Novel Combination Multimodality System Using 1h Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy And Hyperspectral Imaging To Study Tissue Metabolism And Hemoglobin Saturation In The Window Chamber Model

Date/Time
Date(s) - 03/12/2014
1:00 pm

Nikita Agarwal, PhD Candidate

The combination of in vivo spectral imaging microscopy and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy may be a new innovative label-free technique to measure subtle spatial and temporal differences and perturbations in the metabolism of tumors grown in dorsal skin window chambers.  The window chamber model is traditionally a robust optical imaging model. It has been used extensively in cancer research for probing the biology of tumors, tumor microvasculature, and the tumor microenvironment.  Hyperspectral imaging of endogenous hemoglobin absorption in conjunction with the window chamber model is able to provide detailed spatial variability and temporal changes of hemoglobin saturation in all the blood vessels in the window area with tumor growth. MR imaging on the window chamber model has been used in a few studies but not with the same advantage as optical imaging. 

Although MR imaging cannot compete with optical, MR spectroscopy measured using the same equipment, is a powerful tool to non-invasively acquire metabolic signatures of tissues. Spectral signatures of metabolites give significant insight into the physiological tissue changes taking place during tumor development. This information combined with oxygenation of surrounding vessels could potentially provide a detailed and low cost model to study early tumor effects on hosting microenvironment. 

Combination of hyperspectral imaging and MR techniques to measure hemoglobin saturation and metabolic changes in the same tumor model provides significant information. When these comprehensive measurements are made on a robust preclinical model such as the window chamber model, we get a large offering of data parameters on an area of high spatial precision and undisturbed in vivo environment of tumor growth that can be followed and recorded longitudinally from very early stages.

This novel combination imaging technique may therefore extend the range of applications of these animal models to more advanced studies of tumor metabolism.