Toward the clinical application of ultrasound molecular imaging in the early detection of breast cancer

Ultrasound molecular imaging has large potential in the early detection of breast cancer, particularly in women with radiographically dense breasts. In ultrasound molecular imaging, a molecularly-targeted ligand attached to a microbubble binds to proteins expressed on the tumor neovasculature to produce contrast that can identify cancer at an early stage. Keys to successful ultrasound molecular imaging are: (1) a molecular target highly specific to breast cancer; and (2) a sensitive imaging system that can visualize bound microbubbles while suppressing bubble signal from the background. In addition, the system must integrate with existing ultrasound imaging workflow in breast imaging clinics. We present our current progress on the development of a real-time ultrasound molecular imaging platform that consists of a novel microbubble targeted to the B7-H3 biomarker (a vascular biomarker highly specific to breast cancer and not expressed in benign disease processes) alongside a nondestructive and real-time imaging technology, based on a neural network design for contrast imaging to enable real-time high-sensitivity imaging of the novel targeted contrast agent. Although we present the results and current status of this system in preclinical models of breast cancer, the targeted microbubble is designed to be pharmaceutical grade to allow it to be injected in humans, and the imaging technology is designed such that it is compatible with current clinical workflow and operation of breast ultrasound imaging.