Murine Mouse Models of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer in Lungs: Foci Counts in Three Dimensions

In standard histological slide preparations, only a few representative samples are taken, which introduces sampling bias and necessarily eschews information about the full tissue sample. However, it is possible to obtain a full 3D data set of an entire tissue sample using the Knife Edge Scanning Microscope (KESM), an automated simultaneous sectioning and imaging microscope. In this study, we performed manual counts of metastases of colorectal cancer in mouse model lungs stained with India ink and hematoxylin and eosin, which were then sectioned and imaged in their entirety. We were able to get more accurate count of tumor foci than the current standard of surface nodule count can allow; multiple tumor foci were buried hundreds of microns deep into the parenchyma and hence not grossly visible from the surface. Volumetric analysis of whole samples also revealed unusual tumor morphology and permitted the visualization of unique architectural features where multiple tumor foci had grown together. Following the manual count of tumor foci, we developed a semi‐automated algorithm that could increase the efficiency of screening for foci, and create the opportunity for digital 3D reconstruction and morphology interrogation. Without access to a full dataset of the lungs, it is impossible to determine true foci number or morphology. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .