In-ovo magnetic resonance imaging

In-ovo MRI is a preclinical imaging technique in oncology research that involves the study of chicken egg embryos and a structure called the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). The CAM is a highly vascularized and specialized tissue that performs various functions during embryonic development. The CAM model is a simple, low-cost and highly effective tool in the study of tumor angiogenesis, tumor growth, metastasis and cancer treatment; processes that can all be non-invasively monitored using MRI.
In ovo MRI provides an efficient testing technique to determine promising compounds and therefore minimizes the number of necessary animal experiments. Furthermore, eggs are readily available and often cheap in comparison to research animals. Since the embryonic phase is immunodeficient, cells from different tissues and species can easily be transplanted and studied, including human cell lines.

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