Non-invasive Monitoring of Pancreatic Tumor Progression in the RIP1-Tag2 Mouse by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Assessing information on tumor progression in the RIP1-Tag2 mouse in vivo is a great challenge because the tumors form spontaneously throughout the pancreas and are difficult to detect with current imaging modalities. In this study, we focused on non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging, providing information on tumor growth. Tissue relaxation times were measured over time and were compared between tumors and healthy pancreatic tissue. The effects of age and body temperature on these relaxation times, possibly influencing image contrast and therefore detection capabilities, were evaluated. Tumors appeared hyperintense in T2-weighted images when they exceeded 0.8 mm in diameter, and both relaxation times showed significantly higher values in tumors than in the healthy pancreas. Visualization and monitoring of these small tumors in vivo is feasible, even under adverse conditions of permanent gut movement. In the mouse model studied, the relaxation times of tumors differed significantly from healthy pancreatic tissue.