High contrast optoacoustic imaging using nanoparticles

• US 7,500,953 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2004
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seno Medical Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seno Medical Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Oraevsky, Alexander A., Henrichs, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shahrestani; Nasir
• Application Number:
  US10/764,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20050175540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 600407-480, 600/310, 367/87
• US Class Current: 600/458
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/225 Microparticles, microcapsules gas-filled to be classified in A61K49/223
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1706 in solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/1702 with opto-acoustic detection, e.g. for gases or analysing solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4795 spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium in vivo A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/554 detecting the surface plasmon resonance of nanostructured metals, e.g. localised surface plasmon resonance

Abstract

A method of enhancing detection for a specific object in a body. A nanoparticulate is administered to the body for location in an area to be explored for detection of the object, if present. The nanoparticulate is at least partially metallic, has a formed non-spherical shape having a minimal characteristic dimension in the range from about 1 to about 3000 nanometers, and has a formed composition capable of producing thermal pressure either in the nanoparticulate or in the object greater than the object could produce in the absence of the nanoparticulate. Electromagnetic radiation is directed into the body. The electromagnetic radiation has a specific wavelength or spectrum of wavelengths in the range from 300 nm to 300 mm selected so that the wavelength or wavelength spectrum is longer by a factor of at least 3 than the minimum characteristic dimension of the nanoparticulate. The nanoparticulate absorbs the electromagnetic radiation more than would one or more non-aggregated spherically shaped particles of the same total volume with a composition identical to the nanoparticulate. The nanoparticulate produces an enhanced optoacoustic signal resulting from the absorption that is received and converted into an electronic signal and presented for assessment of the at least one parameter by a human or a machine.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing detection for a specific object or distribution thereof in a body, comprising the steps of:

(a) administering to said for detection of the object, if present, a nanoparticulate, the nanoparticulate having the following properties;

i. it is a collection of at least partially metallic nanoparticles, having a most probable size and most probable absorption maximum at a selected wavelength or range of wavelengths, comprising shells with a negative value of the real part of the complex dielectric permeability wherein said shells are filled with a substance having a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 9.times.10.sup-2 mm.sup.3joule to 2. times.10.sup.3 nm .sup.3/joule,

ii. it has a minimal characteristic dimension in the range from about 1 to about 3000 nanometers, and

iii. it has a formed composition capable of producing thermal pressure either in said nanoparticulate or in said object greater than said object could produce as a result of step (b) in the absence of said nanoparticulate;

(b) directing onto said body specific electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength or spectrum of wavelengths in the range from 3 nm to 300 mm selected so that the wavelength or wavelength spectrum is longer by a factor of at least 3 than the minimum characteristic dimension of said nanoparticulate, said nanoparticulate absorbing said electromagnetic radiation more than would one or more non-aggregated spherically shaped particles of the same total volume with a composition identical to said nanoparticulate, said nanoparticulate by such absorption producing an enhanced optoacoustic signal resulting from said absorption;

(c) receiving said optoacoustic signal;

(d) converting said received optoacoustic signal into an electronic signal characterized by at least one parameter selected from amplitude, frequency, phase, temporal profile, time of arrival, frequency spectrum, or a combination of any one or more of such parameters; and

(e) presenting said signal for assessment of said at least one parameter by a human or a machine.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said substance is selected from the group comprising water, aqueous gels, hydrogels, gases, lipids and other organic substances.

3. A method of enhancing detection for a specific object or distribution thereof in a body, comprising the steps of;

(a) administering to said body for detection of the object, if present, a nanoparticulate, the nanoparticulate having the following properties;

i. it is a collection of at least partially metallic nanoparticles, having a most probable size and a most probable absorption maximum at a selected wavelength or range of wavelengths, wherein said collection is selected from gold, silver, platinum, a mixture of at least two of said metals, or an alloy of at least two of said metals, or a carbon nanotube with metallic properties

ii. it has a minimal characteristic dimension in the range from about 1 to about 3000 nanometers, and

iii. it has a formed composition capable of producing thermal pressure either in said nanoparticulate or in said object greater than said object could produce as a result of step (b) in the absence of said nanoparticulate;

(b) directing onto said body specific electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength or spectrum of wavelengths in the range from 3 nm to 300 mm selected than the minimum characteristic dimension of said nanoparticulate, said nanoparticulate absorbing said electromagnetic radiation more than would one or more non-aggregated spherically shaped particles of the same total volume with a composition identical to said nanoparticulate, said nanoparticulate by such absorption producing an enhanced optoacoustic signal resulting from said absorption;

(c) receiving said optoacoustic signal;

(d) converting said received optoacoustic signal into an electronic signal characterized by at least one parameter selected from amplitude, frequency, phase, temporal profile, time arrival, frequency spectrum, or a combination of any one or more of such parameters; and

(e) presenting said signal for assessment of said at least one parameter by a human or a machine.

4. A method of enhancing detection for a specific object which may be a tissue, cell, microorganism, or molecule, or bio-warfare agent or distribution thereof in a body, comprising the steps of:

(a) administering to said body for detection of the object, if present, a nanonarticulate, the nanoparticulate having the following properties;

i. it is at least partially metallic,

ii. it has a minimal characteristic dimension in the range from about 1 to about 3000 nanometers, and

iii. it has a formed composition capable of producing thermal pressure either in a said nanoparticulate or in said object greater than said object could produce as a result of step (b) in the absence of said nanoparticulate;

(b) directing onto said body specific electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength or spectrum of wavelengths in the range from 3 nm to 300 mm selected than the minimum characteristic dimension of said nanoparticulate, said nanoparticulate absorbing said electromagnetic radiation more than would one or more non-aggregated spherically shaped particles of the same total volume with a composition identical to said nanoparticulate, said nanoparticulate by such absorption producing an enhanced optoacoustic signal resulting from said absorption;

(c) receiving said optoacoustic signal;

(d) converting said received optoacoustic signal into an electronic signal characterized by at least one parameter selected from amplitude, frequency, phase, temporal profile, time of arrival, frequency spectrum, or a combination of any one or more of such parameters; and

(e) presenting said signal for assessment of said at least one parameter by a human or a machine.