Grant: Project Grant

Precise detection of early onset, relapse and distant metastases especially in the brain by non-invasive medical imaging is essential for timely design of effective and patient-specific therapies. Of various imaging techniques, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more promising for this application due to widely available MRI equipment in clinic, avoidance of radioactive agents, and high spatial resolution. Because of this these advantages, MRI has recently been employed to guide focused radiation and ultrasound therapies of solid tumors for precision of therapies. However, to sensitively and precisely detect the tumors, especially those are small and spread in many places, MR contrast agents are required. Unfortunately, the currently available contrast agents are unable to accumulate in tumor tissue well to enhance the MR signals in tumor, particularly the ones in the brain with small sizes. In this project, Dr. Wu and team will develop a smart contrast agent for enhancing sensitivity and selectivity of MRI for detection of primary tumors and their spread to the brain as well as brain tumors at early stages.