Breast Tumor Microcalcification Induced by Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2: A New Murine Model for Human Breast Tumor Diagnosis

Figure 3

CT and PET/CT imaging of induced microcalcifications by rhBMP-2 in nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 syngeneic tumors (a–c): the CT mages (left), PET (middle), and PET/CT fusion images (right). The CT images indicate that the animals injected IP with 15 μg rhBMP-2 for two weeks (c) macroscopically induced higher level of microcalcifications by rhBMP-2 with significantly higher radiotracer (¹⁸F-NaF) uptake compared to a single dose (b). There was nondetectable microcalcification or no uptake of radiotracers by control animals injected with PBS as vehicle (a).

(a)

(b)

(c)