# Multiparametric Photoacoustic Imaging-Based Identification of Aggressive Prostate Cancer

> **NIH NIH DP5** · WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE · 2021 · $371,427

## Abstract

Project Summary
This proposal investigates a novel multiparametric photoacoustic (mpPA) sensing of prostate tissue abnormality
and cancer aggressiveness and turns this concept into a clinically translatable non-invasive detection and
monitoring tool for prostate cancer (PCa). Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common types of cancer
and the second leading cause of cancer-related death among men in the United States. Screening and
monitoring are critical to both finding PCa in its early stage, when they are easier to treat, and managing cancer
treatment. PSA test, rectal exam, and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) imaging exam are a typical stream of PCa
screening. Needle biopsy is performed under ultrasound (US) or/and magnetic resonance image (MRI) guidance
as definite diagnosis. However, the prevalence of isoechoic or nearly invisible PCa on US ranges from 25 to
42%, and this makes the procedure more systematic rather than lesion specific. Although MRI-guided biopsy
can provide high resolution, the system is not real-time and has limited accessibility due to size and cost. Given
the limitations of existing diagnostic methods, there is a need to develop a new imaging modality that provides
high sensitivity and specificity on PCa with better accessibility.
 In this proposal, we envision developing an advanced noninvasive and nonionizing imaging modality that
leveraging two distinct and complementary parameters of Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted
contrast agent and oxygen saturation simultaneously for better identification of aggressive PCa. PSMA is a type
II integral membrane protein that shows its expression on the surface of PCa cell, is known for showing high
affinity with aggressive rather than indolent tumor. However, the limitation of molecular targeted imaging is the
fact that cancer specific antigen is not expressed in all cancer types. In fact, PSMA is not expressed in the
aggressive PCa cell line, PC-3. Aside from targeted imaging, hypoxia is considered as an alternative cancer
indicator based on physiological state of the tissue. Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) information has an
ability to depict clinically significant prostate tumor hypoxia. Our imaging approach is based on photoacoustic
(PA) imaging, a hybrid modality combining high contrast of optical contrast with high penetration of US imaging.
The proposed mpPA imaging performs simultaneous quantification of targeted molecular agent contrast and
oxygen saturation to identify prostate tissue abnormality and cancer aggressiveness. This concept will be
integrated with a robot-assisted TRUS system for (1) enhancing specificity and sensitivity in detecting PCa, (2)
non-invasive therapeutic monitoring as a cancer management tool, and (3) guiding biopsy with enhanced tumor
specificity. We will develop a robot-assisted transrectal imaging system applicable to patients, and we will
validate the concept in a canine model. The developed imaging platform possesses an...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10247644
- **Project number:** 5DP5OD028162-03
- **Recipient organization:** WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Haichong Zhang
- **Activity code:** DP5 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $371,427
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-17 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10247644

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10247644, Multiparametric Photoacoustic Imaging-Based Identification of Aggressive Prostate Cancer (5DP5OD028162-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10247644. Licensed CC0.

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