Abstract
The rat has been frequently used as a model to study several human diseases, including cancer. In many research protocols using cancer models, researchers find it difficult to perform several of the most commonly used techniques and to compare their results. Although the protocols for the study of carcinogenesis are based on the macroscopic and microscopic anatomy of organs, few studies focus on the use of imaging. The use of imaging modalities to monitor the development of cancer avoids the need for intermediate sacrifice to assess the status of induced lesions, thus reducing the number of animals used in experiments. Our work intends to provide a complete and systematic overview of rat prostate anatomy and imaging, facilitating the monitoring of prostate cancer development through different imaging modalities, such as ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Highlights
The prostate is the largest accessory gland of the male reproductive tract [1], and is responsible for the secretion of a slightly alkaline fluid that forms part of the seminal fluid [2]
(10position mg/kg, Rompun in a supine and a scan can be performed with the Brivo CT325 scanner
The animals should be placed in a supine position, and both axial and sagittal scans can be performed with the GE magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 3 Tesla scan (General Electric Healthcare, Milwaukee, weighted images (WI), USA)
Summary
The prostate is the largest accessory gland of the male reproductive tract [1], and is responsible for the secretion of a slightly alkaline fluid that forms part of the seminal fluid [2]. Prostate cancer can be studied in vitro, allowing for the understanding of biological mechanisms underlying the development of the disease, but the current in vitro models fail to mimic the cell interactions that occurs in the tumor microenvironment. These data mean that animal models are of great importance for the study of prostate carcinogenesis, and for the development of new pharmacological and non-pharmacological prophylactic and therapeutic strategies to fight this disease.
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