Review of biomedical Čerenkov luminescence imaging applications

Abstract

Čerenkov radiation is a fascinating optical signal, which has been exploited for unique diagnostic biological sensing and imaging, with significantly expanded use just in the last half decade. Čerenkov Luminescence Imaging (CLI) has desirable capabilities for niche applications, using specially designed measurement systems that report on radiation distributions, radiotracer and nanoparticle concentrations, and are directly applied to procedures such as medicine assessment, endoscopy, surgery, quality assurance and dosimetry. When compared to the other imaging tools such as PET and SPECT, CLI can have the key advantage of lower cost, higher throughput and lower imaging time. CLI can also provide imaging and dosimetry information from both radioisotopes and linear accelerator irradiation. The relatively short range of optical photon transport in tissue means that direct Čerenkov luminescence imaging is restricted to small animals or near surface human use. Use of Čerenkov-excitation for additional molecular probes, is now emerging as a key tool for biosensing or radiosensitization. This review evaluates these new improvements in CLI for both medical value and biological insight. References and links 1. P. Čerenkov, "Visible radiation produced by electrons moving in a medium with velocities exceeding the of light," Phys. Rev. 52(4), 378-379 (1937). 2. P. Čerenkov, "Visible Emission of Člean Liquids by Action of $\gamma$ Radiation," Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 2, 451-454 (1934). 3. R. H. Elrick and R. P. Parker, "The use of Cerenkov radiation in the measurement of beta-emitting radionuclides," Int. J. Appl. Radiat. Isot. 19(3), 263-271 (1968). 4. M. K. Johnson, "Counting of Čerenkov radiation from 32P in nonaqueous media," Anal. Biochem. 29(2), 348-350 (1969). 5. F. L. Hoch, R. A. Kuras, and J. D. Jones, "Iodine analysis of biological samples by neutron activation of 127-I, with scintillation counting of Čerenkov radiation," Anal. Biochem. 40(1), 86-94 (1971). 6. G. Bosia, C. Castagnoli, M. Dardo, and G. Marangoni, "Observation of structure in Čerenkov pulses from extensive air showers using fast techniques," Nature 225(5232), 532-533 (1970). 7. W. C. Haxton, "Salty water Čerenkov detectors for solar neutrinos," Phys. Rev. Lett. 76(10), 1562-1565 (1996). Chen, "PET and NIR optical imaging using self-illuminating (64)Cu-doped chelator-free gold nanoclusters," Biomaterials 35(37), 9868-9876 (2014). 72.

Cerenkov Luminescence Imaging as a Modality to Evaluate Antibody-Based PET Radiotracers

“…The relatively short range of the Cerenkov photon transport in tissue does restrict this approach to small animals or near the surface for human use. Despite the low tissue penetration depth of some of the Cerenkov photons, CLI has desirable applications for both medical value and biologic insight (40). To evaluate the quantitative nature of both imaging modalities, we corroborated the antigen-dependent uptake measured by imaging at the final time point with data obtained by biodistribution.…”

Photonanomedicine: a convergence of photodynamic therapy and nanotechnology

“…Cerenkov imaging has recently gained substantial clinical interest with particularly strong implications in quantifying the effective dose of ionizing radiation deposited during RT. 114, 115 Cerenkov optical emission spanning the UV-Visible spectrum is generated by charged particles in a dielectric medium travelling faster than the phase velocity of light in the same medium and can activate nearby PSs localized at the site of RT treatment. 115, 116 Recently, the proof-of-concept of video rate Cerenkov imaging was presented, providing real time insight to the effective three-dimensional radiation dose deposited during RT, as illustrated in Figure 8.…”

Optical Imaging of Ionizing Radiation from Clinical Sources

“…Since CL is blue light weighted, and current clinical use of CLI relies only on a given radiotracer without endogenous enhancement entities, only imaging close to the surface is possible. To address this depth limitation, increased imaging depth has been achieved pre-clinically through pairing radiotracers with photoluminescence molecules or nanoparticles that absorb blue light and emit more penetrating red (12). As these systems are further evaluated, clinical translation could allow improvements of imaging radionuclides that are currently challenging.…”