Within a few years, it may be possible to diagnose cancer without surgical biopsies. This will be possible because of photoacoustics and molecular imaging. Both of these technologies will aid scientists as they seek to understand how cancer behaves in the body.

Alexander Graham Bell discovered photoacoustics over one hundred twenty-five years ago. He found that a thin, rotating disk released sound waves when struck by a beam of light. Bell heard the sound through a stethoscope. The absorbed photons from the light heated the disk. The speed at which the disk rotated matched the frequency of the sound waves.

In today\’s photoacoustic systems, a pulse of light is sent into a biological medium. Within that space, the light is either deflected or absorbed. This creates a spatial distribution full of sound sources. Those sounds are then translated into images by acoustic sensors. The device can show the properties of molecules in vivo at high resolution.

The dispersion of light depends on the tissue being scanned. For instance, when blood is scanned, deoxygenated and oxygenated blood appear different. This enables the device to detect features like veins and arteries. There is no need to inject a radioactive dye into the bloodstream. The detail produced is like that of an MRI or a CT scan. Molecular imaging, however, is much more cost-effective. It can be performed with a handheld device instead of a large, million-dollar machine.

Scientists can gather sharp images by binding certain biomarkers to gold nanoparticles. They can be connected to a specific kinase and then directed into the body. The nanoparticles will then bind with other kinases so that they stand out in the image. With cancer, certain kinases distinguish certain biological processes in tumors. The presence of these chemicals helps to predict how well tumors will respond to known treatments.

Molecular imaging can help scientists with both the diagnosis and evaluation of cancer. Its first use is to determine a prognosis. It does this by detecting biomarkers that indicate the speed of metastasis and angiogenesis. This speed helps to determine how aggressive treatment should be. Its second use it to make predictions. Chemotherapy treatments bind with particular therapeutic targets in a cancer cell. Imaging can help scientists see what targets are present. This will help them to choose the right course of chemotherapy.

A third use is to allow oncologists to watch ongoing response to therapies. They can easily see the effectiveness of cancer therapies and change course if needed. A fourth use is to increase understanding of cancer biology. This will help oncologists to understand why some patients are more responsive to treatment than others.

Photoacoustic molecular imaging could help guide biopsy needles into the tissue. On the other hand, because it measures oxygen levels, doctors could tell by scanning whether or not a tumor is cancerous. Imaging could also evolve into photothermal cancer therapy. Radiation could be changed into thermal energy. That energy would destroy cancer cells. Detailed images would help to localize the treatment. This would decrease harm to healthy tissues.

Photoacoustics and molecular imaging provide critical insights into cancer behavior. By helping doctors to understand cancer behavior, it improves outcomes and quality of life for patients. The technology may one day replace MRIs and CT scans. It may even render surgical biopsies completely unnecessary.

Author Bio: This state-of-the-art digital imaging company offers cutting edge modalities designed for preclinical research. The technologies include molecular imaging, in vivo imaging, biomarker, in vivo testing, mouse heart, high-resolution imaging, cancer metastatis, and rat heart digital system.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: health, cancer, technology, medical, wellness, research, doctor, biology, science, therapy