# Advancing Photoacoustic Tomography in breast imaging to predict response in breast cancers treated with neoadjuvant therapy

> **NIH NIH R01** · BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE/CITY OF HOPE · 2024 · $626,022

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Objective: We will develop an advanced photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) breast imaging system
capable of detecting anatomical and functional changes in breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy
(NAT).
Significance: NAT improves outcomes in breast cancer patients by increasing the likelihood of breast
conservation, providing important prognostic information, and enabling adaptive therapy such as change in
systemic treatment and de-escalation of surgery in exceptional responders. As such, identification of
responders enables personalized cancer treatment.
Challenges: Current breast imaging does not sufficiently detect breast cancer treatment response. Standard
of care (SOC) breast imaging technology either assesses anatomical details or metabolic function, not both. In
addition, ionizing radiation, exogenous contrast agents, and patient perceived discomfort and inconvenience
usually restrict imaging frequency required for timely evaluation of response. For example, although dynamic
contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is considered the SOC in breast imaging, this test
is limited by the need for intravenous heavy metal contrast, duration of study, patient discomfort, and high
resource costs while delivering only moderate accuracy in detection of NAT response. As such, there
is
no
reliable,non-invasive, cost-effective imaging method to identify treatment response.PACT is an emerging
technology with great potential to address these problems by imaging both function and anatomy without
exogenous contrast.
Solutions: Capitalizing on our experience and success in building two PACT breast imaging systems, we
propose the construction and clinical testing of an innovative PACT imaging system that integrates the two
previous systems to enable both anatomical and functional imaging. The Dual Mode PACT (DM-PACT) will
combine dual-sided light delivery, large-view detection aperture, and dense acoustic sampling for rapid
functional and high-resolution anatomical imaging to assess treatment-related responses in breast cancer. The
imaging features generated by the DM-PACT will be first characterized and correlated with the
histopathological results of the resected breast cancer specimens from patients treated with NAT. A diagnostic
model using the imaging features will be trained and tested in a larger group of breast cancer patients treated
with NAT. We will compare the performance of DM-PACT with the performance of SOC DCE-MRI in treatment
response discrimination. The success of this project will result in imaging technology that directs response-
driven, personalized breast cancer treatment plans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10880685
- **Project number:** 5R01CA282505-02
- **Recipient organization:** BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE/CITY OF HOPE
- **Principal Investigator:** Lily Lau Lai
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $626,022
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-03 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10880685

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10880685, Advancing Photoacoustic Tomography in breast imaging to predict response in breast cancers treated with neoadjuvant therapy (5R01CA282505-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10880685. Licensed CC0.

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