Sentinel lymph node biopsy revisited: ultrasound-guided photoacoustic detection of micrometastases using molecularly targeted plasmonic nanosensors.

ABSTRACT: Metastases rather than primary tumors are responsible for killing most patients with cancer. Cancer cells often invade regional lymph nodes (LN) before colonizing other parts of the body. However, due to the low sensitivity and specificity of current imaging methods to detect localized nodal spread, an invasive surgical procedure--sentinel LN biopsy--is generally used to identify metastatic cancer cells. Here, we introduce a new approach for more sensitive in vivo detection of LN micrometastases, based on the use of ultrasound-guided spectroscopic photoacoustic (sPA) imaging of molecularly activated plasmonic nanosensors (MAPS). Using a metastatic murine model of oral squamous cell carcinoma, we showed that MAPS targeted to the epidermal growth factor receptor shifted their optical absorpt

SUBMITTER: Luke GP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4198334 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature