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Multiplexed NIR-II Probes for Lymph Node-Invaded Cancer Detection and Imaging-Guided Surgery
Rui Tian1,2, Huilong Ma3, Shoujun Zhu1,4
1Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130061, P. R. China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|February 6, 2020
Summary
This study introduces a novel dual near-infrared-II (NIR-II) imaging system for precise tumor and lymph node (LN) visualization. This advanced technique facilitates accurate detection and surgical resection of metastatic lymph nodes, improving cancer staging and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Nanotechnology
- Surgical Oncology
Background:
- Tumor-lymph node (LN) metastasis is critical for cancer staging and treatment planning.
- Simultaneous visualization of metastatic tumors and lymph nodes for guided surgery remains a significant clinical challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and demonstrate a multiplexed near-infrared-II (NIR-II) in vivo imaging system for concurrent visualization of primary/metastatic tumors and metastatic lymph nodes.
- To enable image-guided surgical resection of metastatic lymph nodes.
Main Methods:
- Developed a multiplexed NIR-II imaging system utilizing non-overlapping NIR-II probes with suppressed scattering and zero autofluorescence.
- Screened a bright, tumor-seeking donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) dye (IR-FD) for NIR-IIa (1100-1300 nm) tumor imaging.
- Utilized ultrabright PbS/CdS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) for NIR-IIb (>1500 nm) visualization of cancer-invaded sentinel lymph nodes.
Main Results:
- The D-A-D dye IR-FD demonstrated good in vivo performance with improved quantum yield (≈6.0%).
- Quantum dots exhibited superior brightness and photostability compared to indocyanine green, enabling sentinel lymph node detection at picomolar concentrations.
- The dual-NIR-II system successfully visualized metastatic tumors and proximal lymph nodes for resection.
Conclusions:
- The developed dual-NIR-II imaging system enables simultaneous visualization of metastatic tumors and lymph nodes.
- This technology facilitates accurate image-guided resection of metastatic lymph nodes, enhancing surgical precision.
- The system's ability to operate under bright light offers convenience for clinical application.
