Xerra: A new level of optical imaging
Cryo-Fluorescence Tomography (CFT) is powerful technique for cancer biology applications. Xerra™ can play a key role for studying tumor models including microenvironments, tumor heterogeneity, metastatic spread, and expression of specific biomarkers. For metastatic tumor progression, CFT can detect metastatic disease and provides high resolution 3D molecular data of tumor burden and spread not typically visualized in comparable image modalities. In addition, CFT also provides whole body white light imaging for anatomical landmarking and tumor localization. CFT can be used to evaluate tumor metabolism and cell biology in response to genetic manipulations, pharmacologic agents, and cancer chemotherapy drugs.
An excellent tool for tumor microenvironment studies
New Advantages for Tumor Research
Cryo-fluorescence tomography (CFT) is a molecular tissue imaging modality combining tissue cryoslicing and off-the-block fluorescence imaging. CFT does not require radiolabels, radiofrequency, or the use ionizing radiation to image a sample. CFT relies on streamline fluorescence imaging of a tissue or whole animal and produces high resolution data without the need for complex infrastructure or workflow. CFT’s high specificity, high resolution, and low light scatter can integrate with current in vivo imaging techniques and complement a study design with additional end point data.
Tumor heterogeneity evaluation with CFT
CFT gives insight into Tumor Microenvironments
Mice with tumor-bearing xenografts were administered V-Sense, a perfluorocarbon nanoemulsion containing fluorine-19 (19F) and a NIR fluorophore. When administered intravenously (IV), V-Sense is preferentially taken up by cells of the reticuloendothelial system, including Kupffer cells and macrophages, especially in inflamed tissues (e.g. tumors), thus enabling imaging using both MRI and fluorescence. Immediately following MRI, animals underwent FLI and were then frozen for CFT. V-Sense signal was detected in both liver and tumor, in agreement with IVIS and MRI, but also detected in bone marrow and lymph nodes. When compared to MRI, CFT was more sensitive in detecting baseline V-Sense signal and provided higher resolution.
Cancer Biology: Tumor Microenvironment
Study Design
Mice bearing xenografts were administered V-Sense and imaged in three modalities.
- - V-SENSE: A perfluorocarbon nanoemulstion
2D Fly-through
3D MIP (RED)
3D MIP (GREEN)
Multi-Spectral Macrophage Imaging in Xenograft Mice
Whole Animal Evaluation
MC38
8.2e3
247
V-sense
1.1e4
0
Overlay
Hemi Dimant, et al. Machrophage traching using multi-modality 3D imaging in xenografts. AACR 2020
Tumor Heterogeneity Evaluation
Glioblastoma
New Advantages for Tumor Research
Cryo-fluorescence tomography (CFT) is a molecular tissue imaging modality combining tissue cryoslicing and off-the-block fluorescence imaging. CFT does not require radiolabels, radiofrequency, or the use ionizing radiation to image a sample. CFT relies on streamlined fluorescence imaging of a tissue or whole animal and produces high resolution data without the need for complex infrastructure or workflow. CFT’s high specificity, high resolution, and low light scatter can integrate with current in vivo imaging techniques and complement a study design with additional end point data.
CFT and MRI glioblastoma images
Molecular fluorescence data is shown as a 3D maximum intensity projection with a multi-planar slice view of corresponding white light data. In this way, molecular fluorescence can be analyzed in the accessible context of white light images.
CFT's Impact in glioblastoma research
Cryo-fluorescence tomography is a great tool to study glioblastomas, a common type of brain tumor in adults. In this experiment, malignant glioma was modeled in an immunocompromised mouse by injecting GL26-luc2 cells in the brain. Two weeks later, an MRI of the brain was done. Angiosense 680 EX and Indocyanine Green (ICG) dyes were used to visualize blood vessels. CFT was used to capture image stacks that were then aligned, corrected and reconstructed. 3D distribution and quantification of Angiosense and ICG, and co-registered with 3D white light information. In this study CFT provided valuable information in these preclinical oncology models.
