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Estimation of rat mammary tumor volume using caliper and ultrasonography measurements

Lab Animal volume 42, pages 217–224 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Mammary tumors similar to those observed in women can be induced in rats by intraperitoneal administration of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea. Determining tumor volume is a useful and quantitative way to monitor tumor progression. In this study, the authors measured dimensions of rat mammary tumors using a caliper and using real-time compound B-mode ultrasonography. They then used different formulas to calculate tumor volume from these tumor measurements and compared the calculated tumor volumes with the real tumor volume to identify the formulas that gave the most accurate volume calculations. They found that caliper and ultrasonography measurements were significantly correlated but that tumor volumes calculated using different formulas varied substantially. Mammary tumors seemed to take on an oblate spheroid geometry. The most accurate volume calculations were obtained using the formula V = (W2 × L)/2 for caliper measurements and the formula V = (4/3) × π × (L/2) × (L/2) × (D/2) for ultrasonography measurements, where V is tumor volume, W is tumor width, L is tumor length and D is tumor depth.

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Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4: Number of tumors in rats receiving MNU (group I).
Figure 5: Number of tumors on right and left mammary chains.
Figure 6: Number of tumors in thoracic and inguinal mammary glands.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC/DES/114122/2009 and Pest-OE/AGR/UI0772/2011 unity) and by the European Regional Development Fund (COMPETE, FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-014707/022692).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal

    Ana Faustino-Rocha,  Jacinta Pinho-Oliveira,  Catarina Teixeira-Guedes &  Ruben Soares-Maia

  2. Department of Veterinary Sciences, Animal and Veterinary Research Centre, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal

    Paula A. Oliveira,  Bruno Colaço,  Maria João Pires &  Jorge Colaço

  3. Laboratory for Process, Environmental and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Rui Gil da Costa

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Lusophone University of Humanities and Technologies, Lisboa, Portugal

    Rui Gil da Costa

  5. Department of Chemistry, Organic Chemistry of Natural Products and Agrifood, Mass Spectrometry Center, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    Rita Ferreira

  6. Department of Veterinary Sciences, Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal

    Mário Ginja

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  1. Ana Faustino-Rocha
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Correspondence to Mário Ginja.

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Faustino-Rocha, A., Oliveira, P., Pinho-Oliveira, J. et al. Estimation of rat mammary tumor volume using caliper and ultrasonography measurements. Lab Anim 42, 217–224 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.254

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