CONSALT · CONtrast through metal-enriched polymer SALTs: novel contrast agents for dual-energy micro-computed tomography
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2016-04-01 → 2018-03-31
- EU contribution
- €171,461
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-RI
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Results in brief
CONtrast through metal-enriched polymer SALTs: novel contrast agents for dual-energy micro-computed tomography
3D biomedical imaging has proven to provide additional benefits, which can support pathological findings. Micro and nanoCT technologies offer the possibility to identify tissue morphologies with comparable resolution and quality compared to conventional 2D histology, which is seen as gold standard in diagnosis. However, the availability of tools that enable non-destructive high-resolution 3D histology with laboratory-based microCT and nanoCT devices is currently very limited. Especially staining agents and procedures targeting specific biological (sub)-cellular organelles are missing. Withinn the MSCA project CONSALT novel specific staining methods tailored for X-ray CT, which allow for an efficient 3D volume screening and analysis at high resolutions were developed. The results obtained in CONSALT allowed for the first time the visualization of soft tissue architecture at high-resolution using laboratory-based microCT and nanoCT devices. Furthermore, full compatibility with 2D conventional histology highlights the potential for modern histopathological applications. Currently, the developed staining methods are tested on human biopsy samples to evaluate the embedding of the methodology into clinical routine. The design, development (synthesis and characterization) and testing of such new stains to overcome the challenges of contrast enhancement and selectivity for certain tissues and cellular structures (e.g. nucleus, mitochondria or cytoplasm) was proposed within the CONSALT project. In particular, CONSALT aimed at three ambitious scientific objectives: 1. Design and Development (consisting of synthesis and characterization) of novel contrast agents for X ray (dual-energy) microCT devices. 2. Development of staining protocols 3. Testing the new overview and/or specific stains using X ray microCT devices and result evaluation of those stains through conventional optical microscopy used in histology and/or pathology.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
X-ray micro computed tomography (microCT) is currently successfully used in material science investigations as well as in non-destructive testing enabling 3D imaging of these materials with micrometer resolution. The application of microCT for biological samples (e.g. biopsies) is limited by the missing contrast of soft tissue, which is important to visualize microscopic cellular structures. CONSALT aims at overcoming these limitations by simultaneous and yet separate visualization of a combination of at least two elements. Furthermore, it aims to advance x-ray microCT by allowing the visualization of single cells, which is currently not possible with the state-of-the-art x-ray microCT devices. The development and medicinal application of a fast X-ray based 3D-screening system for tissue biopsies to identify, visualize, and classify different pathologies, will complement conventional histology, which is based on the evaluation of a few selective 2D slices of a 3D biopsy, and further improve diagnosis (e.g. visualization of small tumors within the entire tissue volume or other 3D morphology parameters). Novel specific and functional contrast agents (stains) are essential to achieve the 3D visualization of specific pathological cellular or sub-cellular structures (e.g. nucleus or cytoskeleton). The design, development and testing of such new contrast agents to overcome the challenges of contrast enhancement and selectivity for certain tissue and cellular structures (e.g. nucleus, mitochondria or cytoplasm), which is seen through conventional staining in histology, is proposed here. The CT-contrast will be achieved by incorporation of biocompatible elements with a high z-component such as iodine and bismuth. The specific CT-contrast will be further optimized through dual-energy X-ray microCT-scanners allowing for visualization of at least two elements.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN · MuenchenCoordinatorGermany
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union