High-spatial-resolution x-ray fluorescence tomography with spectrally matched nanoparticles

Phys Med Biol. 2018 Aug 14;63(16):164001. doi: 10.1088/1361-6560/aad51e.

Abstract

Present macroscopic biomedical imaging methods provide either morphology with high spatial resolution (e.g. CT) or functional/molecular information with lower resolution (e.g. PET). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) from targeted nanoparticles allows molecular or functional imaging but sensitivity has so far been insufficient resulting in low spatial resolution, despite long exposure times and high dose. In the present paper, we show that laboratory XRF tomography with metal-core nanoparticles (NPs) provides a path to functional/molecular biomedical imaging with ~100 µm resolution in living rodents. The high sensitivity and resolution rely on the combination of a high-brightness liquid-metal-jet x-ray source, pencil-beam optics, photon-counting energy-dispersive detection, and spectrally matched NPs. The method is demonstrated on mice for 3D tumor imaging via passive targeting of in-house-fabricated molybdenum NPs. Exposure times, nanoparticle dose, and radiation dose agree well with in vivo imaging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Fluorescence*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metal Nanoparticles / administration & dosage
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Mice
  • Neuroblastoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology*
  • Phantoms, Imaging*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • X-Rays
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays