Multimodality Molecular Imaging-Guided Tumor Border Delineation and Photothermal Therapy Analysis Based on Graphene...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Complete tumor cell extinction is vital for evaluating antitumor efficacy.
• Tumor recurrence is often caused by difficulties in defining tumor margins and identifying satellite metastases.
• A synergistic approach combining multimodality molecular imaging is needed for complete tumor cell eradication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a synergistic method using multimodality molecular imaging for complete tumor cell extinction.
• To utilize graphene oxide conjugated with gold nanostars and chelated with Gd (GO-AuNS-DOTA-Gd) for targeted therapy.
• To guide photothermal therapy using advanced imaging techniques for improved outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of GO-AuNS-DOTA-Gd nanoparticles for targeting HCC-LM3-fLuc cells.
• Application of multimodality molecular imaging (photoacoustic imaging and MRI) to monitor pharmacokinetics for subcutaneous tumors.
• Utilizing MRI for in vivo tumor delineation and a handheld photoacoustic imaging system for surgical guidance in orthotopic tumors.

Main Results:

• Pharmacokinetics of GO-AuNS-DOTA-Gd were monitored using PAI and MRI to determine optimal treatment timing.
• MRI effectively delineated tumor margins in vivo for orthotopic models.
• The multimodality imaging-guided photothermal therapy reduced tumor residual and satellite metastases by 85.71% compared to non-guided methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed synergistic method effectively reduces tumor residual and satellite metastases.
• Multimodality molecular imaging-guided photothermal therapy shows significant promise for clinical application in cancer treatment.
• This approach offers a potential strategy for achieving complete tumor cell extinction and preventing recurrence.