Label-Free 3D Photoacoustic Imaging of Tumor Organoids for Volumetric Drug Screening

Xiaofei Luo; Maike Chen; Han Shan; Xize Yu; Qibo Lin; Qian Tao; Xiongwei Wei; Changling Lv; Ziyan Chen; Fan Zhuo; Xi Zhu; Jiaxing He; Zhaoxi Li; Chunlong Fei; Jing Xu; Juan Su; Zeyu Chen; Shuang Zhao; Xiang Chen

doi:10.1002/advs.202417226

Label-Free 3D Photoacoustic Imaging of Tumor Organoids for Volumetric Drug Screening

Adv Sci (Weinh). 2025 Jun 4:e17226. doi: 10.1002/advs.202417226. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Xiaofei Luo^{1

2}, Maike Chen^{1

3

4}, Han Shan^{1

3

4

5}, Xize Yu⁵, Qibo Lin⁵, Qian Tao^{1

3

4}, Xiongwei Wei⁶, Changling Lv⁷, Ziyan Chen⁵, Fan Zhuo^{1

3

4}, Xi Zhu⁸, Jiaxing He², Zhaoxi Li⁶, Chunlong Fei⁶, Jing Xu^{9

10}, Juan Su^{1

3

4}, Zeyu Chen^{1

3

4

5}, Shuang Zhao^{1

3

4}, Xiang Chen^{1

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
² Department of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha, 410114, China.
³ National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Changsha, 410013, China.
⁴ Furong Laboratory, Changsha, 410008, China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Precision Manufacturing for Extreme Service Performance, College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
⁶ School of Microelectronics, Xidian University, Xi'an, 710071, China.
⁷ Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, 410008, China.
⁸ Yunan Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Precision Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China.
⁹ Department of Otolaryngology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
¹⁰ National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.

PMID: 40464203
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202417226

Abstract

As one of the most advanced in vitro drug screening platforms, tumor organoids require accurate pharmacosensitivity assessments to ensure reliable results. However, achieving accurate volume assessment of these 3D organoid models remains a challenge in traditional drug screening processes. Here, a label-free organoids photoacoustic imaging (LFOPI) system is introduced for high-resolution 3D imaging of tumor organoids. The capabilities of the LFOPI system are evaluated by monitoring structural transformations in melanoma organoids. The LFOPI system is further employed for volumetric drug screening of melanoma tumor organoids. Drug screening with cisplatin and temozolomide reveal that LFOPI-based organoid volume data correlates more strongly with viability trends (0.8627 and 0.9069) than traditional diameter-based methods (0.8190 and 0.7849). Additionally, immunotherapy drug screening demonstrates the capability of the system to precisely assess the 3D volumes of irregularly shaped organoids. This LFOPI system provides a promising method for label-free drug screening and personalized treatment.

Keywords: label free; photoacoustic imaging; precision medicine; tumor organoids; volumetric drug screening.

Abstract

Grants and funding