Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Nanotubes are beacons in cancer-imaging technique: Rice University researchers use spectral triangulation to pinpoint location of tumors

A new Rice University method for medical imaging uses strong light from an LED array and an avalanche photodiode detector to pinpoint the location of tumors that have been tagged by antibody-targeted carbon nanotubes. The method can detect fluorescence from single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) through up to 20 millimeters of tissue.Credit: Weisman Lab/Rice University
A new Rice University method for medical imaging uses strong light from an LED array and an avalanche photodiode detector to pinpoint the location of tumors that have been tagged by antibody-targeted carbon nanotubes. The method can detect fluorescence from single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) through up to 20 millimeters of tissue.

Credit: Weisman Lab/Rice University

Abstract:
Bathing a patient in LED light may someday offer a new way to locate tumors, according to Rice University researchers.

Nanotubes are beacons in cancer-imaging technique: Rice University researchers use spectral triangulation to pinpoint location of tumors

Houston, TX | Posted on May 21st, 2016

The spectral triangulation system developed by Rice chemist Bruce Weisman and his colleagues is intended to pinpoint targeted cancer tumors tagged with antibody-linked carbon nanotubes. It is described in a paper in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Nanoscale.

Because the absorption of short-wave infrared light in tissues varies with its wavelength, spectral analysis of light coming through the skin can reveal the depth of tissue through which that light has passed. This allows the three-dimensional coordinates of the nanotube beacon to be deduced from a small set of noninvasive optical measurements.

The Rice technique relies on the fact that single-walled carbon nanotubes naturally fluoresce at short-wave infrared wavelengths when excited by visible light. A highly sensitive detector called an InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide) avalanche photodiode made it possible to read faint signals from nanotubes up to 20 millimeters deep in the simulated tissue used for lab tests.

"We're using an unusually sensitive detector that hasn't been applied to this sort of work before," said Weisman, a recognized pioneer for his discovery and interpretation of near-infrared fluorescence from single-walled nanotubes.

"This avalanche photodiode can count photons in the short-wave infrared, which is a challenging spectral range for light sensors. The main goal is to see how well we can detect and localize emission from very small concentrations of nanotubes inside biological tissues. This has potential applications in medical diagnosis."

Using light-emitting diodes to excite the nanotubes is effective -- and inexpensive, Weisman said. "It's relatively unconventional to use LEDs," he said. "Instead, lasers are commonly used for excitation, but laser beams can’t be focused inside tissues because of scattering. We bathe the surface of the specimen in unfocused LED light, which diffuses through the tissues and excites nanotubes inside."

A small optical probe mounted on the frame of a 3-D printer follows a computer-programmed pattern as the probe gently touches the skin to make readings at grid points spaced a few millimeters apart.

Before reaching the detector, light from the nanotubes is partly absorbed by water as it travels through tissues. Weisman and his team use that to their advantage. "A two-dimensional search tells us the emitter’s X and Y coordinates but not Z -- the depth," he said. "That's a very difficult thing to deduce from a surface scan."

Spectral triangulation overcomes the limitation. "We make use of the fact that different wavelengths of nanotube emission are absorbed differently going through tissue," Weisman said. "Water (in the surrounding tissue) absorbs the longer wavelengths coming from nanotubes much more strongly than it does the shorter wavelengths.

"If we're detecting nanotubes close to the surface, the long and the short wavelength emissions are relatively similar in intensity. We say the spectrum is unperturbed.

"But if the emission source is deeper, water in that tissue absorbs the longer wavelengths preferentially to the shorter wavelengths," he said. "So the balance between the intensities of the short and long wavelengths is a yardstick to measure how deep the source is. That's how we get the Z coordinate."

The detector is now being tested in the lab of Dr. Robert Bast, an expert in ovarian cancer and vice president for translational research at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

"It gives us a fighting chance to see nanotubes deeper inside tissues because so little of the light that nanotubes emit finds its way to the surface," Weisman said. "We've been able to detect deeper into the tissues than I think anyone else has reported."

Rice graduate student Ching-Wei Lin is lead author of the paper. Rice research scientist Sergei Bachilo, postdoctoral fellow Michael Vu and Kathleen Beckingham, a professor of biochemistry and cell biology, are co-authors.

The National Science Foundation, the Welch Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the John S. Dunn Foundation Collaborative Research Award Program supported the research.

####

About Rice University
Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,910 undergraduates and 2,809 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for best quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. To read “What they’re saying about Rice,” go to tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
David Ruth
713-348-6327


Mike Williams
713-348-6728

Copyright © Rice University

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related Links

Read the abstract at:

Bruce Weisman:

Wiess School of Natural Sciences:

Related News Press

News and information

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Imaging

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

First direct imaging of small noble gas clusters at room temperature: Novel opportunities in quantum technology and condensed matter physics opened by noble gas atoms confined between graphene layers January 12th, 2024

The USTC realizes In situ electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy using single nanodiamond sensors November 3rd, 2023

Observation of left and right at nanoscale with optical force October 6th, 2023

Cancer

University of Toronto researchers discover new lipid nanoparticle that shows muscle-specific mRNA delivery, reduces off-target effects: Study findings make significant contribution to generating tissue-specific ionizable lipids and prompts rethinking of mRNA vaccine design princi December 8th, 2023

Super-efficient laser light-induced detection of cancer cell-derived nanoparticles: Skipping ultracentrifugation, detection time reduced from hours to minutes! October 6th, 2023

Display technology/LEDs/SS Lighting/OLEDs

Light guide plate based on perovskite nanocomposites November 3rd, 2023

Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024

Possible Futures

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Nanotubes/Buckyballs/Fullerenes/Nanorods/Nanostrings

Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers: Tandem electrocatalytic-thermocatalytic conversion could help offset emissions of potent greenhouse gas by locking carbon away in a useful material January 12th, 2024

TU Delft researchers discover new ultra strong material for microchip sensors: A material that doesn't just rival the strength of diamonds and graphene, but boasts a yield strength 10 times greater than Kevlar, renowned for its use in bulletproof vests November 3rd, 2023

Tests find no free-standing nanotubes released from tire tread wear September 8th, 2023

Detection of bacteria and viruses with fluorescent nanotubes July 21st, 2023

Discoveries

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Tools

First direct imaging of small noble gas clusters at room temperature: Novel opportunities in quantum technology and condensed matter physics opened by noble gas atoms confined between graphene layers January 12th, 2024

New laser setup probes metamaterial structures with ultrafast pulses: The technique could speed up the development of acoustic lenses, impact-resistant films, and other futuristic materials November 17th, 2023

Ferroelectrically modulate the Fermi level of graphene oxide to enhance SERS response November 3rd, 2023

The USTC realizes In situ electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy using single nanodiamond sensors November 3rd, 2023

Grants/Sponsored Research/Awards/Scholarships/Gifts/Contests/Honors/Records

Discovery of new Li ion conductor unlocks new direction for sustainable batteries: University of Liverpool researchers have discovered a new solid material that rapidly conducts lithium ions February 16th, 2024

$900,000 awarded to optimize graphene energy harvesting devices: The WoodNext Foundation's commitment to U of A physicist Paul Thibado will be used to develop sensor systems compatible with six different power sources January 12th, 2024

Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers: Tandem electrocatalytic-thermocatalytic conversion could help offset emissions of potent greenhouse gas by locking carbon away in a useful material January 12th, 2024

'Sudden death' of quantum fluctuations defies current theories of superconductivity: Study challenges the conventional wisdom of superconducting quantum transitions January 12th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project