Pre-clinical evaluation of tumour angiogenesis with contrast-enhanced breast tomosynthesis

Abstract

Contrast-enhanced digital breast tomosynthesis (CE DBT) has been proposed to image the effects of tumour angiogenesis. In this work we evaluate the relationship between CE DBT image signal and histopathology in an animal tumour model to provide evidence for the underlying basis for signal enhancement. A VX2 carcinoma was induced in the hind leg of 8 rabbits and grown for up to 3 weeks. Projection images from a 60 s contrast-enhanced CT acquisition were used to reconstruct CE DBT volumes. Fiducial markers implanted in the tumour provided a means for registration between images and stained whole-mount sections. The relationship between CE DBT image signal and angiogenesis marker expression was determined. A correlation was found between CE DBT image signal and dextran extravasation, which strengthened during washout, while no relationship was observed with CD31 staining. These results suggest that for clinical CE DBT, washout phase imaging will provide information on vascular permeability. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.