Abstract
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound has shown significant promise as a molecular imaging modality. However, one potential drawback is the difficulty that ultrasound contrast agents (UCA) may have in achieving adhesion to target molecules on the vascular endothelium. Microbubble UCA exhibit a lateral migration toward the vessel axis in laminar flow, preventing UCA contact with the endothelium. In the current study, we have investigated low-amplitude acoustic radiation as a mechanism to move circulating UCA toward targeted endothelium. Intravital microscopy was used to assess the retention of microbubble UCA targeted to P-selectin in the mouse cremaster microcirculation and femoral vessels. Acoustic treatment enhanced UCA retention to P-selectin four-fold in cremaster venules and in the femoral vein and 20-fold in the femoral artery. These results suggest acoustic treatment as a mechanism for enabling ultrasound-based molecular imaging in blood vessels with hemodynamic and anatomical conditions otherwise adversarial for UCA retention. (E-mail: jh7fj@virginia.edu).
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1132-1139 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2007 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Acoustic radiation force
- Contrast enhanced ultrasound
- Microbubble
- Ultrasound imaging
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biophysics
- Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
- Acoustics and Ultrasonics