Experimental and Computational Analysis of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Thermal Ablation in Breast Cancer Cells: Monolayers vs. Spheroids.

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive therapeutic modality that uses precise acoustic energy to ablate cancerous tissues through coagulative necrosis. In this context, we investigate the efficacy of HIFU ablation in two distinct cellular configurations, namely 2D monolayers and 3D spheroids of epithelial breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB 231 and MCF7). The primary objective is to compare the response of these two in vitro models to HIFU while measuring their ablation percentages and temperature elevation levels.

High-resolution acoustic mapping of tunable gelatin-based phantoms for ultrasound tissue characterization.

The choice of gelatin as the phantom material is underpinned by several key advantages it offers over other materials in the context of ultrasonic applications. Gelatin exhibits spatial and temporal uniformity, which is essential in creating reliable tissue-mimicking phantoms. Its stability ensures that the phantom's properties remain consistent over time, while its flexibility allows for customization to match the acoustic characteristics of specific tissues, in addition to its low levels of ultrasound scattering.