the mechanism of tumor lymphatic metastases, we inoculated subcutaneously with USPIO labeled and unlabeled LOVO cells in foot pad, groin or axillary area of nude mice, respectively, to develop a model system for tracking metastatic tumor cells in lymphatic system with MR cellular imaging in live mice. MR T2/ T2* weighted image showed the primary tumor growth and the draining lymphatic architecture, as well as the USPIO labeled tumor cells metastasized into regional lymph node at 8 days P.I. And histological finding confirmed MR imaging results and revealed a close relationship between tumor lymphatic metastasis with lymphangiogenesis.