A hand-held beta imaging probe for FDG

Objectives: Advances in radiopharmaceuticals and clinical understanding have escalated the use of intraoperative gamma probes in surgery. However, most probes on the market are non-imaging gamma probes that suffer from the lack of ancillary information of the surveyed tissue area. We have developed a novel, hand-held digital Imaging Beta Probe™ (IBP™) to be used in surgery in conjunction with beta-emitting radiopharmaceuticals such as ¹⁸FDG, ¹³¹I and ³²P for real-time imaging of a surveyed area with higher spatial resolution and sensitivity and greater convenience than existing instruments. Methods: We describe the design and validation of a hand-held beta probe intended to be used as a visual mapping device to locate and confirm excision of ¹⁸FDG-avid primary tumors and metastases in an animal model. Results: We have demonstrated a device which can generate beta images from ¹⁸FDG avid lesions in an animal model. Conclusions: It is feasible to image beta irradiation in animal models of cancer given ¹⁸FDG. This technology may be applied to clinical mapping of tumors and/or their metastases in the operating room. Visual image depiction of malignancy may aid the surgeon in localization and excision of lesions of interest.