Resting-state functional connectivity measured by diffuse correlation spectroscopy.

Near-infrared diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) is used to record spontaneous cerebral blood flow fluctuations in the frontal cortex. Nine adult subjects participated in the experiments, in which 8-minute spontaneous fluctuations were simultaneously recorded from the left and right dorsolateral and inferior frontal regions. Resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) was measured by the temporal correlation of the low frequency fluctuations. Our data shows the RSFC within the dorsolateral region is significantly stronger than that between the inferior and dorsolateral regions, in line with previous observations with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. This indicates that DCS is capable of investigating brain functional connectivity in terms of cerebral blood flow.

A dual-channel endoscope for quantitative imaging, monitoring, and triggering of doxorubicin release from liposomes in living mice.

Doxorubicin (Dox) is approved for use in liposomal form for the treatment of ovarian cancer. We previously developed a long-circulating Dox formulation in liposomes containing small amounts of porphyrin-phospholipid, which enables on-demand drug release with near-infrared irradiation. In this study, we present and evaluate a dual-modal, dual-channel light endoscope that allows quantitative reflectance and fluorescence imaging for monitoring of local Dox concentrations in target areas. The endoscope consists of two flexible imaging fibers; one to transmit diagnostic and therapeutic light to the target, and the other to detect fluorescent and reflected light. Thus, the endoscope serves for imaging, for light delivery to trigger drug release, and for monitoring drug concentration kinetics during drug release. We characterized the performance of this endoscope in tissue phantoms and in an in vivo model of ovarian cancer. This study demonstrates the feasibility of non-invasive, quantitative mapping of Dox distribution in vivo via endoscopic imaging.

Quantitative imaging of light-triggered doxorubicin release.

The efficacy of chemotherapy is related, in large part, to the concentration of drug that reaches tumor sites. Doxorubicin (DOX) is a common anti-cancer drug that is also approved for use in liposomal form for the treatment of ovarian cancer. We recently developed a porphyrin-phospholipid (PoP)-liposome system that enables on demand release of DOX from liposomes using near infrared irradiation to improve DOX bioavailability. Owing to its intrinsic fluorescence, it is possible, and desirable, to quantify DOX concentration and distribution, preferably noninvasively. Here we quantified DOX distribution following light-triggered drug release in phantoms and an animal carcass using spatial frequency domain imaging. This study demonstrates the feasibility of non-invasive quantitative mapping of DOX distributions in target areas.