Ultrasound Contrast Imaging: Fundamentals and Emerging Technology

Yusefi, Hossein; Helfield, Brandon

doi:10.3389/fphy.2022.791145

Cited by 45 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 197 publications

(217 reference statements)

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“…Due to the ease of clinical translation offered by commercially available and FDA approved agents, MBs have also been a major focus in US molecular imaging. 58,59 19–22 However, their direct access to cancer cells is limited due to their size. 60 Contrast enhancement in the tumour by NBs was higher than MBs, showing demonstrable tumour filling and enhanced deep-tissue access (Figs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decorrelation Time Mapping as an Analysis Tool for Nanobubble-Based Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging

Wegierak

Cooley

Perera

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Nanobubbles (NBs) are nanoscale (∼100-500 nm diameter) ultrasound (US) contrast agents that enable new robust applications of contrast enhanced US and US-mediated therapy. Due to their sub-micron size, high particle density, and highly deformable shell, NBs exhibit unique properties. In pathological states of heightened vascular permeability, such as in tumours, NBs can extravasate, enabling extravascular applications not currently possible with clinically available microbubbles (∼1000-10,000 nm diameter). This ability can be explored to develop imaging biomarkers to improve tumour detection. There is a need for an imaging method that can rapidly and effectively separate intravascular versus extravascular NB signal when imaged using nonlinear dynamic contrast enhanced US. Herein, we demonstrated the use of decorrelation time (DT) mapping to achieve this goal. Twoin vitromodels were used to explore the roles of NB velocity and diffusion on DTs. Mice bearing prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expressing flank tumours (n = 7) were injected with bubble agents to evaluate thein vivopotential of this technique. The DT was calculated at each pixel of nonlinear contrast videos to produce DT maps. Across all models, long DT correlated with slowly moving or entrapped NBs while short DT correlated with flowing NBs. DT maps were sensitive to NBs in tumour tissue with high average DT in tumour regions (∼10 s) compared to surrounding normal tissue (∼1 s). Molecular NB targeting to PSMA extended DT (17 s) compared to non-targeted NBs (12 s), demonstrating sensitivity to NB adherence dynamics. Overall, DT mapping ofin vivoNB dynamics produced detailed information of tumour tissue and showed potential for quantifying extravascular NB kinetics. This new NB-contrast enhanced US-based biomarker can be useful in molecular ultrasound imaging, with improved sensitivity and specificity of target tissue detection and potential for use as a predictor of vascular permeability and the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect in tumours.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decorrelation Time Mapping as an Analysis Tool for Nanobubble-Based Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging

Wegierak

Cooley

Perera

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…Microbubble contrast agent has expanded the capabilities of diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging and, in particular, improved the dignity assessment of focal liver lesions. CEUS provides enhanced echoes from the blood pool and has enabled diagnostic ultrasound to assess and quantify microvascular blood flow [20].…”

Section: Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound (Ceus)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A higher density of the gas sulfur hexafluoride causes them to remain in the bloodstream longer due to their slow diffusion through the capsule membrane and their lower solubility in the blood, which increases the stability of the microbubbles over a longer period of time. The capsule or shell of the microbubbles contributes to their stability and resonance properties [20][21][22][23]. Since CEUS can image micro vascularization to the capillary level using modern 2nd generation ultrasound contrast agents, it is also crucial for the assessment of pathologic organ alterations and -perfusion during the course of COVID-19 disease.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multimodal ultrasound imaging with conventional B-mode, elastography, and parametric analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS): A novel approach to assess small bowel manifestation in severe COVID-19 disease

Tews

Kandulski

Schmid

et al. 2022

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The aim was to describe the small bowel morphology with conventional B-mode and elastography and additionally to evaluate dynamic effects of COVID-19 associated small bowel microvascularization using CEUS with color coded perfusion parameters. Thirteen patients with severe COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were investigated. 13 patients required intensive care treatment with mechanical ventilation. Five patients required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was performed by an experienced investigator as a bolus injection of up to 2.4 ml sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles via a central venous catheter. In the parametric analysis of CEUS, the flare of microbubbles over time is visualized with colors. This is the first work using parametric analysis of CEUS to detect perfusion differences in the small bowel. Parametric analysis of CEUS in the intestinal phase was carried out, using DICOM loops for 20 seconds. In 5 patients, parametric analysis revealed intraindividual differences in contrast agent behavior in the small bowel region. Analogous to the computed tomography (CT) images parametric analysis showed regions of simultaneous hyper- and hypoperfusion of the small intestine in a subgroup of patients. In 5 patients, the parametric image of transmural global contrast enhancement was visualized. Our results using CEUS to investigate small bowel affection in COVID-19 suggest that in severe COVID-19 ARDS systemic inflammation and concomitant micro embolisms may lead to disruption of the epithelial barrier of the small intestine. This is the first study using parametric analysis of CEUS to evaluate the extent of small bowel involvement in severe COVID-19 disease and to detect microemboli. In summary, we show that in COVID-19 the small bowel may also be an important interaction site. This is in line with the fact that enterocytes have been shown to a plenitude of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-2 receptors as entry sites of the virus.

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“…Many of the aforementioned drawbacks of fluorescence-based and similar imaging and sensing techniques are not expected to exist in bubble-based sensors, which motivates this review article. Indeed, speaking of a potential application in the very important and ethically sensitive field of IVF, it is well-established that both low-intensity ultrasound waves [ 42 ] and microbubble ultrasound contrast agents are safe for obstetric imaging applications [ 43 ]. Therefore, it is plausible that bubble-based sensors would be suitable in this field.…”

Section: Introduction and Motivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomechanical Sensing Using Gas Bubbles Oscillations in Liquids and Adjacent Technologies: Theory and Practical Applications

2022

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Gas bubbles present in liquids underpin many natural phenomena and human-developed technologies that improve the quality of life. Since all living organisms are predominantly made of water, they may also contain bubbles—introduced both naturally and artificially—that can serve as biomechanical sensors operating in hard-to-reach places inside a living body and emitting signals that can be detected by common equipment used in ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging procedures. This kind of biosensor is the focus of the present article, where we critically review the emergent sensing technologies based on acoustically driven oscillations of bubbles in liquids and bodily fluids. This review is intended for a broad biosensing community and transdisciplinary researchers translating novel ideas from theory to experiment and then to practice. To this end, all discussions in this review are written in a language that is accessible to non-experts in specific fields of acoustics, fluid dynamics and acousto-optics.

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Ultrasound Contrast Imaging: Fundamentals and Emerging Technology

Cited by 45 publications

References 197 publications

Decorrelation Time Mapping as an Analysis Tool for Nanobubble-Based Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging

Decorrelation Time Mapping as an Analysis Tool for Nanobubble-Based Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging

Multimodal ultrasound imaging with conventional B-mode, elastography, and parametric analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS): A novel approach to assess small bowel manifestation in severe COVID-19 disease

Biomechanical Sensing Using Gas Bubbles Oscillations in Liquids and Adjacent Technologies: Theory and Practical Applications

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