In vivo non-ionizing photoacoustic mapping of sentinel lymph nodes and bladders with ICG-enhanced carbon nanotubes

Phys Med Biol. 2012 Dec 7;57(23):7853-62. doi: 10.1088/0031-9155/57/23/7853. Epub 2012 Nov 14.

Abstract

We demonstrate the feasibility of mapping a sentinel lymph node (SLN) and urinary bladder by using modified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as a nonionizing photoacoustic (PA) contrast agent. To improve the PA sensitivity, indocyanine green (ICG) was conjugated with SWNTs and the optical absorption of SWNTs-ICG was enhanced by approximately four times compared to that of plain SWNTs at a concentration of 0.3 µM. In vivo PA imaging results showed that the SLN and bladder were clearly visualized due to accumulation of SWNTs-ICG. This implies that the SWNTs-ICG could be potentially utilized to identify SLNs in breast cancer patients and tracking vesicoureteral reflux in combination with PA imaging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Contrast Media / chemistry*
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Indocyanine Green / chemistry*
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Photoacoustic Techniques / methods*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Urinary Bladder / pathology*

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Indocyanine Green