The in vivo performance of a Fluorescence Molecular Tomography system as a function of pathophysiological parameters that determine the penetration of nonbinding fluorescent nanoparticle was examined through imaging of a series of three tumor models. The pathophysiological parameters examined were, vessel density, interstitial fluid pressure (IFP), and collagen content. Drug delivery and IFP were measured in vivo via fluorescence spectroscopy and a fiber-optic coupled pressure probe. Vessel density and collagen content were determined ex vivo through histochemical analysis. The kinetics of the 40 nm,10000 KDa, fluorescent particles, which were injected into the tail vein of the mice, was monitored by sequential excitation of the tissue on and off the tumor site through employment of sixteen source detector pairs interspersed linearly in reflectance geometry. Each optical fluorescence data set was collected at discrete time intervals in order to monitor drug uptake for a period of 45 minutes. The kinetics of the drug delivery and the average nanoparticle uptake were correlated with the vessel density, interstitial pressure and collagen content. The results of the correlations were verified to be consistent with the published relationship between the three pathophysiological parameters and nanoparticle drug delivery.

Date Published: 24 February 2012
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 8320, Medical Imaging 2012: Ultrasonic Imaging, Tomography, and Therapy, 83200Y (24 February 2012); doi: 10.1117/12.911954

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8320:
Medical Imaging 2012: Ultrasonic Imaging, Tomography, and Therapy
Johan G. Bosch; Marvin M. Doyley, Editor(s)