PET/MR imaging and optical imaging of metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma in mice.UNLABELLED
 The combination of PET and MR imaging synergizes molecular and morphologic information, allowing better diagnosis in cancer patients.  The diagnosis of tumor recurrence in rhabdomyosarcoma is extremely challenging and could be improved with PET/MR imaging.  The aim of this study was to validate PET/MR imaging in a disseminated rhabdomyosarcoma mouse model.


 Tumor growth was monitored on the basis of serum luciferase activity, optical imaging (OI) of the fluorescent protein mCherry, and sequential PET/MR imaging with 3'-deoxy-3'-(18)F-fluorothymidine ((18)F-FLT) and (18)F-FDG.  The detection of tumors in the peritoneal cavity was exclusively possible with sequential PET/MR imaging.  PET studies with (18)F-FLT MR imaging were more reliable than (18)F-FDG comparing the tracer uptake and correlation with tumor weight.  Treatment with vincristine led to reduced tumor growth, which was efficiently detected with (18)F-FDG PET and MR imaging.  Total tumor burden as estimated by PET/MR imaging correlated with the serum luciferase activity.


 The accurate detection of rhabdomyosarcoma requires high soft-tissue contrast provided by the MR imaging and high tracer uptake for PET, which was achieved with (18)F-FLT as the tracer before and (18)F-FDG after treatment with vincristine.  PET/MR imaging allows improved diagnosis of experimental rhabdomyosarcoma and therefore might influence clinical therapeutic decisions in the future.
PET
PET/MR imaging and optical imaging of metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma in mice.UNLABELLED
 The combination of PET and MR imaging synergizes molecular and morphologic information, allowing better diagnosis in cancer patients.  The diagnosis of tumor recurrence in rhabdomyosarcoma is extremely challenging and could be improved with PET/MR imaging.  The aim of this study was to validate PET/MR imaging in a disseminated rhabdomyosarcoma mouse model.


 Tumor growth was monitored on the basis of serum luciferase activity, optical imaging (OI) of the fluorescent protein mCherry, and sequential PET/MR imaging with 3'-deoxy-3'-(18)F-fluorothymidine ((18)F-FLT) and (18)F-FDG.  The detection of tumors in the peritoneal cavity was exclusively possible with sequential PET/MR imaging.  PET studies with (18)F-FLT MR imaging were more reliable than (18)F-FDG comparing the tracer uptake and correlation with tumor weight.  Treatment with vincristine led to reduced tumor growth, which was efficiently detected with (18)F-FDG PET and MR imaging.  Total tumor burden as estimated by PET/MR imaging correlated with the serum luciferase activity.


 The accurate detection of rhabdomyosarcoma requires high soft-tissue contrast provided by the MR imaging and high tracer uptake for PET, which was achieved with (18)F-FLT as the tracer before and (18)F-FDG after treatment with vincristine.  PET/MR imaging allows improved diagnosis of experimental rhabdomyosarcoma and therefore might influence clinical therapeutic decisions in the future.
MR imaging
PET/MR imaging and optical imaging of metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma in mice.UNLABELLED
 Tumor growth was monitored on the basis of serum luciferase activity, optical imaging (OI) of the fluorescent protein mCherry, and sequential PET/MR imaging with 3'-deoxy-3'-(18)F-fluorothymidine ((18)F-FLT) and (18)F-FDG. 
optical imaging