Biomarker / Molecular Imaging

Visualize deep within anatomy of small animals in 2D or 3D for biomarker research

Visualize and Analyze Biomarkers Deep within the Body

Quantification of biomarkers with contrast agents for ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging modes.

Biomarker research contributes significantly to breakthroughs in the understanding of disease progression as well as the validation of therapeutic treatments. Using ultrasound and photoacoustic contrast agents with the Vevo systems, biomarkers can thus be visualized deep within the anatomy of the animal in 2D or 3D with resolutions down to 30 µm completely non-invasively.

Published molecular imaging applications using the Vevo systems include biomarker quantification, monitoring drug delivery, cell tracking, diagnostics such as detection of metastatic cells, development and characterization of novel theranosic contrast agents and others.

In the drug development space, the multi-modal nature of the Vevo systems make them ideal for assessing response to therapy including morphology, tumor volume, angiogenesis, vascularity, perfusion and hypoxia as well as for assessing cardiotoxicity.

Molecular imaging can be performed on the Vevo imaging system using two categories of contrast agents:

Microbubbles
(Ultrasound contrast)

Photoacoustic Contrast Agents

Non-toxic, micron-sized agents which stay within the vasculature
Sensitivity down to the capillary level
Contrast agents can be targeted or untargeted
Truly translational - used in the clinic

Typically sub-100nm sized agents which can extravasate for tissue labeling
Can be customized for a wide variety of targets and applications
Can be multi-modal for PET, MR, Optical or other imaging compatability

Mouse Kidney Perfusion with Non-Targerted Microbubbles Imaged in Nonlinear Contrast Mode.

Tumor Perfusion with Non-Targerted Microbubbles, Imaged with Nonlinear Contrast and Displayed as MIP.

Molecular imaging - photoacoustic image of the mouse hind

3D rendering of a photoacoustic image (overlaid onto B-Mode) of the mouse hind limb after Indocyanine Green (ICG) injection that migrated into the popliteal lymph node. Hind Limb vasculature can be seen in red and purple.