Intraoperative molecular imaging can identify lung adenocarcinomas during pulmonary resection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

More than 80,000 people undergo resection of a pulmonary tumor each year, and the only method to determine if the tumor is malignant is histologic analysis. We propose that a targeted molecular contrast agent could bind lung adenocarcinomas, which could be identified using real-time optical imaging at the time of surgery.

Methods

Fifty patients with a biopsy-proven lung adenocarcinoma were enrolled. Before surgery, patients were systemically administered 0.1 mg/kg of a fluorescent folate receptor alpha (FRα)-targeted molecular contrast agent by intravenous infusion. During surgery, tumors were imaged in situ and ex vivo, after the lung parenchyma was dissected to directly expose the tumor to the imaging system.

Results

Tumors ranged from 0.3 to 7.5 cm (mean

SUBMITTER: Okusanya OT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4828933 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature