Quantitative bioimaging of p-boronophenylalanine in thin liver tissue sections as a tool for treatment planning in boron neutron capture therapy

Abstract

An analytical method using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was developed and applied to assess enrichment of 10B-containing p-boronophenylalanine-fructose (BPA-f) and its pharmacokinetic distribution in human tissues after application for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). High spatial resolution (50 μm) and limits of detection in the low parts-per-billion range were achieved using a Nd:YAG laser of 213 nm wavelength. External calibration by means of 10B-enriched standards based on whole blood proved to yield precise quantification results. Using this calibration method, quantification of 10B in cancerous and healthy tissue was carried out. Additionally, the distribution of 11B was investigated, providing 10B enrichment in the investigated tissues. Quantitative imaging of 10B by means of LA-ICP-MS was demonstrated as a new option to characterise the efficacy of boron compounds for BNCT.

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of clinical and biological materials, foods and beverages

“…Boron neutron capture therapy uses 10 B enriched compounds to specically target and concentrate in tumour cells, therefore enabling effective and directed treatment with minimal damage to healthy cells. Reifschneider et al 97 applied LA-ICP-MS imaging to investigate the distribution of 10 B-containing p-boronophenylalanine-fructose in the liver of patients with cancerous lesions. Quantication was achieved through 10 B-doped whole blood and the effective enrichment was determined by comparison to 11 B.…”

Study of the boron levels in serum after implantation of different ratios nano-hexagonal boron nitride–hydroxy apatite in rat femurs

“…Boron occupies a biologically essential place for the growth of higher plants; it is also present in organisms such as animals and humans, but has not been determined to be essential [1,2].…”

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) Mass Spectrometry Imaging of L-4-Phenylalanineboronic Acid (BPA) in a Brain Tumor Model Rat for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT)

“…Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) are used in basic research to determine the boron concentration in tumor tissue. 3 , 4 ) In recent years, laser ablation-ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS), 5 ) secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) 6 ) and secondary neutral mass spectrometry (SNMS) 7 ) have been used for boron targeting imaging. However, these techniques have not been widely available yet and cannot obtain the image of biomolecules in tissue which can be interactive to boron compounds, to understand the mechanism of boron compound uptake.…”