Endra Life Sciences of Ann Arbor, MI, has developed a photoacoustic 3D tomographic imaging system for preclinical applications.
Nexus 128 can be used for quantifying tumor vasculature and other physiological parameters for preclinical research. Because it makes in vivo quantification of tumor vasculature possible without the need for contrast agents, it can help preclinical researchers explore how drugs treat disease and how cancer progresses, without ionizing radiation or complicated equipment, according to Endra.
Photoacoustic imaging consists of sending short pulses of light deep into tissue, creating sound waves that are detected by ultrasound receivers to create an image. Nexus 128, which includes a detector array of 128 individual acoustic receiver elements, generates multispectral quantitative 3D images of tumor vasculature and hemoglobin concentration in less than two minutes, Endra said. It also completes volumetric anatomical scans in as little as 12 seconds.
Because the device is for preclinical use, it is not subject to approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to Endra. The company will make Nexus 128 available for order April 18, and it plans to showcase the device at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting in Washington, DC.
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