Stanford Researchers Claim Nano-Guided Imaging Could Help Surgical Removal of Brain Tumors

Researchers at Stanford believe they have developed a nanoparticle solution that will aid physicians in the imaging and treatment of the most aggressive brain tumors, according to a study in Nature Medicine. By bonding gadolinium imaging reagents with the golden nanoparticles, the technique shows promise in clearly delineating the edges of glioblastomas—tumors that infiltrate healthy tissue and are often difficult to remove without harming healthy brain tissue. Surgeons can then use MRI, photoacoustic imaging, or Raman imaging in concert with the nanoparticles to visualize the periphery of such tumors. The researchers have already demonstrated the value of this tripartite approach in removing tumors from the brains of mice without leaving any dangerous remnants behind. “This new triple-modality–nanoparticle approach has promise for enabling more accurate brain tumor imaging and resection,” reads an abstract accompanying the research.