# Preclinical Time domain Fluorescence Tomography Platform

> **NIH NIH R01** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2020 · $580,767

## Abstract

The lack of an efficient, rapid preclinical imaging modality for non-invasive detection and
longitudinal tracking of early stage metastatic cancer in whole animals has been a significant
hindrance to drug discovery studies. Current studies of novel drug delivery and metastasis
treatment strategies require large cohorts of serially sacrificed animals. Optical molecular
imaging offers great promise as a longitudinal imaging technique for preclinical cancer research.
The unique advantage of optical imaging over radiological modalities is the capability for lifetime
and spectral labelling to track multiple physiological components of disease simultaneously
(multiplexing). Fluorescence lifetime contrast using time domain (TD) detection also enables the
efficient removal of tissue autofluorescence, a major impediment for whole body optical imaging.
We have demonstrated that lifetime contrast with time domain (TD) optical detection provides a
more than 20-fold sensitivity increase over traditional continuous wave (CW) fluorescence
imaging for detecting iRFP-labeled cancer cells dispersed in the mouse lung. These results
demonstrate the high potential of TD imaging for monitoring metastasis in whole mice at earlier
stages than currently possible. Motivated by our progress and the potential impact of the
technology for preclinical cancer imaging, our goal in this academic industry partnership is to
integrate time domain technology into a commercially established preclinical imaging system
from PerkinElmer, a leading provider of in vivo imaging systems and reagents. MGH and
PerkinElmer will partner to develop a robust prototype time domain preclinical optical
tomography platform and validate the system using small animal tumor models. The system will
also incorporate micro-CT imaging for anatomical co-registration and to aid the optical
tomography algorithms. The system will be designed to meet performance criteria for
commercial use. The proposed imaging platform will provide several new benefits to existing
commercial imaging platforms from PKI, including 1) more than 20-fold improvement in
sensitivity using autofluorescence removal, allowing the detection of metastasis earlier than
currently possible; (2) lifetime multiplexing to visualize multiple fluorophores simultaneously in a
single animal; (3) improved resolution over CW using early photon detection; (4) accurate and
fast 3D fluorescence reconstructions using accelerated Monte Carlo software. These features
will add to the existing capability of PerkinElmer's systems for bioluminescence, multispectral
fluorescence and CT imaging, to deliver the most versatile preclinical optical imaging platform
commercially available.
.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9834858
- **Project number:** 5R01CA211084-04
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Anand T.N. Kumar
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $580,767
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-01-01 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9834858

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9834858, Preclinical Time domain Fluorescence Tomography Platform (5R01CA211084-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9834858. Licensed CC0.

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