Development of a Hepatic VX2 carcinoma model in rabbits using an improved minimally invasive method and evaluation with imaging examinations

Context: The hepatic VX2 carcinoma model in rabbits has been widely used in interventional diagnosis and treatment research for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, traditional methods for developing this model all have their shortcomings. Aims: To develop an improved method to construct an animal model of hepatic VX2 carcinoma. Settings and Design: The puncture technique was used to obtain the VX2 tumor tissue. A tumor puncture-inoculation kit was designed and modified to implant the tumor tissue into the recipient rabbit's liver. Methods and Material: 18 New Zealand white rabbits were implanted with VX2 tumor tissue using the improved tumor puncture-inoculation kit under ultrasound guidance. Ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and digital subtraction angiography were performed to evaluate tumor formation and imaging characteristics. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Two groups were compared using Student's t-test analysis. Results: All rabbits tolerated VX2 tumor tissue implantation successfully. 17 out of the 18 experimental rabbits developed liver tumors, and one rabbit had abdominal tumor metastasis. The average volume of tumors was 39.47 mm(3) and 460.1 mm(3) (P < 0.001) on the 7th and 14th days after modeling, respectively. Imageological diagnosis showed that all tumors had abundant blood supply and typical imaging characteristics. Conclusions: This improved modeling method is easy to operate and less traumatic, with a high tumor formation rate, low metastasis rate, prominent tumor imaging characteristics, and high detection rate, which is expected to become a promising method for constructing rabbit liver tumor model.