Small-field angiographic imaging of tumor blood vessels using synchrotron radiation

Abstract

Microangiography with about 10 /spl mu/m resolution has been carried out for depicting angiogenic vessels in a rabbit model of cancer using a high-resolution detector and a third generation synchrotron radiation source at SPring-8. In synchrotron radiation radiography, a long source-to-object distance and a small source spot can produce high-resolution images. VX2 carcinoma had been transplanted in a rabbit auricle. By using this imaging system, small tumor blood vessels with diameters of 20-30 /spl mu/m in an immature vascular network produced by angiogenesis were visualized after contrast material injection to the auricular artery.