AIM:To establish a Chinese esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)cell line with high bone metastasis potency using99mTc-methylene diphosphonate(99mTcMDP)micro-pinhole scintigraphy,X ray and micropositron emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT)for exploring the mechanism of occurrence and development in esophageal cancer.METHODS:The cells came from a BALB/c nu/nu immunodeficient mouse,and oncogenic tumor tissue was from a surgical specimen from a 61-year-old male patient with ESCC.The cell growth curve was mapped and analysis of chromosome karyotype was performed.Approximately 1×106oncogenic cells were injected into the left cardiac ventricle of immunodeficient mice.The bone metastatic lesions of tumor-bearing mice were detected by99mTc-MDP scintigraphy,micro-PET/CT and X-ray,and were resected from the mice under deep anesthesia.The bone metastatic cells in the lesions were used for culture and for repeated intracardiac inoculation.This in vivo/in vitro experimental metastasis study was repeated for four cycles.All of the suspicious bone sites were confirmed by pathology.Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to compare the gene expression in the parental cells and in the bone metastatic clone.RESULTS:The surgical specimen was implanted subcutaneously in immunodeficient mice and the tumorigenesis rate was 100%.First-passage oncogenic cells were named CEK-Sq-1.The chromosome karyotype analysis of the cell line was hypotriploid.The bone metastasis rate went from 20%with the first-passage oncogenic cells via intracardiac inoculation to 90%after four cycles.The established bone metastasis clone named CEK-Sq-1BM had a high potential to metastasize in bone,including mandible,humerus,thoracic and lumbar vertebrae,scapula and femur.The bone metastasis lesions were successfully detected by micro-pinhole bone scintigraphy,micro-PET/CT,and X-ray.The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of the micro-pinhole scintigraphy,X-ray,and micro-PET/CT imaging examinations were:89.66%/32%/80%,88.2%/100%/89.2%,and 88.75%/77.5%/87.5%,respectively.Some gene expression difference was found between parental and bone metastasis cells.CONCLUSION:This newly established Chinese ESCC cell line and animal model may provide a useful tool for the study of the pathogenesis and development of esophageal carcinoma. AIM: To establish a Chinese esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell line with high bone metastasis potency using 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (99mTcMDP) micro-pinhole scintigraphy, X ray and micropositron emission tomography / computed tomography of occurrence and development in esophageal cancer. METHODS: The cells came from a BALB / c nu / nu immunodeficient mouse, and oncogenic tumor tissue from from surgical specimen from a 61-year-old male patient with ESCC. cell growth curve was mapped and analyzed of chromosome karyotype was performed. Approximately 1 × 106oncogenic cells were injected into the left cardiac ventricle of immunodeficient mice.The bone metastatic lesions of tumor-bearing mice were detected by99mTc-MDP scintigraphy, micro-PET / CT and X-ray , and were resected from the mice under deep anesthesia. the bone metastatic cells in the lesions were used for culture and for repeated intracardiac inoculation. This in vivo / in vitro experimental metastasi s study was repeated for four cycles. All of the suspicious bone sites were confirmed by pathology. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to compare the gene expression in the parental cells and in the bone metastatic clone .RESULTS: The surgical specimen was implanted subcutaneously in immunodeficient mice and the tumorigenesis rate was 100%. First-passage oncogenic cells were named CEK-Sq-1.The chromosome karyotype analysis of the cell line was hypotriploid. the bone metastasis rate went from 20% with the first-passage oncogenic cells via intracardiac inoculation to 90% after four cycles. Established established bone metastasis clone named CEK-Sq-1BM had a high potential to metastasize in bone, including mandible, humerus, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, scapula and femur. bone metastasis lesions were successfully detected by micro-pinhole bone scintigraphy, micro-PET / CT, and X-ray. sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the micro-pinhole scintigraphy, X-ray, and micro- PET / CT imaging examination swere. 89.66% / 32% / 80%, 88.2% / 100% / 89.2%, and 88.75% / 77.5% / 87.5% respectively.Some gene expression difference was found between parental and bone metastasis cells.CONCLUSION: This new established Chinese ESCC cell line and animal model may provide a useful tool for the study of the pathogenesis and development of esophageal carcinoma.