Application of 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging in motoring liver hematogenous metastasis model established by C6 cell injection

Abstract:

Objective：To establish liver hematogenous metastasis model in nude mice through injection of C6 glioma cells to hepatic portal vein and to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging（MRI） in detection of the liver metas－tasis model. Methods：Hepatic portal veins of 36 nude mice were exposed by surgical operation. Then cultured C6 glioma cells were injected into hepatic portal veins of the 36 nude mice. Every time，12 nude mice were randomly sampled for magnetic resonance scanning on 7th，14th，21st d. After scanning，these mice were sacrificed. All livers of these mice were collected for pathological exam－ination，the ability for detection of tumor metastasis and the diameter of metastatic nodules detected by the three methods were com－pared，and immunohistochemical staining was used to assay the expression of S100beta. Results：The time metastatic nodules could be detected by MRI was latter than that by HE staining（Wald χ2=5.01，P=0.025），with no obvious difference when comparing with the time morphological changes revealed（Wald χ2=0.03，P=0.853）. And there were significant differences among the diameter of metastatic nodules detected by the three methods on 14 th d and on 21st d（F14 d=14.28，P=0.000；F21 d=1 123.23，P=0.000）. Immunohistochemical staining of S100beta confirmed metastastic nodules were C6 glioma. Metastases manifested high signal in MRI T2WI characteristics. 3.0T MRI obtained more details about metastatic nodules and also showed edema around tumors. Conclusion：The liver metastasis model can be successfully established by portal vein injection of C6 cells. A clinical 3.0T MRI scanner can be used to detect formation and transform of liver metastases in this animal model.