Ultrasound contrast agents are highly echogenic microbubbles with many unique properties. Microbubbles can basically improve the sensitivity of conventional ultrasound imaging to the microcirculation. The resonance of microbubbles in response to an incident ultrasound pulse results in nonlinear harmonic emission that serves as the signature of microbubbles in microbubble-specific imaging. Inertial cavitation and destruction of microbubbles can produce a strong mechanical stress enhancing the permeability of the surrounding tissues, and can further increase the extravasation of drugs from the blood into the cytoplasm or interstitium. Stable cavitation by high-frequency ultrasound can also mildly increase tissue permeability without causing any damage even at a high acoustic pressure. Microbubbles can carry drugs, release them upon ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction, and simultaneously enhance vascular permeability to increase drug deposition in tissues. Various targeting ligands can be conjugated to the surface of microbubbles to attain ligand-directed and site-specific accumulation for targeted imaging. In addition to current developments in microbubble technology, this review introduces our studies of the applications of microbubble- specific imaging, ultrasound-aided drug delivery, and targeted imaging. These applications are promising but may require further improvement for clinical use.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/2319-4170.106159 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Inequity of access to contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance in patients with chronic kidney disease: A survey from the British Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance.
J Cardiovasc Magn Reson
January 2025
West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK.
Objectives: To examine the provision of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) using gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Methods: An electronic survey was sent to the service leads of all CMR units in the UK in October 2022 requesting information on current departmental protocols and practice.
Results: A response rate of 55% was achieved from the 82 UK CMR units surveyed.
Functional nanocrystal as effective contrast agents for dual-mode imaging: Live-cell sonoluminescence and contrast-enhanced echography.
Ultrason Sonochem
January 2025
Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy; Polito(BIO)Med Lab, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, Italy. Electronic address:
In the context of molecular imaging, the present work explores an innovative platform made of lipid-coated nanocrystals as contrast-enhanced agent for both ultrasound imaging and sonoluminescence. At first, the dynamics of gas bubbles generation and cavitation under insonation with either pristine or lipid-coated nanocrystals (ZnO-Lip) are described, and the differences between the two colloidal systems are highlighted. These ZnO-Lip show an unprecedented ability to assist cavitation, which is reflected in enhanced sonoluminescent light emission with respect to the pristine nanocrystals or the pure water.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGadolinium-Enhanced 3-Dimensional MRI for Diagnosis and Surgical Planning of Posterior Epidural Migration of Lumbar Disc Fragment: A Case Report.
JBJS Case Connect
October 2024
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Case: A 34-year-old man presented at our hospital with knee collapse. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed posterior compression of the dural sac by a lumbar epidural lesion; however, a diagnosis could not be reached. Gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced 3-dimensional MRI (3D-MRI) clearly delineated the morphology, enabling us to make a preoperative diagnosis of posterior epidural migration of the lumbar disc fragment (PEMLDF).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA rare, asymptomatic case of an extrahepatic portocaval shunt between the posterior aspect of the portal vein and the inferior vena cava.
Surg Radiol Anat
January 2025
Department of Radiology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, 852 Hatakeda, Narita, 286-8520, Chiba, Japan.
Purpose: We present the case of a rare extrahepatic portocaval shunt that resulted in communication of the portal vein and the inferior vena cava (IVC) at the level between two right renal veins that was incidentally diagnosed with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in an asymptomatic patient.
Methods: A woman in her sixties with abdominal pain and diarrhea of unclear origin underwent exploratory abdominal CECT.
Results: The CECT incidentally revealed an extrahepatic portocaval shunt, whereby a vessel arising from the portal vein superior to the confluence of the superior mesenteric and splenic veins drained into the posterior aspect of the IVC between two right renal veins.
Optimizing Nanobubble Production in Ceramic Membranes: Effects of Pore Size, Surface Hydrophobicity, and Flow Conditions on Bubble Characteristics and Oxygenation.
Langmuir
January 2025
John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States.
Precise control of nanobubble size is essential for optimizing the efficiency and performance of nanobubble applications across diverse fields, such as agriculture, water treatment, and medicine. Producing fine bubbles, including nanobubbles, is commonly achieved by purging gas through porous media, such as ceramic or polymer membranes. Many operational factors and membrane properties can significantly influence nanobubble production and characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!