Figure 1.
Time course of contrast enhancement within the vascular system and the liver of C57BL/6J mice (n = 3 per group) after a single i.v. injection of 100 µl ExiTron nano 6000 or ExiTron nano 12000.
Measurements were performed by placing a ROI within the left ventricle (vessel contrast) and within the liver avoiding large intrahepatic vessels. The baseline level ( = 100%) refers to measurement of the relative density of the liver and the vascular system prior to administration of contrast agent.
Figure 2.
A shows a volume rendering of a mouse 30 minutes after i.v. injection of ExiTron nano 12000.
B is a curved maximum intensity projection in coronal orientation of the same scan. A and B demonstrate the feasibility to perform CT angiography during the early intravascular phase of the tested contrast agent. Additionally, A and B show the early contrast agent uptake by the RES with increasing contrast of liver and spleen. C is a coronally oriented curved maximum intensity projection of a mouse that did not receive contrast agent.
Figure 3.
A and B show intrasplenic (*) and intrahepatic (LMet) growing tumors 26 days after intrasplenic injection of C15A3 colon tumor cells.
A and B were acquired 4 hours after i.v. injection of 100 µl ExiTron nano 12000. B, C, and D illustrate contrast enhancement of the abdominal and mediastinal lymph nodes (LN) and of the adrenal glands (AdrG). C was acquired 4 hours after i.v. injection of 100 µl ExiTron nano 12000; D was acquired 22 days after i.v. injection of 100 µl ExiTron nano 12000. Micro-CT scanning parameters: 40 sec scan time; 190° rotation; 1200 projections; voxel size 41×41×55 µm3.
Figure 4.
A and B show a partial diaphragmatic herniation of the left upper liver lobe in coronally (A) and sagittally (B) reconstructed maximum intensity projections of a C57BL/6J mouse 22 hours after i.v. injection of 100 µl ExiTron nano 12000.
The herniated liver tissue can be easily delimited from the adjacent heart due to the positive liver contrast. C and D are micro-CT scans of the murine liver before (C) and 24 hours after (D) intravenous administration of 100 µl ExiTron nano 6000.
Figure 5.
Repeated micro-CT of a mouse illustrates development of liver metastases 9, 12, 14, and 19 days after intrasplenic injection of MC38 colon tumor cells.
Smallest detectable liver metastases (arrows) measured 300 µm in diameter.