Metals in brain seen in world-first images

Scientists at UTS can now view images of metal elements such as iron and zinc in brain and heart tissue by using existing technologies in new ways to pinpoint clinical diagnoses and confirm drug actions for a range of diseases.

Dr Philip Doble speaking at the opening of the Bio-imaging Facility

“Using the latest Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer, researchers place a slice of human tissue on a plate, pop it into a sample chamber, zap it with a laser and create diagnostic images,” said Dr Philip Doble at the opening of the world-first dedicated bio-imaging facility in the UTS Science Faculty.

Developed in collaboration with Agilent Technologies, a leading global provider of analytical instrumentation, the new laboratories use commercially available instruments, consumables and software.

"The tissue sample is vaporised and swept to a plasma at 8000K, which breaks the sample into its elemental components, giving a direct chemical analysis of the entire sample that can be seen as an image rather than as a series of numbers," Dr Doble said.

“Direct sampling of biopsy material for example, reduces the errors that creep in when ordinary sampling techniques are used. The new technique can probe the mechanism, progression and treatment of many diseases, including heart disease and it can detect the spread of cancer such as melanoma in lymph nodes.”

Dr Rudolf Grimm from Agilent Technologies said the new process for examining the trace metals in human tissues had begun by using equipment designed for assaying rocks, although UTS bought its first inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for use in forensic science research.

Dr Rudolf Grimm, Agilent Technologies, unveiling the UTS Elemental Bio-imaging Facility

Agilent Technologies will supply new machines as they become available to ensure researchers and students have access to the latest technology.

At the recent launch of the new facility, UTS Vice-Chancellor Professor Ross Milbourne said it would become platform technology for the new research field of metallomics at the University, enabling research that examines metals and their interactions with proteins in the body.

"In collaboration with Stanford University in California, the team has already confirmed the formation of calcium phosphate crystals in the knees of osteoarthritis patients, which was previously surmised from data," Professor Milbourne said.

 "The team is now conducting research using the facility into the neuro-degenerative Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases," he said.

(Source: University of Technology Sydney: July 2008)