Time-domain diffuse optical tomography for 3D non-contact intrinsic and fluorescence molecular imaging

我提出了一项研究计划，用于小型完整实验动物体内三维可视化的生物医学光学成像仪器的开发。该计划包括开发：1)使用激光照射动物的成像系统（扫描仪）和光学检测技术，以测量其在动物体内传播后的光，2)使用仅在动物体外进行的光学测量获得的数据的算法，用漫射光学断层扫描（DOT）技术重建动物内部的3D图像。该技术允许可视化与组织吸收相关的生理现象，如血液氧合，或通过注射所谓的荧光生物标志物，发生在动物体内细胞甚至分子水平上的现象。这种可视化，即所谓的分子成像，对试图了解疾病（如癌症）的生物学家或医学研究人员很有用，这些疾病最终都是在分子水平上发生的。因此，这种扫描仪可以为更有效地治疗疾病提供关键。因此，药理学研究人员也很感兴趣，他将能够评估他开发的治疗疾病的新药的功效。类似的技术，形成了医学成像领域，是每天诊断疾病的宝贵工具。此外，该研究计划建议在扫描仪中添加x射线成像技术，以便光学功能或分子图像可以覆盖在解剖x射线图像上。这种双峰技术将允许更好的可视化和更容易地定位感兴趣的生物分子事件。即将开发的扫描仪将成为世界一流的小动物临床前成像基础设施的一部分，该基础设施位于莫尔扎伊尔·德·舍布鲁克成像中心（CIMS），包括核和磁共振成像。CIMS是加拿大和国际上开发小动物临床前成像扫描仪的关键参与者。拟议研究的一个重要成果将是在这个新兴和令人兴奋的多模态分子成像新领域培养高素质的人员，这将对加拿大人的健康和财富产生重大影响。

I propose a research program on the development of biomedical optical imaging instrumentation for 3D visualization inside small intact laboratory animals. This program comprises the development of: 1) an imaging system (scanner) that uses laser light to illuminate the animal and optical detection techniques to measure the light after its propagation inside the animal, 2) algorithms that use the data obtained from the optical measurements made exclusively outside the animal, to reconstruct 3D images of the interior of the animal with a technique called diffuse optical tomography (DOT). This technique allows visualizing physiological phenomena related to tissue absorption, such as blood oxygenation, or via the injection of so-called fluorescent biomarkers, phenomena that take place at the cellular, or even at the molecular level inside the animal. Such visualization, so-called molecular imaging, is useful to the biologist or medical researcher who tries to understand diseases, such as cancer, that ultimately all take place at the molecular level. Such a scanner can thus provide a key to more efficient treatments of diseases. It is thus also interesting to the researcher in pharmacology who will be able to assess the efficacy of the new drugs he develops to treat diseases. Similar technologies, forming the realm of medical imaging, are invaluable tools every day to diagnose diseases. Additionally, the research program proposes to add X-ray imaging technology to the scanner so that optical functional or molecular images can be overlaid on anatomic X-ray images. Such bimodal technology will allow better visualizing and more easily localize biomolecular events of interest. The scanner to be developed will be part of the world class small animal preclinical imaging infrastructure at the Centre d'Imagerie Moléculaire de Sherbrooke (CIMS) comprising nuclear and magnetic resonance imaging. CIMS is a key player in Canada and internationally in the development of small animal preclinical imaging scanners. An important outcome of the proposed research will be to train highly qualified personnel in this emerging and exciting new field of multimodal molecular imaging which promises to have a great impact on the health and wealth of Canadians.