Objective:

To establish postoperative recurrence model of orthotopic liver tumor in rabbit with VX2 tissue.

Methods:

Fifteen New Zealand rabbits were used for VX2 orthotopic liver tumors and then randomly divided into three groups to establish the postoperative model. Group R0: the interlobular incisions were used as the standard for partial left lobotomy

and the VX2 tumor were implanted in the s

ame liver lobe by the internal tunnel method near the incision. Group R1: resection of the tumor margin as the boundary. Group R2: about 1/2 of the tumor tissues were removed. On the 7th

14th

21st day after orthotopic transplantation of VX2 tumor

contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was performed to observe the imaging characteristics of the tumor. The rabbits were sacrificed after the experiment

the gross specimens were observed and pathological examination was conducted.

Results:

The tumors in Group R2 were larger than those in Group R0 and R1

and the proportion of multiple tumors in the liver (100%

5/5)

lung metastasis (100%

5/5) and hilar lymph node metastasis (80%

4/5) was higher than that in Group R0 and R1. The recurrent VX2 tumor in the liver showed hypoechoic on conventional ultrasound

and the internal echogenicity was significantly correlated with time (

r

=-0.518). On CEUS

42.9% (6/14) VX2 tumor showed overall enhancement on 7th

14th and 21st

64.3% (9/14) and 28.6% (4/14) showed overall heterogeneous enhancement

while 35.7% (5/14) and 71.4% (10/14) showed rim-like enhancement (

P

=0.000)

with significant correlation between enhancement mode and time (

r

=0.632).

Conclusion:

In this study

VX2 postoperativeliver tumor recurrence model in rabbit was established to provide reliable animal carrier for further research.