Optimization, Application, and Cross-correlation of DCE-MRI in Small Animal Models of Cancer

Abstract

With cancer encompassing a range of disease states and phenotypes, assessing treatment efficacy early, accurately, and non-invasively is essential to optimize therapy planning on an individualized basis. This work discusses two types of cancer imaging techniques, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI), and the importance they have to several classes of drug treatment regimens. Additionally, this work optimizes and identifies errors in current protocols used in preclinical MRI studies of anti-cancer therapies. These optimized protocols were then used to assess the efficacy of a novel anti-cancer treatment early in the course of therapy. Finally, the relationship between two MR imaging biomarkers frequently used in monitoring cancer therapy were assessed and compared to histology.