Phase II: Commercialization of a preclinical Magnetic Particle Imaging system with sub-millimeter resolution, nano-molar sensitivity, and integrated CT

摘要 两种占主导地位的临床前分子成像技术，光学成像和核成像 成像，具有技术限制，阻碍了其在要求高的应用中的使用 分辨率，具有绝对定量的纵向示踪成像。我们正在开发一种新的 分子成像方式，磁粒子成像(MPI)，它没有这些 限制并能够：纳摩尔灵敏度、示踪剂的绝对定量、分辨率 与深度无关，并监测稳定的示踪剂数周至数月。这些功能 使MPI成为现有分子成像技术的补充，并为科学家提供 多功能的新工具，用于对癌症进行成像，跟踪治疗和免疫细胞，以及对 心血管系统。 与核医学相比，MPI是最好的选择，因为这两种方式都只“看到” 注射示踪剂，直接透过背景组织“看到”，并可翻译。MPI技术 其工作原理是直接检测氧化铁示踪剂的非线性磁化强度。 频率磁场。MPI的直接检测方法非常敏感，我们有 已经在原型系统中展示了微摩尔灵敏度。事实上，理论上的 MPI的灵敏度极限可以低至体素中的单个标记单元。与MPI无关 磁共振成像(MRI)和MPI扫描无法使用MRI成像仪获取。 该项目旨在开发第一个为临床前研究人员量身定做的MPI系统 研究小鼠和大鼠模型。拟议中的系统将是世界上灵敏度最高的系统 和最高分辨率的层析MPI扫描仪，以及第一个集成了 CT.首先，我们将构建一个高强度的自由线磁场梯度，安装在一个 旋转机架以启用层析MPI成像。然后，我们将集成CT以实现 获取组织参考图像。最后，我们将在体内用小鼠和大鼠测试成像器 模特们。

Abstract The two dominant preclinical molecular imaging techniques, optical imaging and nuclear imaging, have technical limitations that hamper their use in applications requiring high resolution, longitudinal tracer imaging with absolute quantitation. We are developing a new molecular imaging modality, Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI), which does not have these limitations and is capable of: nanomolar sensitivity, absolute quantitation of a tracer, resolution independent of depth, and monitoring a stable tracer for weeks to months. These capabilities make MPI complementary to existing molecular imaging techniques and give scientists a versatile new tool when imaging cancer, tracking therapeutic and immune cells, and imaging the cardiovascular system. MPI is best compared with nuclear medicine, in that both modalities “see” only the injected tracer, “see” right through background tissue, and are translatable. The MPI technique works by directly detecting the nonlinear magnetization of iron-oxide tracers using low- frequency magnetic fields. MPI’s method of direct detection is exquisitely sensitive and we have already demonstrated micro-molar sensitivities in prototype systems. Indeed, the theoretical sensitivity limit of MPI may be as low as a single tagged cell in a voxel. MPI is unrelated to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and MPI scans cannot be acquired using a MRI imager. This project aims to develop the first MPI system tailored for pre-clinical researchers working with mouse and rat models. The proposed system will be the world’s highest sensitivity and highest resolution tomographic MPI scanner, as well as the first MPI system with integrated CT. First, we will build a high strength field free line magnetic field gradient mounted to a rotating gantry to enable tomographic MPI imaging. We will then integrate CT to enable acquisition of a tissue reference image. Last, we will test the imager in vivo with mouse and rat models.