Fine tumor evaluation within the metastatic rabbit lymph nodes using the ultrasound contrast agent

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of establishing complicated metastatic tumor rabbit models, see how ultrasound contrast agent is imaged inside the metastatic lymph nodes (LN) of the induced tumor rabbit models, and to find out the threshold minimum and maximum sizes of tumors that contrast agent could distinguish. 11 tumor rabbit models were used in total, and three groups were divided based on the number of subculture days. Among every group, sizes of the normal LN and the metastatic LN were similar, but all of metastatic LN were significantly larger than those of the normal lymph nodes. Appearances of the induced tumors within the LN however, were notably different, and the acquired ultrasound images showed the possibility of spotting precise areas of tumors even when tumors were partially induced, when the contrast agent was injected. In the future, based on these established animal models, various ultrasound experiments using Nano-sized contrast agents and comparative pathology evaluation research would be carried out.