Small animal imaging of Glioblastoma – Comparing F-18-PSMA and F-18-fluciclovine to F-18-FET for application as diagnostic tool
Positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging technique used to observe biochemical processes in the body after injection of so called "radiotracers". It is widely used to diagnose cancer in patients. Small animal PET is applied to mice/rats and can be combined with other imaging techniques such as computed tomography, magnet resonance imaging or bioluminescence imaging to follow the tumor development and treatment. Combining these imaging techniques provides additional important information about tumor physiology in only one imaging session (Refinement). This in turn minimizes the discomfort and amount of research animals in use (Reduction). As a tumor is a complex system, the use of live animals can not be fully avoided (Replacement). However, this combined imaging is superior to conventional diagnostics and enables the repeated use of one animal, which can serve as its own control and hence, reduce the total number of animals in use. (Reduction)
The above mentioned methods are available at the newly established preclinical PETcore and a body of research is being built upon them. Establishing protocols for all imaging modalities is evaluated in the FOTS application 18956.
The aim of this application is to image brain tumors (glioblastoma, GL261-luc2) in a mouse model of cancer by the aforementioned techniques using different radiotracers. The goal of this pilot study is to define the most promising radiotracer(s) as a diagnostic tool for brain cancer imaging in this particular mouse models. This information will be used for the further planning of animal experiments for brain cancer imaging and treatment at the Tromsø PET imaging center.
In this application the amino acid- and prostate specific membrane antigen- metabolism will be evaluated by different PET radiotracers available at the Tromsø PET imaging center (F-18-FET,F-18-PSMA and F-18-Fluciclovine). The animals will be monitored daily throughout the whole study. In addition, animals will be sedated during imaging and euthanized at the end of the protocol. All imaging will be performed before adverse symptoms due to brain tumor growth occur. If untreatable neurological or clinical symptoms are detected, the animal will be euthanized under deep anesthesia. The use of tumor-bearing animals is unavoidable to study in vivo the complex tumor microenvironment with PET imaging.
We are applying for a maximum of 40 mice. Developed protocols from FOTS application 18956 will be used and data processed for intensive image driven analysis at our facility.
The above mentioned methods are available at the newly established preclinical PETcore and a body of research is being built upon them. Establishing protocols for all imaging modalities is evaluated in the FOTS application 18956.
The aim of this application is to image brain tumors (glioblastoma, GL261-luc2) in a mouse model of cancer by the aforementioned techniques using different radiotracers. The goal of this pilot study is to define the most promising radiotracer(s) as a diagnostic tool for brain cancer imaging in this particular mouse models. This information will be used for the further planning of animal experiments for brain cancer imaging and treatment at the Tromsø PET imaging center.
In this application the amino acid- and prostate specific membrane antigen- metabolism will be evaluated by different PET radiotracers available at the Tromsø PET imaging center (F-18-FET,F-18-PSMA and F-18-Fluciclovine). The animals will be monitored daily throughout the whole study. In addition, animals will be sedated during imaging and euthanized at the end of the protocol. All imaging will be performed before adverse symptoms due to brain tumor growth occur. If untreatable neurological or clinical symptoms are detected, the animal will be euthanized under deep anesthesia. The use of tumor-bearing animals is unavoidable to study in vivo the complex tumor microenvironment with PET imaging.
We are applying for a maximum of 40 mice. Developed protocols from FOTS application 18956 will be used and data processed for intensive image driven analysis at our facility.