Methods for Advanced Intraoperative Imaging
OwnerMekhail Anwarinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Devices, systems, and methods are provided for intraoperative imaging using chip-based imagers that are capable of detecting both fluorescence and gamma radiation. Also provided are molecular probes capable of emitting both fluorescence and gamma radiation for use in labeling cells. The chip-based imagers and probes can be used for detecting multiple cell types within diseased tissue or a tumor. Methods of using the disclosed chip-based imagers and probes for combined fluorescence-guided and radio-guided surgery are also provided. The disclosed methods can be used in surgical resection of a tumor to avoid overlooking small areas of tumor buried under tissue, metastases, and microscopic disease, and to assess surgical margins.
Claims39
A dual modality imager comprising:
- a first chip comprising an array of gamma photon-sensing pixels, wherein each gamma photon-sensing pixel provides in-pixel signal amplification for incoming gamma photons that hit the gamma photon-sensing pixel and in-pixel data processing to determine relative energies and angles of incidence of the incoming gamma photons, and wherein each gamma photon-sensing pixel only outputs data from the in-pixel data processing in response to an incoming gamma photon hitting the gamma photon-sensing pixel;
- and
- a second chip comprising an array of fluorescence-sensing pixels, wherein the second chip is positioned relative to the first chip such that the incoming gamma photons pass through the second chip to reach the array of gamma photon-sensing pixels.
9-17. (canceled)
19-20. (canceled)
22-23. (canceled)
(canceled)
28-53. (canceled)
A system comprising:
- a dual modality imager, comprising:
- a first chip comprising an array of gamma photon-sensing pixels, wherein each gamma photon-sensing pixel provides in-pixel signal amplification for incoming gamma photons that hit the gamma photon-sensing pixel and in-pixel data processing to determine relative energies and angles of incidence of the incoming gamma photons, and wherein each gamma photon-sensing pixel only outputs data from the in-pixel data processing in response to an incoming gamma photon hitting the gamma photon-sensing pixel;
- and
- a second chip comprising an array of fluorescence-sensing pixels, wherein the second chip is positioned relative to the first chip such that the incoming gamma photons pass through the second chip to reach the array of gamma photon-sensing pixels;
- a processor;
- an external data receiving device connected to the processor, wherein the external data receiving device receives imaging data from the array of gamma photon-sensing pixels and the array of fluorescence-sensing pixels of the dual modality imager;
- and
- a display component configured to display an image showing the fluorescence detected by the fluorescence-sensing pixels and the gamma photons detected by the gamma photon-sensing pixels.
58-60. (canceled)
A method of performing intraoperative image-guided surgery on a subject, the method comprising:
- administering a detectably effective amount of at least one imaging agent to the subject, wherein the at least one imaging agent comprises a fluorophore and a gamma-emitting radionuclide conjugated to a binding agent that selectively binds to at least one of a cellular marker on a lesion, a lymphatic marker, a vessel marker, and a nerve marker;
- illuminating tissue with light at a fluorescence excitation wavelength of the fluorophore;
- and performing image-guided surgery using a dual modality imager comprising:
- a first chip comprising an array of gamma photon-sensing pixels for imaging the gamma-emitting radionuclide, wherein each gamma photon-sensing pixel provides in-pixel signal amplification for incoming gamma photons that hit the gamma photon-sensing pixel and in-pixel data processing to determine relative energies and angles of incidence of the incoming gamma photons, and wherein each gamma photon-sensing pixel only outputs data from the in-pixel data processing in response to an incoming gamma photon hitting the gamma photon-sensing pixel;
- and
- a second chip comprising an array of fluorescence-sensing pixels for imaging the fluorophore, wherein the second chip is positioned relative to the first chip such that the incoming gamma photons pass through the second chip to reach the array of gamma photon-sensing pixels, wherein the dual modality imager produces fluorescence and radionuclide images of a surgical site comprising the at least one of the lesion, the lymphatic marker, the vessel marker, and the nerve marker.
The method of claim 90, wherein the binding agent selectively binds to the cellular marker on the lesion, the surgery is resection of the lesion, and the method further comprises illuminating a surgical specimen removed from the subject with light at a fluorescence excitation wavelength of the fluorophore;
- moving the dual modality imager over surgical margins surrounding the lesion in the surgical specimen, wherein fluorescence and radionuclide images produced by the dual modality imager are used to detect cells of the lesion, if present, in the surgical margins to determine if the surgical specimen comprises a positive margin;
- and
- further checking the tissue surrounding the resection site in the subject for the cells of the lesion if the surgical specimen is determined to comprise a positive margin.
66-67. (canceled)
72-81. (canceled)
83-85. (canceled)
87-89. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.