MRI-Guided Irreversible Electroporation Ablation for Liver Tumors

 描述（由申请人提供）：不可逆电穿孔（IRE）是一种强大的新型消融技术，可克服热消融方法的许多主要局限性。然而，为了准确、早期预测治疗反应，随访成像方法必须允许在体内区分不可逆电穿孔组织与相邻的未充分治疗的可逆电穿孔组织。我们最近的研究表明，定量MRI方法可以检测电穿孔诱导的肿瘤和正常组织细胞膜的改变。我们将开发一种功能强大的新MRI引导IRE方法，允许a）术前计划以预测IRE消融体积，B）术中监测组织反应和c）术后早期识别未充分治疗（可逆性电穿孔）的组织。我们的最终目标是实现靶向肿瘤的完全治疗，同时避免对邻近肝组织的过度损伤。拟定的临床前项目将在成熟的兔肝肿瘤模型中解决以下具体目标：具体目标1：开发术前计划技术，以更准确地预测IRE消融体积。具体目标2：开发用于肿瘤组织反应即时功能监测的术中成像方法。具体目标3：开发用于早期识别治疗不充分、可逆电穿孔肿瘤组织的术后成像方法。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a powerful new ablation technology that overcomes many of the primary limitations of thermal ablation approaches. However, for accurate, early prediction of treatment response, follow-up imaging methods must permit in vivo discrimination of irreversibly electroporated tissues from adjacent inadequately treated, reversibly electroporated tissues. Our most recent studies have demonstrated that quantitative MRI methods can detect electroporation-induced alterations to the cell membrane in both tumor and normal tissues. We will develop a powerful new MRI-guided IRE approach permitting a) pre- procedural planning to predict IRE ablation volumes, b) intra-procedural monitoring of tissue response and c) early post-procedural identification of inadequately treated (reversibly electroporated) tissues. Our ultimate goal is to achieve complete treatment of targeted tumors while avoiding excessive damage to adjacent liver tissues. The proposed pre-clinical project will address the following Specific Aims in a well-established rabbit liver tumor model: Specific Aim 1: To develop pre-procedural planning techniques to more accurately predict IRE ablation volumes. Specific Aim 2: To develop intra-procedural imaging methods for immediate functional monitoring of tumor tissue response. Specific Aim 3: To develop post-procedural imaging methods for early identification of inadequately treated, reversibly electroporated tumor tissues.