Sensitive tumor detection with magnetomotive imaging

描述(申请人提供)：这项申请直接涉及“PQ13。当肿瘤比目前活体成像模式检测到的肿瘤小两到三个数量级时，可以检测到吗？”到目前为止，分子成像技术对临床的影响有限，原因有很多。其中一个主要原因是由于非特异性造影剂结合和来自组织的背景信号，分子造影剂的对比度特异性不足。检测灵敏度的大幅提高将从根本上改变我们诊断和治疗癌症的方式。在此背景下，该项目的总体目标是在我们最近在基于磁运动的成像对比度增强(NAT)方面取得的突破的基础上开发一种超灵敏平台技术。交警。2010)。通过在成像造影剂中引入磁性，我们发现在体模中成像的S/N比有了3个数量级的改善。通过这个项目，我们计划进一步开发这一创新和强大的背景抑制技术，用于体内肿瘤成像和图像引导治疗。我们将使用光声成像作为模型，但创新的概念和算法可以扩展到几乎任何其他涉及造影剂的分子成像方式。这一平台技术也与生物医学成像领域未来的重大发展相兼容，例如开发更特定的探测器和更灵敏的探测器。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application directly addresses "PQ13. Can tumors be detected when they are two to three orders of magnitude smaller than those currently detected with in vivo imaging modalities?" To date molecular imaging technologies have had limited clinical impact to date for a number of reasons. One of the primary ones is the inadequate contrast specificity of molecular contrast agents due to non-specific agent binding and background signals from tissue. Major increase in detection sensitivity would provide a fundamental change in how we diagnose and treat cancers. In this context, the overarching goal of this project is to develop an ultrasensitive platform technology based on a recent breakthrough we made on magnetomotion-based imaging-contrast enhancement (Nat. Commun. 2010). We have shown improvement of imaging S/N ratio of 3 orders or magnitude in phantoms by incorporating magnetic properties into imaging contrast agents. Through this project, we plan to further develop this innovative and powerful background suppression technique for in vivo tumor imaging and image-guided therapy. We will use photoacoustic imaging as a model, but the innovative concept and algorism can be expanded to virtually any other molecular imaging modalities involving contrast agents. This platform technology is also compatible with future major developments in the field of biomedical imaging, such as development of more specific probes and more sensitive detectors.