MRI Contrast Agent Aids Breast Cancer Surgery

National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, MD, USA; www.nci.nih.gov). "At the least, surgeons can acquire a set of images and have a feel, a road map if you will, for what they need to do before the [surgical] procedure begins. Ultimately, the technology could have the potential to replace surgery, though that's not proven yet.”

Scientists at the NCI presented their results at the American Chemical Society's annual meeting in Philadelphia (PA, USA) in August 2004. The NCI researchers suggest an approach that would have the woman undergo an MRI scan with the new imaging agent. "You can actually watch the filling of nodes from the tumor. Some will light up very early, others late. And then you can also reconstruct the data into a three-dimensional image, and rotate it for a three-dimensional road map. The surgeon can know how a patient's lymph tissue is constructed even before surgical intervention begins,” said Dr. Brechbiel.

This approach could save time in surgery, reduce trauma, and maybe even identify cancerous lymph nodes as well as define the local lymph network. "Cancerous cells can block normal filling of the node, and when that happens you can spot the aberration in flow,” stated Dr. Brechbiel.

The investigators have developed a contrast agent that is comprised of a series of dendrimer complexes to carry the magnetic signal. Some of these intricate scaffolds of polymer each hold an incredible 256 ions of gadolinium. Dentrimers produce a stronger signal than other contrast agents even when adjusted for their high molecular weight, and produce a clearer image because their bulkiness keeps them from seeping out through vessel walls.

The scientists are aiming to progress from studies on laboratory mice to phase I clinical trials. They are also searching for an industrial cohort to help bring the advance to clinical trials.




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National Cancer Institute