Intraoperative Molecular Imaging for Rapid Assessment of Tumor Margins

摘要

The objective of this research is to develop methods for rapid detection of tumor margins during breast cancer surgery using targeted fluorescence-labeled tracers and thus reduce the high rate of repeat surgery. We have developed and characterized a spectrometer-based fluorescence probe system to quantify fluorescence signals in excised tissue. Spectral processing techniques allowed the removal of contaminating tissue auto-fluorescence and provided highly linear responses to reporter concentration. Additionally, a new dual-reporter compartmental model was used to demonstrate quantification of receptor-to-imaging agent binding potential in tumor models. This approach can be used in fluorescence guided surgery to dramatically enhance the tumor to background contrast by suppressing the influence of fluorescence reporter kinetics and can reveal the availability of receptor targets for therapy.