Early Detection of Breast Cancer by Fluorescence Molecular Tomography
Abstract
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. We investigated whether fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) could be used to detect breast cancer at its earliest stages via the detection of injected, protease-activatable molecular probes. We have successfully completed all goals and achieved the three major aims of the proposal, i.e. i) the development of appropriate fluorescence imaging methods for highly reliable and quantitative fluorescence imaging ii) the establishment and imaging of appropriate animal models of spontaneous breast cancer that closely resembles human disease as a pre-clinical stage to clinical translation and finally iii) generated predictions on clinical utility by simulations and phantom measurements based on the in-vivo findings from the animal studies. It is demonstrated for the first time that molecular based detection of breast cancer is possible based on fluorescent signatures using fluorescence probes. This shift the paradigm of breast cancer detection, treatment monitoring and follow up of disease progression in clinically relevant settings.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA474601
Entities
People
- Vasilis Ntziachristos
Organizations
- Massachusetts General Hospital