Anatomy and Imaging of Rat Prostate: Practical Monitoring in Experimental Cancer-Induced Protocols

Abstract

The rat has been frequently used as a model to study several human diseases, including cancer. In many research protocols using cancer models, researchers find it difficult to perform several of the most commonly used techniques and to compare their results. Although the protocols for the study of carcinogenesis are based on the macroscopic and microscopic anatomy of organs, few studies focus on the use of imaging. The use of imaging modalities to monitor the development of cancer avoids the need for intermediate sacrifice to assess the status of induced lesions, thus reducing the number of animals used in experiments. Our work intends to provide a complete and systematic overview of rat prostate anatomy and imaging, facilitating the monitoring of prostate cancer development through different imaging modalities, such as ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The influence of Castanea sativa Mill. flower extract on hormonally and chemically induced prostate cancer in a rat model

“…27,28 The dorsal and lateral lobes are commonly referred to as the dorsolateral lobe due to the difficulty of anatomical division and similar histological features. 29 These lobes are homologous to the peripheral zone of the human prostate, 30 where most carcinomas arise. 31 The induction protocol used in the present work was based on the works previously published by Bosland, 26,32 where a multistep protocol was employedanimals were administered with an antiandrogen, testosterone propionate, a specific carcinogen and chronically exposed to testosterone using subcutaneous implants.…”

Structural and Ultrastructural Morphological Evaluation of Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) Prostate Gland

“…Human, canine, and giant anteater prostate present some similarities, including the positive expression for AR, PSA, P63, and UPIII. Interestingly, the giant anteater prostate gland has a continuous basal cell layer similarly seen in humans; however, it differs from dogs, rats, and mice due its discontinuous basal cell layer [ 8 , 12 , 13 ].…”

“…Usually, the prostate gland of different mammals presents only smooth muscle fiber. For example, the prostatic stroma of human prostate is mostly smooth muscle, while in the mouse and rat, the prostatic ducts are surrounded by thin smooth muscle bundles [ 12 , 13 ]. The presence of striated muscle fibers suggests that the giant anteater prostate gland may have a voluntary muscle contraction control system.…”

Development trends and knowledge framework in the application of magnetic resonance imaging in prostate cancer: a bibliometric analysis from 1984 to 2022

“…Imaging is considered indispensable in the clinical management of PCa, and the improved soft tissue contrast of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared with ultrasonography and computed tomography shows unique advantages ( 4 ). At present, MRI has played an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and management of PCa ( 5 ).…”