To characterize the tumor extracellular matrix (ECM) using native T1 mapping magnetic\nresonance imaging (MRI) in an experimental hepatic cancer model, a total of 27 female New Zealand\nwhite rabbits with hepatic VX2 tumors were examined by MRI at different time points following tumor\nimplantation (day 14, 21, 28). A steady-state precession readout single-shot MOLLI sequence was\nacquired in a 3 T MRI scanner in prone position using a head-neck coil. The tumors were segmented\ninto a central, marginal, and peritumoral region in anatomical images and color-coded T1 maps.\nIn histopathological sections, stained withH&Eand; Picrosirius red, the regions corresponded to central\ntumor necrosis and accumulation of viable cells with fibrosis in the tumor periphery. Another region\nof interest (ROI) was placed in healthy liver tissue. T1 times were correlated with quantitative data of\ncollagen area staining. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare cohorts and\ntumor regions. Hepatic tumors were successfully induced in all rabbits. T1 mapping demonstrated\nsignificant differences between the different tumor regions.....................................
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