Experimental microcomputed tomography study of the 3D microangioarchitecture of tumors.

Differences between soft X-ray imaging and microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) in the microangiographic depiction of small vessels in tumors were compared to evaluate the tumors' 3D microangioarchitecture and the progress of growth-related neovascularization. VX2 carcinomas transplanted to the auricles of 24 rabbits randomly assigned to three groups were examined after 1, 3, and 7 days. Eight rabbits without transplants were the controls. Barium sulfate was injected into the auricular artery, and conventional soft X-ray images and micro-CT microangiograms of auricle specimens were studied. Micro-CT detected vessels with diameters of less than 50 microm, and imaging from several angles clearly showed the network of tumor vessels. Moreover, micro-CT confirmed the 3D process of growth-related neovascularization. There were no significant differences between the present findings and those of our previously published microscopic study. Micro-CT should prove useful for evaluating the 3D microarchitecture of tumors and for clear imaging of tumor angiogenesis.