CELLULAR MRI: TRACKING THE MIGRATION OF METASTATIC CANCER CELLS IN THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

The role of the lymphatics as a mode of tumor cell transport has been known for some time, and remains of critical importance since a majority of cancer deaths result from metastatic dissemination away from the primary tumor. In the studies performed in this thesis novel cellular MRI technology and a unique murine intranodal implantation model are used to track the movement of iron-labeled melanoma cells in vivo. With these methods we demonstrate, for the first time, that cellular MRI can be used to detect metastatic melanoma cells present at the implant site and in the draining lymph node and to track the growth of these cells into a metastatic tumor. The ability to track metastatic cancer cells in the lymphatic system in vivo may promote a better understanding of models of carcinogenesis and metastasis and in the future may help to improve on principles by which cancers are treated.

Name thesis:degree_name

M Sc

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Medical Biophysics

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Lui, Tracey Y.M.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Foster, Paula J.

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• balanced steady-state free precession (b-SSFP)
• superparamagnetic iron-oxide particles (SPIO)
• melanoma
• B16F10
• lymphatic metastasis
• mouse model.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/19943

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/19943