Photoacoustic system images structural, molecular and functional
properties of tumours simultaneously
4 April 2011
VisualSonics, a subsidiary of SonoSite, has launched the Vevo
LAZR Photoacoustics Imaging system that enables pre-clinical researchers
to visualize structural, molecular and functional attributes of tumors
simultaneously.
The new system has been designed for use in pre-clinical research
and could herald major breakthroughs in cancer research; however,
human applications of the technology are envisioned in the near
future.
This innovative technology works by combining the sensitivity of
optical imaging with the resolution and depth penetration of
high-frequency ultrasound — pioneered by VisualSonics — enabling
researchers to study cancer in its earliest stages of progression
and evaluate tumor growth.
For the first time, researchers will be able to observe tumor
biology, measure hypoxia (oxygen levels), evaluate changes in blood
flow, and quantify data with unique software solutions in vivo
and in ‘real time’. Consequently, this technology provides
researchers with never-before-seen insights into the development of
effective therapeutics for treating cancer.
“The Vevo LAZR is a crucial breakthrough, with wide ranging
implications for cancer research. In recent years the fight against
cancer has centered on stopping growth using drugs
(anti-angiogenesis therapeutics, for instance). If angiogenesis can
be stopped or prevented from occurring, tumor growth can be
controlled and significantly reduce harm to their hosts,” added Dr
Emelianov.
The ability to see the effect that a drug is having on the tumor
growth is an invaluable asset in the development of cancer
therapeutics. In practical terms, this means researchers will be
able to observe tumor biology in a living host organism (mice and
rats) without having to biopsy the actual tumour itself.
Currently, researchers are often required to rely on ex vivo
techniques such as histology and immunohistochemistry to obtain
molecular information inside a tumour. The in vivo approach
reduces the amount of animals required for research studies by
allowing the same animal to be followed throughout the disease
development and treatment.
The Vevo LAZR uses a laser to shoot pulses of light through the
skin into tissue and cells beneath the surface. The absorbed laser
energy is then converted into heat, producing an ultrasonic
emission, which can be captured and turned into images using a
specially adapted high frequency ultrasonic probe.
The key to this novel approach is the wide range of biological
materials that absorb the laser energy. Specific tissue components
including oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin, melanin, and lipids all
absorb light, meaning it’s now possible to see even tiny structures
like nuclei from inside a living cell.
The range of photoacoustic applications
Dr Emelianov continued, “Being able to look at molecular level
cell physiology, and to do so in a living organism, will greatly
facilitate our understanding of how cancer spreads from the micro to
the macro level, giving unparalleled insights into how tumors grow
and metastasize within human tissue.”
Introducing an efficient way to screen and reject unpromising
compounds during the discovery research phase of development, such
as in vivo preclinical imaging, could save some of the
large amount of money required to produce them.
One of the first scientific users of the Vevo LAZR system, David
A. Jaffray, Ph.D, Head, Radiation Physics, Ontario Cancer Institute
/ Princess Margaret Hospital added: "Advanced imaging technologies
like VisualSonics' Vevo LAZR photoacoustics system allow our
scientists to see into the processes that sustain a disease like
cancer. With this knowledge, we can design the next generation of
therapies."
VisualSonics’ President and CEO, Anil Amlani, said: “The Vevo
LAZR photoacoustics system is a breakthrough in-vivo imaging
technology. Advancements featured in this product will enable
oncology researchers to accelerate their research into understanding
of the inner workings of the cancerous cell and the host tissue in
which it resides. The ability to conduct this microscopic level
research in a living organism, non-invasively and in real-time will
help our customers to turn groundbreaking science into lifesaving
care, at an even greater speed”.
The platform of the Vevo LAZR system integrates proprietary
imaging capabilities that will further improve a researcher’s
overall experience and will set new standards for performance in
pre-clinical research. The system’s co-registration function is an
essential feature that will aid in the discovery and assessment of
novel drug therapies.
With the ability to capture high-resolution images with
high-frequency ultrasound, the co-registration function enables
researchers to simultaneously superimpose a photoacoustic signal
over the ultrasound image, allowing for the assessment and
quantification of oxygen saturation and blood levels in tissues and
organs.
The Vevo LAZR system also includes an automated multispectral
imaging algorithm that provides researchers with the flexibility of
selecting multiple imaging wavelengths to optimize the visualization
of contrast agents, such as nanoparticles and dyes.
SonoSite President and CEO, Kevin M. Goodwin, added: “We believe
that the Vevo LAZR system will have a strong impact on the discovery
of new cancer therapies, more efficient testing of therapies with
never-before-seen seen insights into cancer and quantified measures
of cancer progression, viewed from inside the tumor. With the launch
of Vevo LAZR technology, we continue to meet our commitment to our
customers by providing imaging technologies needed to further
tomorrow’s research today ”