Application of twoª²dimensional ultrasonography in detecting VX2 tumor caused rabbit superior vena cava obstruction

    LFaª²Qin, DUAN Yunª²You, WANG Wen, WANG Yaoª²Cheng, CAO Wei, ZHOU Xiaoª²Yan

    Department of Ultrasonographic Diagnostics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¡¯an 710038, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the morphologic changes of VX2 tumor caused rabbits superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction and to explore the characteristics of twoª²dimensional images. METHODS: The VX2 tumor cell suspension was injected into the soft tissues in front of SVC close to its anterior wall by ultrasonography guidance. With tumor¡¯s pressing or infiltrating to SVC, 14 rabbit models with SVC obstruction were set up. The sizes of the tumor and SVC in the 14 rabbit models were observed and detected with the transducer placed in the right supraclavicular region view by Sequoia 512 computed ultrasonography once every 3 d from the 12th d after injection. All parameters of SVC obstruction were detected by ultrasonography respectively. RESULTS: With tumor growing, the lumen and wall of SVC became abnormal including deformation, wall disruption and abnormal echo in lumen. The diameter of the SVC became stenotic and the diameters of tumors were negative correlativity with those of SVC (r=-0.933). At the 42nd d, no obvious difference was found between the results of ultrasound, CT and autopsy of the rabbit SVC obstruction models (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The morphologic changes of the SVC wall and lumen in the VX2 tumor caused rabbit SVC obstruction models can be displayed by twoª²dimensional ultrasonography. The stenotic degree of SVC is related to the size of tumor. The characteristics of the ultrasonographic images of these animal models are consistent with the results of CT and autopsy. ......