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Evaluation of superficial xenograft volume estimation by ultrasound and caliper against MRI in a longitudinal pre-clinical radiotherapeutic setting

Roth, Daniel LU orcid ; Safi, Marcella ; Vilhelmsson Timmermand, Oskar LU ; Sereti, Evangelia LU ; Molendowska, Malwina LU ; Gottschalk, Michael LU orcid ; Bjartell, Anders LU ; Ceberg, Crister LU orcid ; Szczepankiewicz, Filip LU orcid and Strand, Joanna LU (2024) In PLoS ONE 19(7)(e0307558). p.1-14
Abstract
Background
Accurate tumor volume estimation is important for evaluating the response to radionuclide therapy and external beam radiotherapy as well as to other pharmaceuticals. A common method for monitoring the growth of subcutaneous tumors in pre-clinical models and assessing the treatment response is to measure the tumor length and width by external calipers to estimate its volume. This procedure relies on an assumption of a spheroidal tumor shape wherein the tumor depth equals the width and can yield considerably inaccuracies. Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive technique that can measure all three axes of the tumor and might be an alternative to caliper measurement with potentially greater accuracy and comparable ease-of-use and... (More)
Background
Accurate tumor volume estimation is important for evaluating the response to radionuclide therapy and external beam radiotherapy as well as to other pharmaceuticals. A common method for monitoring the growth of subcutaneous tumors in pre-clinical models and assessing the treatment response is to measure the tumor length and width by external calipers to estimate its volume. This procedure relies on an assumption of a spheroidal tumor shape wherein the tumor depth equals the width and can yield considerably inaccuracies. Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive technique that can measure all three axes of the tumor and might be an alternative to caliper measurement with potentially greater accuracy and comparable ease-of-use and throughput. Both 2D and 3D ultrasound imaging are possible, the former offering short scan times without the need for anesthesia and heating—valuable factors for longitudinal studies in large animal cohorts. Nevertheless, tumor volume estimation accuracy by 2D ultrasound imaging has seen limited investigation. In this study we have evaluated the accuracy of tumor volume estimation by caliper and 2D ultrasound with comparisons to reference measurements by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a pre-clinical model of prostate cancer treated with either external beam radiotherapy, radionuclide therapy, or no treatment.

Results
Tumor volumes were measured longitudinally in 29 mice by caliper, ultrasound, and MRI before and after external beam radiotherapy, [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 radionuclide therapy, or no treatment. Caliper measurements had a marked bias, overestimating the tumor volumes by a median of 150% compared to MRI. Ultrasound measurements were markedly more accurate, with a median bias of -21% compared to MRI.

Conclusion
Ultrasound imaging is a reliable and accurate method for tumor volume estimation in pre-clinical models of radiotherapy, whereas caliper measurements are prone to overestimation. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
volume
19(7)
issue
e0307558
pages
1 - 14
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:39052663
  • scopus:85199599854
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0307558
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e59984d3-39f3-4100-903a-68ff80afe5d4
date added to LUP
2024-09-09 14:50:00
date last changed
2024-09-10 12:03:47
@article{e59984d3-39f3-4100-903a-68ff80afe5d4,
  abstract     = {{Background<br/>Accurate tumor volume estimation is important for evaluating the response to radionuclide therapy and external beam radiotherapy as well as to other pharmaceuticals. A common method for monitoring the growth of subcutaneous tumors in pre-clinical models and assessing the treatment response is to measure the tumor length and width by external calipers to estimate its volume. This procedure relies on an assumption of a spheroidal tumor shape wherein the tumor depth equals the width and can yield considerably inaccuracies. Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive technique that can measure all three axes of the tumor and might be an alternative to caliper measurement with potentially greater accuracy and comparable ease-of-use and throughput. Both 2D and 3D ultrasound imaging are possible, the former offering short scan times without the need for anesthesia and heating—valuable factors for longitudinal studies in large animal cohorts. Nevertheless, tumor volume estimation accuracy by 2D ultrasound imaging has seen limited investigation. In this study we have evaluated the accuracy of tumor volume estimation by caliper and 2D ultrasound with comparisons to reference measurements by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a pre-clinical model of prostate cancer treated with either external beam radiotherapy, radionuclide therapy, or no treatment.<br/><br/>Results<br/>Tumor volumes were measured longitudinally in 29 mice by caliper, ultrasound, and MRI before and after external beam radiotherapy, [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 radionuclide therapy, or no treatment. Caliper measurements had a marked bias, overestimating the tumor volumes by a median of 150% compared to MRI. Ultrasound measurements were markedly more accurate, with a median bias of -21% compared to MRI.<br/><br/>Conclusion<br/>Ultrasound imaging is a reliable and accurate method for tumor volume estimation in pre-clinical models of radiotherapy, whereas caliper measurements are prone to overestimation.}},
  author       = {{Roth, Daniel and Safi, Marcella and Vilhelmsson Timmermand, Oskar and Sereti, Evangelia and Molendowska, Malwina and Gottschalk, Michael and Bjartell, Anders and Ceberg, Crister and Szczepankiewicz, Filip and Strand, Joanna}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{e0307558}},
  pages        = {{1--14}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Evaluation of superficial xenograft volume estimation by ultrasound and caliper against MRI in a longitudinal pre-clinical radiotherapeutic setting}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0307558}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0307558}},
  volume       = {{19(7)}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}