Early Detection of Breast Cancer by Florescence Molecular Tomography
Abstract
Early detection of breast tumors continues to be a significant diagnostic challenge and thus remains the focus of attention of a number of medical research groups. Molecular targeting approaches have tremendous potential for early-detection because they rely on elucidation of abnormal gene-expression, rather than on discovery of retarded anatomical changes inflicted by growing tumors upon their microenvironment. Originally, we proposed an investigation of whether highly-sensitive fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) could be used to detect breast cancer at its earliest and smallest stages via the detection of injected, protease-activatable molecular probes. We enter year 3 with the goals of the previous 2 years fully achieved. We have now not only constructed and fully optimized the proposed FMT imaging system using phantoms, but have also completed extensive in-vivo imaging studies ahead of schedule. Similarly, we have made significant progress toward the goals for aim 3 and year 3, in regard to the translation of our findings to a clinical setting, by researching the construction of appropriate breast-like phantoms.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA462837
Entities
People
- Vasilis Ntziachristos