New imaging methods for the detection of cancer biomarkers

我们建议使用多频电阻抗断层扫描（MfEIT），一种新的技术，基于低水平的电气测量成像，将通过引入金纳米粒子增强。重要的是，成像技术是便携式的，非侵入性的，基于非电离辐射。此外，尽管大多数当前的成像系统是昂贵的，但MfEIT是廉价的;因此，原型系统可以生产10，000个，如果以足够的体积制造，则可以大大减少这个数字。该概念基于将恶性肿瘤生物标志物的检测与创新的MfEIT成像技术相结合的原理。这不仅有可能帮助观察原发性病变，而且大大提高了早期诊断和定位（微）转移和/或早期癌症扩散的机会。它可以通过将纳米颗粒靶向肿瘤来实现，例如通过偶联对这些癌症生物标志物特异性的抗体片段。这不仅使这些病灶通过MfEIT高度可见，而且还提出了新的成像治疗方式。因此，我们的目标是使用MfEIT生物成像来定位肿瘤，并通过偶联金属纳米颗粒不仅增强成像，而且为肿瘤沉积物的最终治疗奠定基础。此外，我们亦会发展与其他模式互补的生物成像技术，以提高效能及避免使用电离辐射的成像方法。长期目标将是开发安全、低成本的成像和治疗方法，这些方法也可以在小型地区医院使用。主要目标是开发一种突破性的、临床适用的基于纳米技术MfEIT的结肠癌诊断成像方法，作为原理证明，其特异性和灵敏度可以与钡灌肠和结肠镜检查相匹配。在第一阶段解决了这种新型成像技术的科学和技术挑战后，我们的最终目标是利用纳米颗粒与癌细胞的结合特性来开发选择性破坏它们的治疗方案。

We propose using Multi-frequency Electrical Impedance Tomography (MfEIT), a novel technique based on low level electrical measurements for imaging which will be enhanced by the introduction of gold nanoparticles. Importantly, the imaging technique is portable, non-invasive and based on non-ionizing radiation. Furthermore, whereas most current imaging systems are costly, MfEIT is inexpensive; thus a prototype system can be produced for 10,000, a figure which can be greatly reduced if manufactured at sufficient volume. The concept is based on the principle of combining the detection of biomarkers of malignancy with the innovative MfEIT imaging technology. This has the potential to not only help visualise the primary lesion, but greatly enhance the chance of early diagnosis and localisation of (micro) metastasis and/or early cancer spread. It can be achieved by targeting the nanoparticles to the tumour, for example by coupling antibody fragments specific for these cancer biomarkers. This not only renders such foci highly visible by MfEIT but also presents novel imaging-therapeutic modalities. Thus, our goal is to use MfEIT bio-imaging to localise tumours and by coupling metal nanoparticles not only to enhance imaging, but also to lay the foundation for the ultimate treatment of the tumour deposits. We will also develop complementary bio-imaging to other modalities so as to improve efficacy and avoid the use of imaging methods that use ionising radiation. The long term goal will be the development of safe, low-cost imaging and therapy methods that can be used also at small District Hospitals.The key aim is to develop a ground-breaking and clinically applicable nanotechnology MfEIT-based imaging method for diagnosis of colon cancer, as Proof of Principle, with a specificity and sensitivity that can match barium enema and colonoscopy. Having addressed the scientific and technological challenges of this novel imaging technique in stage one, we ultimately aim to exploit the binding properties of nanoparticles to cancer cells to develop therapeutic regimes to selectively destroy them.