Deborah DeRyckere1, Margaret E. Macy1, Kendra M. Hasebroock2, Lori A. Gardner3, Paul Jedlicka4, Erica L. Bradshaw-Pierce2, Andrea L. Merz2, Lia Gore1, Natalie J. Serkova2
1Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Health Sci, Aurora, CO, USA; 2Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Health Sci, Aurora, CO, USA; 3Pediatrics, University of Colorado Health Sci, Aurora, CO, USA; 4Pathology, University of Colorado Health Sci, Aurora, CO, USA
We used T1-MRI and ex vivo MRS to evaluate changes in bone marrow, spleen and blood in leukemic MLL-AF9 transgenic (Tg) mice during disease progression. MLL-AF9 Tg mice exhibited a statistically significant 1.5 fold increased in bone marrow T1-weighted MR signal intensity. Increased glycolysis rates, increased 13C-glucose utilization, in addition to increased levels of glutathione and glycine were observed in Tg animals. Because increase in T1 intensities and metabolic changes preceded detectable increase in white blood cell count, MRI/MRS endpoints can be useful as early markers for leukemia development and response to therapies.
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