Quantifying the angiogenesis of C6 glioma in rats based on CT quantitative parameters

Assessment of the Validity of Carbon Ion Irradiation for C6 Gliomas in Rats

Purpose

Application of energy-spectrum computed tomography (CT) to assess specific efficacy of and response to carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) of C6 gliomas in rats.

Methods

After establishing C6 glioma rat models, 3 tumor-bearing rats were randomly selected as controls. The remaining were divided into 0 Gy, 1 Gy, and 2 Gy groups for CIRT. Energy-spectrum CT scans were performed, and brain tissues were collected for histopathology and western blot Test. Survival rates in each group were compared.

Results

The results demonstrated that tumors in the 1 Gy and 2 Gy groups decreased at different rates up to 14 days post-CIRT (P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared to pre-CIRT measurements, the energy-spectrum parameters gradually increased in the 0 Gy group, while they decreased in the 2 Gy group. Post-CIRT, the Ki-67 proliferation index and the expression levels of vascu-larassociated proteins in tumor tissues were significantly reduced in the 1 and 2 Gy groups. Additionally, the survival times of tumor-bearing rats were prolonged after CIRT.

Conclusions

CIRT effectively restricts tumor cell growth and proliferation, leading to improved survival rates in rats with C6 gliomas. The use of energy-spectrum CT with immunohistochemistry for quantitative detection can actively support the effectiveness of carbon ion radiotherapy in inhibiting tumor proliferation.

Accuracy and Precision of Iodine Quantification in Subtracted Micro-Computed Tomography: Effect of Reconstruction and Noise Removal Algorithms

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of reconstruction and noise removal algorithms on the accuracy and precision of iodine concentration (CI) quantified with subtracted micro-computed tomography (micro-CT).

PROCEDURES

Two reconstruction algorithms were evaluated: a filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithm and a simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique (SIRT) algorithm. A 3D bilateral filter (BF) was used for noise removal. A phantom study evaluated and compared the image quality, and the accuracy and precision of CI in four scenarios: filtered FBP, filtered SIRT, non-filtered FBP, and non-filtered SIRT. In vivo experiments were performed in an animal model of chemically-induced mammary cancer.

RESULTS

Linear relationships between the measured and nominal CI values were found for all the scenarios in the phantom study (R2 > 0.95). SIRT significantly improved the accuracy and precision of CI compared to FBP, as given by their lower bias (adj. p-value = 0.0308) and repeatability coefficient (adj. p-value < 0.0001). Noise removal enabled a significant decrease in bias in filtered SIRT images only; non-significant differences were found for the repeatability coefficient. The phantom and in vivo studies showed that CI is a reproducible imaging parameter for all the scenarios (Pearson r > 0.99, p-value < 0.001). The contrast-to-noise ratio showed non-significant differences among the evaluated scenarios in the phantom study, while a significant improvement was found in the in vivo study when SIRT and BF algorithms were used.

CONCLUSIONS

SIRT and BF algorithms improved the accuracy and precision of CI compared to FBP and non-filtered images, which encourages their use in subtracted micro-CT imaging.

Quantitative Imaging Parameters of Contrast-Enhanced Micro-Computed Tomography Correlate with Angiogenesis and Necrosis in a Subcutaneous C6 Glioma Model

The aim of this work was to systematically obtain quantitative imaging parameters with static and dynamic contrast-enhanced (CE) X-ray imaging techniques and to evaluate their correlation with histological biomarkers of angiogenesis in a subcutaneous C6 glioma model. Enhancement (E), iodine concentration (CI), and relative blood volume (rBV) were quantified from single- and dual-energy (SE and DE, respectively) micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) images, while rBV and volume transfer constant (Ktrans) were quantified from dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) planar images. CI and rBV allowed a better discernment of tumor regions from muscle than E in SE and DE images, while no significant differences were found for rBV and Ktrans in DCE images. An agreement was found in rBV for muscle quantified with the different imaging protocols, and in CI and E quantified with SE and DE protocols. Significant strong correlations (Pearson r > 0.7, p < 0.05) were found between a set of imaging parameters in SE images and histological biomarkers: E and CI in tumor periphery were associated with microvessel density (MVD) and necrosis, E and CI in the complete tumor with MVD, and rBV in the tumor periphery with MVD. In conclusion, quantitative imaging parameters obtained in SE micro-CT images could be used to characterize angiogenesis and necrosis in the subcutaneous C6 glioma model.