Tumour mechanics and vascular fractality quantification via MR-Elastography to gauge therapy response in liver metastasis

Motivation: Combination therapies using cytotoxic and anti-angiogenic drugs for hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer are currently presenting radiological challenges for monitoring treatment efficacy Goal(s): Can vascular architecture quantified through its fractality and measured non-invasively via multi-frequency MRE be used to gauge response to novel combination therapies acting on cells and vessels simultaneously Approach: The study used multifrequency MRE to measure the Hurst index, quantifying vascular fractality in murine models treated with different therapies. Results: The combination of BEVACIZUMAB and FOLFOX normalized tumor vascular organization, significantly impacting vascular fractality as compared to single drug treatments. Invivo and histological vessel fractality match. Impact: This approach offers a non-invasive biomarker for evaluating therapies, advancing personalized treatments for liver metastases