The combination of “nanojuice” and photoacoustic tomography illuminates the intestine of a mouse. (Credit: Jonathan Lovell)
The human gastrointestinal tract is a contorted-looking system that’s difficult to image because of its shape, peristalsis, and location deep within the body. Barium swallows have been used to visualize the upper GI tract, while MRI and ultrasound can help assess the lower digestive system, but at a high cost or low resolution. A new technique that uses special encapsulated dyes is being developed at University of Buffalo to provide a considerably more nuanced and colorful look inside the gut.
The scientists behind the research used naphthalocyanine dyes as contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging. Because these dyes are readily absorbed by the digestive system, they had to be encapsulated within specially developed nanoparticles called nanonaps. These vessels maintained the photoacoustic properties of the dyes while keeping them moving along through the GI tract. In a study using laboratory mice, the imaging achieved had “low background and remarkable resolution, and enabled real-time intestinal functional imaging with ultrasound co-registration.” Additionally, the team used positron emission tomography to at the same time to image the animals’ entire anatomy, combining the two modalities into a practically useful look at the functionality of the GI tract.
Study in Nature Nanotechnology: Non-invasive multimodal functional imaging of the intestine with frozen micellar naphthalocyanines…
U of Buffalo: “Nanojuice” could improve how doctors examine the gut…