Molecular beacon signals low oxygen with ultrasound

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Areas of hypoxia, or low oxygen in tissue, are hallmarks of fast-growing cancers and of blockages or narrowing in blood vessels, such as stroke or peripheral artery disease. University of Illinois researchers have developed a way to find hypoxic spots noninvasively in real time. The researchers developed an oxygen-sensitive molecular beacon that emits ultrasound signals in response to light, a process called photoacoustic imaging.
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news