Quantitative functional assessment of tumour microenvironment using contrast enhanced ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging

Cancer cells are differentiated from normal cells by a number of genetically altered characteristics, one being the ability to induce abnormal angiogenesis. However, these specific traits are also regulated by tumour microenvironmental factors such as hypoxia. Alterations in the tumour microenvironment generally correspond to aggressive cancer phenotypes, raising the need for in vivo and noninvasive methods of tracking these changes. Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in combination with photoacoustic (PA) imaging serve as promising candidates - one has the ability to measure tissue perfusion, where as the other can be used to monitor oxygen saturation. In this study we investigate drug induced alterations to the tumour microenvironment, and validate the sensitivity of CEUS and PA imaging with histology.