Aj. De Crespigny et al., Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of implanted VX2 tumors in rabbit muscle: Comparison of Gd-DTPA and NMS60, MAGN RES IM, 17(9), 1999, pp. 1297-1305
We studied the dynamics of injected contrast enhancement in implanted VX2 t
umors in rabbit thigh muscle, We compared two contrast agents Gd-DTPA and N
MS60, a novel gadolinium containing trimer of molecular weight 2.1 kd, T-1-
weighted spin echo images were acquired preinjection and at 5-60 min after
i.v. injection of 0.1 mmol/kg of agent. Dynamic T-1-weighted SPGR images (1
.9 s/image) were acquired during the bolus injection. Male NZW rabbits (n =
13) were implanted with approximately 2 x 10(6) VX2 tumor cells and grew t
umors of 28 +/- 27 mL over 12 to 21 days. NMS60 showed significantly greate
r peak enhancement in muscle, tumor rim, and core compared to DTPA in both
T-1-weighted and SPGR images. NMS60 also showed delayed peak enhancement in
the dynamic scans (compared to Gb-DTPA) and significantly reduced leakage
rate constant into the extravascular space for tumor rim (K-21 = 5.1 min(-1
) vs, 11.5 min(-1) based on a 2 compartment kinetic model). The intermediat
e weight contrast agent NMS60 offers greater tumor enhancement than Gd-DTPA
and may offer improved regional differentiation on the basis of vascular p
ermeability in tumors, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.