Mapping in vivo Tumor Oxygenation Within Viable Tumor Using 19F MRI & Multispectral Analysis

Yunzhou Shi¹, David Finkle², Franklin Peale³, Jed Ross¹, Maj Hedehus¹, Nicholas Van Bruggen¹, Suzanna Clark², Rayna Venook², Sarajane Ross², Richard Carano¹

A novel approach that combines ¹⁹F MRI oximetry with diffusion-based multispectral analysis was developed. The current study demonstrates that pO₂ measurements can be restricted to the viable tumor and that the necrotic tissue classes contribute erroneous data to whole-tumor estimates of the pO₂ response during a breathing gas challenge experiment on mice. This novel approach provides a means to measure pO₂ within tissue of therapeutic interest and address the issue of tumor heterogeneity that complicates pO₂ tumor imaging.