Computerized cranial tomography in the evaluation of pituitary tumours in rats
Casanueva, F.F.; Gordon, W.L.; Friesen, H.G.
Acta Endocrinologica 103(4): 487-491
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-5598 PMID: 6613494 Document Number: 210566
The use of the rat as an animal model in studies of pituitary tumors has been hampered by the great individual variation and the necessity of killing the animal to assess the development and progression of tumor growth. A study was designed to determine whether computed tomography (CT) could be used to monitor the growth of pituitary tumors in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were injected with estradiol valerate 2 mg/3 wk s.c., an amount known to lead to development of pituitary tumors (from 45-378 mg pituitary weight). Control rats were treated with vehicle alone. Anesthetized rats injected with contrast were studied by computerized axial tomography and the single CT scans (coronal cuts) were correlated with direct anatomical measurements obtained after pituitary dissection. All pituitaries weighing > 54 mg were detected by the CT scanner. A good correlation between measurements made after anatomical dissection was found in the 2 main axes of the coronal cuts. CT scanning can be used for assessment of pituitary tumor size in the rat. This technique should be especially helpful in studies where individual evaluation and/or repeated measurements over time are necessary.