A multi-institutional research team led by Georgia State University Regents’ Professor Emerita of Biochemistry and Biophysical Chemistry Jenny J. Yang has developed a new class of protein-based MRI contrast agents that detect invasive lung cancer and metastatic disease at earlier stages than conventional imaging approaches. Results of this research, recently published in the journal Science Advances, report a precision MRI method that can identify tumors and metastases as small as 1 millimeter.

“Lung cancer is often diagnosed only after it has spread, when treatment options become more limited,” Yang said. “Our technology can detect tiny tumors and hidden metastases without exposing patients to radiation. It also helps reveal how aggressive a cancer may be and how likely it is to spread, potentially reducing the need for invasive biopsies.”