Development of a Hybrid Nanoprobe for Triple-Modality MR/SPECT/Optical Fluorescence Imaging

Diagnostics

Renata Madru³  Pontus Svenmarker¹  Christian Ingvar²  Freddy Ståhlberg³  Stefan-Andersson Engels¹  Linda Knutsson³ 

[1] Department of Physics, Lund University, Professorsgatan 1, 223 63 Lund, Sweden; E-Mails:;Department of Surgery, Skane University Hospital, Entrégatan 7, 221 85 Lund, Sweden; E-Mail:;Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Barngatan 2, 221 85 Lund, Sweden; E-Mails:

关键词: SPION;    SPECT;    optical;    fluorescence imaging;    magnetic resonance imaging;    MR;    SLN;   

DOI  :  10.3390/diagnostics4010013

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Hybrid clinical imaging is an emerging technology, which improves disease diagnosis by combining already existing technologies. With the combination of high-resolution morphological imaging, i.e., MRI/CT, and high-sensitive molecular detection offered by SPECT/PET/Optical, physicians can detect disease progression at an early stage and design patient-specific treatments. To fully exploit the possibilities of hybrid imaging a hybrid probe compatible with each imaging technology is required. Here, we present a hybrid nanoprobe for triple modality MR/SPECT/Fluorescence imaging. Our imaging agent is comprised of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), labeled with ^99mTc and an Alexa fluorophore (AF), together forming ^99mTc-AF-SPIONs. The agent was stable in human serum, and, after subcutaneous injection in the hind paw of Wistar rats, showed to be highly specific by accumulating in the sentinel lymph node. All three modalities clearly visualized the imaging agent. Our results show that a single imaging agent can be used for hybrid imaging. The use of a single hybrid contrast agent permits simultaneous hybrid imaging and, more conventionally, allow for single modality imaging at different time points. For example, a hybrid contrast agent enables pre-operative planning, intra-operative guidance, and post-operative evaluation with the same contrast agent.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.