Abstract #0681

Dadiani M, Hassid Y, Kalchenko V, Seger D, Degani H, Yosepovich A, Margalit R

Metastatic spread to regional lymph nodes is one of the earliest events of tumor cell dissemination. We aimed to characterize metastatic spread into the lymphatic system using combined high-resolution MRI and fluorescent microscopy. We captured spontaneous metastasizing cells moving along the lymphatic flow by fluorescent videomicroscopy. Micrometastases in lymph nodes were clearly observed, facilitating examination by MRI. A designed Gd-DTPA infusion protocol enhanced the drainage pathways in lymph nodes. Invaded tumor cells in metastatic lymph node appeared to block the normal lymphatic drainage, seen as enhancement of the outer rim only that correlated to a metastatic rim observed in histopathology.