Biospecific contrast agents
First Claim
1. A contrast agent for reflectance imaging comprising one or more metallic nanoparticles configured to couple to one or more specific biomarkers of a sample and to exhibit characteristic optical scattering when subjected to reflectance imaging.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for detecting a condition of a sample (including cervical cancers and pre-cancers) through reflectance and/or fluorescence imaging. A sample is obtained. One or more metallic nanoparticles and/or one or more quantum dots are obtained. The one or more metallic nanoparticles and/or one or more quantum dots are coupled to one or more biomarkers of the sample that are associated with the condition. A reflectance and/or fluorescence image of the sample is then taken. The image(s) exhibit characteristic optical scattering from the one or more metallic nanoparticles and/or characteristic fluorescence excitation from the one or more quantum dots to signal the presence of the one or more biomarkers. In this way, the condition can be readily screened or diagnosed.
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Citations
45 Claims
- 1. A contrast agent for reflectance imaging comprising one or more metallic nanoparticles configured to couple to one or more specific biomarkers of a sample and to exhibit characteristic optical scattering when subjected to reflectance imaging.
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7. A contrast agent for detecting cervical cancer or pre-cancer in vivo through reflectance imaging, comprising one or more metallic nanoparticles configured to couple to one or more cancerous or pre-cancerous biomarkers of a sample and to exhibit characteristic optical scattering when subjected to reflectance imaging.
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9. A contrast agent for detecting cervical cancer or pre-cancer in vivo through fluorescence imaging, comprising one or more quantum dots configured to couple to one or more cancerous or pre-cancerous biomarkers of a sample and to exhibit characteristic fluorescence excitation when subjected to fluorescence imaging.
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10. A method, comprising:
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administering to a tissue a metallic nanoparticle coupled to a probe molecule; and
forming an in vivo reflectance image of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for enhanced reflectance imaging, comprising:
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obtaining a sample;
coupling one or more metallic nanoparticles to the sample; and
generating a reflectance image of the sample, the image exhibiting characteristic optical scattering from the one or more metallic nanoparticles. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for detecting a condition of a sample through reflectance imaging, comprising:
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obtaining a sample;
obtaining one or more metallic nanoparticles;
coupling the one or more metallic nanoparticles to one or more biomarkers of the sample that are associated with the condition; and
generating a reflectance image of the sample, the image exhibiting characteristic optical scattering from the one or more metallic nanoparticles to signal a presence of the one or more biomarkers. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for detecting cervical cancer or pre-cancer through reflectance imaging, comprising:
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obtaining a sample;
obtaining one or more metallic nanoparticles;
coupling the one or more metallic nanoparticles to one or more biomarkers of the sample that are associated with the cervical cancer or pre-cancer; and
generating a reflectance image of the sample, the image exhibiting characteristic optical scattering from the one or more metallic nanoparticles to signal a presence of the one or more biomarkers. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A method for detecting a condition of a sample through fluorescence imaging, comprising:
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obtaining a sample;
obtaining one or more quantum dots;
coupling the one or more quantum dots to one or more biomarkers of the sample that are associated with the condition; and
generating a fluorescence image of the sample, the image exhibiting characteristic fluorescence excitation from the one or more quantum dots to signal a presence of the one or more biomarkers. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for detecting cervical cancer or pre-cancer through fluorescence imaging, comprising:
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obtaining a sample;
obtaining one or more quantum dots;
coupling the one or more quantum dots to one or more biomarkers of the sample that are associated with the cervical cancer or pre-cancer; and
generating a fluorescence image of the sample, the image exhibiting characteristic fluorescence excitation from the one or more quantum dots to signal a presence of the one or more biomarkers. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A method for detecting a condition of a sample through a combination of reflectance and fluorescence imaging, comprising:
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obtaining a sample;
obtaining one or more metallic nanoparticles and one or more quantum dots;
coupling the one or more metallic nanoparticles and one or more quantum dots to one or more biomarkers of the sample that are associated with the condition; and
generating a reflectance and fluorescence image of the sample, the image exhibiting characteristic optical scattering from the one or more metallic nanoparticles and characteristic fluorescence excitation from the one or more quantum dots to signal a presence of the one or more biomarkers. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for detecting cervical cancer or pre-cancer through a combination of reflectance and fluorescence imaging, comprising:
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obtaining a sample;
obtaining one or more metallic nanoparticles and one or more quantum dots;
coupling the one or more metallic nanoparticles and one or more quantum dots to one or more biomarkers of the sample that are associated with the cervical cancer or pre-cancer; and
generating a reflectance and fluorescence image of the sample, the image exhibiting characteristic optical scattering from the one or more metallic nanoparticles and characteristic fluorescence excitation from the one or more quantum dots to signal a presence of the one or more biomarkers. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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Specification