Metastasis is a complex process in which cancer cells migrate from the primary tumor, invade into the vasculature, and travel to distant parts of the body to establish secondary tumors. Cells with a greater metastatic potential have a proclivity for leading migration away from the primary tumor. Progress in identifying cells primed to metastasize and in assessing metastatic risk has been slow. This may be due in part to the lack of consistent molecular prognostic markers between cancer types and significant heterogeneity in metastatic potential within the tumor. Furthermore, not all tumors are metastatic and determining the metastatic proclivity of single tumor cells remains a major challenge. Another looming scientific question is estimating the metastatic “potential” because conventional techniques, e.g., Immunohistochemistry (IHC) are not capable of this and only molecular imaging can resolve these issues. So far, improved imaging platforms have helped detect established metastases and assessed tumor cell properties such as surrogate markers of metastatic potential. However, single cell-based assays to measure the dynamic pro-metastatic signaling programs that contribute to the 'potential' for metastasis remains a Holy Grail.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Radiological Sciences have developed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that simultaneously acquires acidic and hypoxic information often associated with brain tumors and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a quantitative imaging method to detect and characterize liver inflammation for diagnosing a wide spectrum of nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLDs).

UCLA researchers in the Department of Radiology have developed an algorithm for automated processing of medical images.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Radiological Sciences have developed a phase-contrast MRI acquisition technique called Hybrid One- and Two-sided Flow Encoding Only (HOTFEO).

UCLA researchers in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology have developed a new type of fluorescent dermal pigment.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Bioengineering and Department of Radiological Sciences have developed a novel motion prediction algorithm using MRI-based motion tracking to provide accurate and real-time motion information for dynamic MRI and MRI-guided interventions.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Radiological Sciences have developed a new technique for more accurately estimating relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) from dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion MRI by improved modeling and correction of contrast agent leakage.

Researchers led by Saman Sadeghi from the Department of Molecular & Medical Pharmacology at UCLA have developed a new and simple process to make fluorinated organic compounds.

Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) afflict nearly 25% of all women and carry a host of symptoms that can drastically reduce quality of life. Despite their prevalence, the complex and varied nature of such PFDs make them difficult to diagnose and treat. Researchers at UCI have developed an entirely integrated system that, for the first time, provides real-time monitoring of the vaginal wall tissue during diagnosis and treatment, allowing for more thorough diagnoses and more effective treatment methods.

Current diagnostic procedures for lung cancer are invasive, time-consuming, and subjective. UCI researchers have developed a quick, non-invasive lung cancer diagnostic device which uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) and can improve lung cancer diagnosis and outcomes.

The invention is an illuminated periodontal curette that offers an accurate and magnified visualization during complex dental procedures. The modified curette provides the operator with better real time insight and information regarding the tooth and root anatomy for accurate evaluation as well as procedure planning and therapy.

A novel method to measure airway mucus plugging using CT images from patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

Researchers at UCLA in the Department of Radiology have developed a cheaper and safer way to measure coronary calcium levels to predict heart disease.

Researchers in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UCLA have developed a system that enables physicians and radiology technicians to track a patient's posture and anatomical changes in real-time. This invention will enable healthcare providers to track physiological changes in a patient undergoing radiation therapy and give them the freedom to modify treatment to account for such changes.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Radiological Sciences have developed a new MRI pulse sequence optimized for brain imaging.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Electrical Engineering have developed a miniaturized terahertz imaging system that can be integrated to the tip of commercially available endoscopes, with significantly larger detectable depths and faster image acquisition rates.

Researchers at UCR have developed a process that uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) on specific regions of the cranium to detect the onset of edema before severe damage can be done to the brain.  By scanning various regions of the brain with OCT, the early stages of cerebral edema may be visualized at a far earlier time point than otherwise possible.  The scattering pattern of reflected light changes in a predictable manner when brain water content increases.  This allows for a quick and accurate determination of a patient’s risk for developing dangerous ICP levels, thus eliminating the need for a invasive precautionary craniectomy. Fig. 1: diagram of the OCT apparatus being used to measure edema in a mouse brain Fig. 2: table demonstrating the time between OCT detection of artificially induced edema and onset of increased ICP  

UCLA researchers in the Department of Electrical Engineering have developed a system for lens-free tomographic imaging.

UCLA researchers have developed a novel scanning and analysis method to remove breathing motion artifacts in CT scans by integrating motion modeling to the image reconstruction process.

Current microscopy systems commonly used in biomedical research labs and companies generate large amounts of large data, known as image stacks. There is currently no easy, streamlined way to store, organize and analyze these datasets on a cloud. Researchers at UCI have developed a software consisting of a cloud-based data management and analysis platform that make visualization and analysis of large image stacks simpler and faster.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Radiation Oncology have developed a novel method to gate radiotherapy using low frame rate MRI sequences to reduce damage to adjacent tissues during radiotherapy.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Dentistry have developed a novel fluorescent probe for studying the role of osteoclasts in bone diseases and for detecting the early onset of bone resorption by targeting an important protein Cathepsin K. This probe can also deliver drug molecules to bone resorption sites with high specificity.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Electrical Engineering have invented a swept source laser that operates in the visible light range with a broad sweeping bandwidth.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Radiological Science have developed a technique for generating a probability map on an MRI that indicates the certainty of tissue sampling from a location, which could improve imaging-guided biopsies and their correlation with pathology.