High-throughput quantitative bioluminescence imaging for assessing tumor burden.

Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has emerged during the past 5 years as the preeminent method for rapid, cheap, facile screening of tumor growth and spread in mice. Both subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor models are readily observed with high sensitivity and reproducibility. User-friendly commercial instruments exist and, increasingly, luciferase-expressing tumor cells are available in academic institutions or commercially. There is an increasing literature on routine use of BLI for assessing chemotherapeutic efficacy, drug combinations, dosing, and timing. In addition, BLI may be applied to more sophisticated questions of molecular biology by including specific promoter sequences. This chapter will describe routine methods used to support multiple investigators in our small animal imaging resource.