Clearer tumor imaging using lifetime-based fluorescent probes
Fluorescence lifetime-based tumor contrast enhancement using exogenous probes
['FUNDING_R01'] · MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY · NIH-11195591
This project uses special fluorescent dyes and a timing-based camera to make tumors stand out more clearly for people having cancer imaging or surgery.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11195591 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers give targeted near-infrared dyes that stick to tumor tissue and use a camera that measures how long the dye light lasts (fluorescence lifetime) instead of just how bright it is. Because lifetime measurements are less affected by tissue thickness, lighting, and non-specific dye, the method can separate tumor signal from background autofluorescence. The team will apply the approach in lab work and in clinical imaging to compare lifetime-based pictures with standard intensity-based images. If you take part, you would receive the probe and have imaging during diagnostic scans or surgery to help highlight tumor tissue.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with solid tumors who are scheduled for imaging or surgical removal and who can safely receive a targeted fluorescent probe would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People whose tumors do not take up the targeted probe, who have allergies to the dye, or who are not undergoing imaging or surgery would be unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help doctors see tumors more accurately during scans and operations, improving tumor removal and sparing healthy tissue.
How similar studies have performed: Early preclinical and some clinical work supports fluorescence lifetime as a more specific way to find tumors than brightness-based imaging, but broader clinical validation is still needed.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KUMAR, ANAND T.N. — MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
- Study coordinator: KUMAR, ANAND T.N.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Cancer Staging, Cancerous, Cancers