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

我提出了一项关于开发生物医学光学成像仪器的研究计划，用于在小型完整的实验动物体内进行3D可视化。该计划包括：1)使用激光照射动物的成像系统(扫描仪)和光学检测技术来测量光线在动物体内传播后的测量；2)算法使用从动物外部专门进行的光学测量获得的数据，通过一种称为漫反射光学层析成像(DOT)的技术重建动物内部的3D图像。这项技术允许可视化与组织吸收有关的生理现象，如血液充氧，或通过注射所谓的荧光生物标记物，发生在细胞甚至动物体内的分子水平上的现象。这种可视化，即所谓的分子成像，对于试图了解疾病的生物学家或医学研究人员很有用，比如癌症，这些疾病最终都发生在分子水平上。因此，这种扫描仪可以为更有效地治疗疾病提供一把钥匙。因此，药理学研究人员也很感兴趣，他们将能够评估他开发的治疗疾病的新药的疗效。形成医学成像领域的类似技术，每天都是诊断疾病的宝贵工具。此外，该研究计划建议在扫描仪上增加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。将开发的扫描仪将是舍布鲁克小动物中心(CIMS)世界级小动物临床前成像基础设施的一部分，包括核磁共振成像。CIMS在加拿大和国际上是小型动物临床前成像扫描仪开发的关键参与者。拟议研究的一个重要成果将是在这一新兴和令人兴奋的多模式分子成像新领域培养高素质的人员，该领域有望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.