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Updated: May 3, 2026
In Vivo, Percutaneous, Needle Based, Optical Coherence Tomography of Renal Masses
Published on: March 30, 2015
Interventional optical molecular imaging guidance during percutaneous biopsy
Rahul A Sheth1, Pedram Heidari, Shadi A Esfahani
1From the Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, White 427, Boston, MA 02114 (R.A.S., P.H., S.A.E., U.M.); and Center for Interventional Oncology, Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center and National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md (B.J.W.).
Indocyanine green (ICG) and a handheld imaging system effectively identified malignant liver lesions in mice. This molecular beacon approach achieved high target-to-background ratios, enabling clear differentiation of cancerous tissue from healthy liver.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Oncology
Background:
- Accurate detection of intrahepatic malignant lesions is crucial for effective liver cancer treatment.
- Current imaging modalities may have limitations in differentiating small or diffuse tumors from normal liver tissue.
- Indocyanine green (ICG) has shown potential as a fluorescent contrast agent for various medical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate indocyanine green (ICG) as a molecular beacon for detecting malignant liver lesions.
- To assess a novel handheld imaging system's capability in measuring ICG fluorescence in hepatic lesions.
- To achieve high target-to-background ratios for improved lesion visualization in a mouse model.
Main Methods:
- Development of a handheld optical molecular imaging device compatible with standard biopsy needles.
- Ex vivo phantom studies to quantify ICG tissue attenuation in liver parenchyma.
- Generation of intrahepatic colorectal cancer metastases in nude mice for in vivo imaging and histological analysis.
- Epifluorescence imaging of ICG at various time points post-injection (3, 6, 24 hours) using the handheld device.
- Calculation of target-to-background ratios (TBR) and core biopsies for margin assessment.
Main Results:
- ICG demonstrated avid localization to focal malignant lesions in the liver at all tested time points.
- The handheld imaging system detected significantly higher ICG fluorescence in tumors compared to normal liver tissue.
- Mean target-to-background ratios reached 3.9 ± 0.2 at 24 hours post-injection.
- Histological analysis confirmed sharp margins of fluorescence intensity at the tumor-liver interface.
Conclusions:
- A custom-designed molecular imaging device combined with ICG effectively differentiates malignant from normal liver tissue.
- This approach shows promise for enhanced intraoperative guidance and diagnosis of liver metastases.
- The handheld system facilitates high target-to-background ratio measurements, improving lesion detectability.
