Computed tomography imaging of primary lung cancer in mice using a liposomal-iodinated contrast agent

• Published in: PloS one 2012-04, Vol.7 (4), p.e34496
• Main Authors: Badea, Cristian T, Athreya, Khannan K, Espinosa, Gabriela, Clark, Darin, Ghafoori, A Paiman, Li, Yifan, Kirsch, David G, Johnson, G Allan, Annapragada, Ananth, Ghaghada, Ketan B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angiogenesis; Animal models; Animals; Biology; Blood; Body weight; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - blood supply; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Cell culture; Chemistry; Children & youth; Computation; Computed tomography; Contrast agents; Contrast Media; CT imaging; Gating; Genetic aspects; Genetic engineering; Genetically modified organisms; Health sciences; Histology; Imaging; Interdisciplinary aspects; Iodine; K-Ras protein; Laboratory animals; Liposomes; Lung cancer; Lung cancer, Non-small cell; Lung diseases; Lung Neoplasms - blood supply; Lung Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung nodules; Medical imaging; Medical research; Medicine; Metastasis; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Microscopy; Morphology; Mutation; Nanoparticles; Nodules; Non-small cell lung carcinoma; Oncology; p53 Protein; Pediatrics; Permeability; Physics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) - genetics; Pulmonary lesions; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Triiodobenzoic Acids; Tumor Burden; Tumor proteins; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - genetics; Tumors; Visualization
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034496

To investigate the utility of a liposomal-iodinated nanoparticle contrast agent and computed tomography (CT) imaging for characterization of primary nodules in genetically engineered mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer. Primary lung cancers with mutations in K-ras alone (Kras(LA1)) or in combination with p53 (LSL-Kras(G12D);p53(FL/FL)) were generated. A liposomal-iodine contrast agent containing 120 mg Iodine/mL was administered systemically at a dose of 16 µl/gm body weight. Longitudinal micro-CT imaging with cardio-respiratory gating was performed pre-contrast and at 0 hr, day 3, and day 7 post-contrast administration. CT-derived nodule sizes were used to assess tumor growth. Signal attenuation was measured in individual nodules to study dynamic enhancement of lung nodules. A good correlation was seen between volume and diameter-based assessment of nodules (R(2)>0.8) for both lung cancer models. The LSL-Kras(G12D);p53(FL/FL) model showed rapid growth as demonstrated by systemically higher volume changes compared to the lung nodules in Kras(LA1) mice (p