Characterization of Tumor Vascularization in Mice Using MRE

Lauriane Juge¹, Bich-Thuy Doan², Johanne Seguin², Benoit Larrat³, Jean Herscovici², Daniel Scherman², Ralph Sinkus³

Assessment of neoangiogenesis are major challenges in cancerology. We develop a new application of Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) for measuring the viscoelastic properties of tissue changing with the vascularization. Five, nine and fourteen days after implantation of CT26 tumors on Balb-C JRJ mice, MR experiments were performed at 7T. MRI supplied anatomic and quantitative T1 T2 maps. MRE (1000 Hz) measured Gd (elasticity) and Gl (viscosity) parameters, revealing a ring with higher hardness located at the periphery which should correspond to the expected neoangiogenesis. Histopathology was performed to assess the microvascular architecture and necrosis state in coherence with MRI and MRE.