Figure-2

Figure 2. MRI lymphography obtained with a custom-design high S/N coil and 1.5 T MRI (currently replaced with 3T MRI) demonstrates tumor-induced lymph drainage in mice. A) Map of hindfoot lymph drainage through major lymphatic vessels (grey) and LNs (black circles). IL, iliac LN; IN, inguinal LN; IP, iliac plexus; PO, popliteal LN; RE, renal LN. B) Control mouse 30 minutes post injection of Gd-DTPA into the dorsal toe (arrow) labels popliteal and inguinal nodes (arrowheads), central lymphatic vessel and lymph nodes (dashed line), and lymph drainage into the heart ("H"). C) Pre-contrast image of mouse before Gd-DTPA injection. D) Tumor-bearing mouse 30 minutes post injection of Gd-DTPA into the dorsal toe (arrow) of the tumor-draining foot (asterisk). Popliteal and inguinal LNs are labeled (arrowheads), and contrast has reached the heart and traveled through to the vascular circulation on the contralateral side ("V"). The vena cava and aorta are labeled (solid lines), as well as the thin central lymphatic vessel (dashed line). E) Toes on both legs of a mouse bearing a tumor in the left hindfoot (asterisk) were injected simultaneously (arrows), highlighting the lymphatic vessels on both sides of the animal at 7 minutes post injection. Lymph drainage is greatly increased from the tumor-bearing leg. Note that two thin central lymphatic vessels are labeled when both hindlegs are injected with contrast (arrowheads). F) Imaging at 6 minutes after intravenous tail vein injection identifies blood vessels of tumor bearing mouse. (Rundell, Partridge, Minoshima, Maravilla, et al.) Neoplasia 2008 (in press).

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