Spatial heterogeneity of oxygenation and haemodynamics in breast cancer resolved in vivo by conical multispectral optoacoustic mesoscopy

摘要

Optoacoustic imaging: Revealing the details of tumour patterns A technique that can image the entire tumour volume with high resolution may help oncologists optimize specific treatments for breast cancer. Jiao Li (Tianjin University, China), Vasilis Ntziachristos (Technical University of Munich, Germany), and colleagues have designed a multispectral optoacoustic mesoscope (MSOM) that illuminates millimetre-sized tumours with laser light of various wavelengths, and detects the ultrasound waves generated by internal absorbers, such as haemoglobin, or external nanoparticle probes. By reconstructing the ultrasound signals over multiple frequencies, the team produced 3D images of features that included the vascular network of a tumour with micrometre-scale detail. Experiments with live mice demonstrated that specific tumours could be identified through differences in spatial patterns, such as altered oxygen levels between tumour cores and peripheries. The study highlights the power of MSOM as a tool for preclinical cancer studies.