title: Development of a Hybrid Nanoprobe for Triple-Modality MR/SPECT/Optical Fluorescence Imaging.
abstract: Hybrid clinical imaging is an emerging technology, which improves disease diagnosis by combining already existing technologies. With the combination of high-resolution morphological imaging, i.e., MRI/CT, and high-sensitive molecular detection offered by SPECT/PET/Optical, physicians can detect disease progression at an early stage and design patient-specific treatments. To fully exploit the possibilities of hybrid imaging a hybrid probe compatible with each imaging technology is required. Here, we present a hybrid nanoprobe for triple modality MR/SPECT/Fluorescence imaging. Our imaging agent is comprised of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), labeled with (99m)Tc and an Alexa fluorophore (AF), together forming (99m)Tc-AF-SPIONs. The agent was stable in human serum, and, after subcutaneous injection in the hind paw of Wistar rats, showed to be highly specific by accumulating in the sentinel lymph node. All three modalities clearly visualized the imaging agent. Our results show that a single imaging agent can be used for hybrid imaging. The use of a single hybrid contrast agent permits simultaneous hybrid imaging and, more conventionally, allow for single modality imaging at different time points. For example, a hybrid contrast agent enables pre-operative planning, intra-operative guidance, and post-operative evaluation with the same contrast agent.
authors: Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Barngatan 2, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. Renata.Madru@med.lu.se.
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: Madru
authors: Department of Physics, Lund University, Professorsgatan 1, 223 63 Lund, Sweden. pontus.svenmarker@fysik.lth.se.
authors: Pontus
authors: P
authors: Svenmarker
authors: Department of Surgery, Skane University Hospital, Entrégatan 7, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. Christian.Ingvar@med.lu.se.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Ingvar
authors: Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Barngatan 2, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. Freddy.Stahlberg@med.lu.se.|Lund University Bioimaging Center (LBIC), Kliniggatan 32, 222 42 Lund, Sweden. Freddy.Stahlberg@med.lu.se.|Department of Radiology, Skane University Hospital, Entrégatan 7, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. Freddy.Stahlberg@med.lu.se.
authors: Freddy
authors: F
authors: Ståhlberg
authors: Department of Physics, Lund University, Professorsgatan 1, 223 63 Lund, Sweden. stefan.andersson-engels@fysik.lth.se.
authors: Stefan-Andersson
authors: SA
authors: Engels
authors: Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Barngatan 2, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. Linda.Knutsson@med.lu.se.
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Knutsson
authors: Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Barngatan 2, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. Sven-Erik.Strand@med.lu.se.|Lund University Bioimaging Center (LBIC), Kliniggatan 32, 222 42 Lund, Sweden. Sven-Erik.Strand@med.lu.se.
authors: Sven-Erik
authors: SE
authors: Strand
keywords: MR; SLN; SPECT; SPION; fluorescence imaging; magnetic resonance imaging; optical