Patient Positional Uncertainty and Margin Reduction in Lung Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy Using Pneumatic Abdominal Compression.

Purpose: Motion management presents a significant challenge in thoracic stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR). Currently, a 5.0-mm standard planning target volume (PTV) margin is widely used to ensure adequate dose to the tumor.

Five-year evaluation of linear accelerator-based SRS platform isocentricity.

Linear accelerator (LINAC)-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has become a mainstay in the management of intracranial tumors. However, the high fractional doses and sharp gradients used in SRS place heavy demands on geometric accuracy. Image guidance systems such as ExacTrac (ETX, Brainlab AG, Munich, Germany) have been developed to facilitate position verification at nonzero table angles.

Development of an inhalable contrast agent targeting the respiratory tract mucus layer for pulmonary ultrasonic imaging.

Impaired mucociliary transport is a distinguishing sign of cystic fibrosis, but current methods of evaluation are invasive or expose young patients to ionizing radiation. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging may provide a feasible alternative. We formulated a cationic microbubble ultrasound contrast agent, to optimize adhesion to the respiratory mucus layer when inhaled.

Low-boiling-point perfluorocarbon nanodroplets for adaptable ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier opening.

Low-boiling point perfluorocarbon nanodroplets (NDs) are valued as effective sonosensitive agents, encapsulating a liquid perfluorocarbon that would instantaneously vaporize at body temperature without the NDs shell. Those NDs have been explored for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Here, phospholipid-shelled nanodroplets containing octafluoropropane (CF) or decafluorobutane (CF) formed by condensation of microbubbles were thoroughly characterized before blood-brain (BBB) permeabilization.