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Yu J, Joo IL, Bazzigaluppi P, Koletar MM, Cherin E, Stanisz AG, Graham JWC, Demore C, Stefanovic B. Micro-ultrasound based characterization of cerebrovasculature following focal ischemic stroke and upon short-term rehabilitation. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2024; 44:461-476. [PMID: 37974304 PMCID: PMC10981404 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x231215004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Notwithstanding recanalization treatments in the acute stage of stroke, many survivors suffer long-term impairments. Physical rehabilitation is the only widely available strategy for chronic-stage recovery, but its optimization is hindered by limited understanding of its effects on brain structure and function. Using micro-ultrasound, behavioral testing, and electrophysiology, we investigated the impact of skilled reaching rehabilitation on cerebral hemodynamics, motor function, and neuronal activity in a rat model of focal ischemic stroke. A 50 MHz micro-ultrasound transducer and intracortical electrophysiology were utilized to characterize neurovascular changes three weeks following focal ischemia elicited by endothelin-1 injection into the sensorimotor cortex. Sprague-Dawley rats were rehabilitated through tray reaching, and their fine skilled reaching was assessed via the Montoya staircase. Focal ischemia led to a sustained deficit in forelimb reaching; and increased tortuosity of the penetrating vessels in the perilesional cortex; with no lateralization of spontaneous neuronal activity. Rehabilitation improved skilled reaching; decreased cortical vascularity; was associated with elevated peri- vs. contralesional hypercapnia-induced flow homogenization and increased perilesional spontaneous cortical neuronal activity. Our study demonstrated neurovascular plasticity accompanying rehabilitation-elicited functional recovery in the subacute stage following stroke, and multiple micro-ultrasound-based markers of cerebrovascular structure and function modified in recovery from ischemia and upon rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnson Yu
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Illsung L Joo
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paolo Bazzigaluppi
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- MetaCell, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Margaret M Koletar
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emmanuel Cherin
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew G Stanisz
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - James WC Graham
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christine Demore
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bojana Stefanovic
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Yin J, Dong F, An J, Guo T, Cheng H, Zhang J, Zhang J. Pattern recognition of microcirculation with super-resolution ultrasound imaging provides markers for early tumor response to anti-angiogenic therapy. Theranostics 2024; 14:1312-1324. [PMID: 38323316 PMCID: PMC10845201 DOI: 10.7150/thno.89306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Cancer treatment outcome is traditionally evaluated by tumor volume change in clinics, while tumor microvascular heterogeneity reflecting tumor response has not been fully explored due to technical limitations. Methods: We introduce a new paradigm in super-resolution ultrasound imaging, termed pattern recognition of microcirculation (PARM), which identifies both hemodynamic and morphological patterns of tumor microcirculation hidden in spatio-temporal space trajectories of microbubbles. Results: PARM demonstrates the ability to distinguish different local blood flow velocities separated by a distance of 24 μm. Compared with traditional vascular parameters, PARM-derived heterogeneity parameters prove to be more sensitive to microvascular changes following anti-angiogenic therapy. Particularly, PARM-identified "sentinel" microvasculature, exhibiting evident structural changes as early as 24 hours after treatment initiation, correlates significantly with subsequent tumor volume changes (|r| > 0.9, P < 0.05). This provides prognostic insight into tumor response much earlier than clinical criteria. Conclusions: The ability of PARM to noninvasively quantify tumor vascular heterogeneity at the microvascular level may shed new light on early-stage assessment of cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Yin
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Feihong Dong
- College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, and Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian An
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyu Guo
- College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Heping Cheng
- College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, and Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Research Unit of Mitochondria in Brain Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, PKU-Nanjing Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiabin Zhang
- College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, and Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jue Zhang
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
- National Biomedical Imaging Center, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Research Unit of Mitochondria in Brain Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, PKU-Nanjing Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing, China
- College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
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3
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Wiesmann N, Brieger J, Eckrich J. Toxicological Analysis by Assessment of Vascularization and Cell Viability Using the Chicken's Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM Assay). Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2644:403-421. [PMID: 37142937 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3052-5_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay is an increasingly popular method using a hen's egg as an experimental organism. Animal models have been established in scientific research for centuries. Yet, awareness of animal welfare in society rises, and the transferability of findings obtained in rodent models to human physiology is challenged. Thus, using fertilized eggs as an alternative platform for animal experimentation might be a promising alternative. The CAM assay is utilized for toxicological analysis by determination of CAM irritation as well as analysis of organ damage and ultimately death of the embryo. Furthermore the CAM provides a micromilieu suited for the implantation of xenografts. Xenogene tissues and tumors grow on the CAM due to a lack of rejection by the immune system and a dense vascular network providing oxygen and nutrients. Multiple analytical methods including in vivo microscopy and various imaging techniques are applicable to this model. Additionally, ethical aspects, a comparatively low financial burden, and low bureaucratic hurdles legitimize the CAM assay.We here describe an in ovo model utilized for xenotransplantation of a human tumor. The model can be used to evaluate the efficacy as well as the toxicity of different therapeutic agents after intravascular injection. Additionally, we present the evaluation of vascularization and viability by intravital microscopy, ultrasonography, and immunohistochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Wiesmann
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Jürgen Brieger
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jonas Eckrich
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Butler K, Brinker CJ, Leong HS. Bridging the In Vitro to In Vivo gap: Using the Chick Embryo Model to Accelerate Nanoparticle Validation and Qualification for In Vivo studies. ACS NANO 2022; 16:19626-19650. [PMID: 36453753 PMCID: PMC9799072 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c03990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We postulate that nanoparticles (NPs) for use in therapeutic applications have largely not realized their clinical potential due to an overall inability to use in vitro results to predict NP performance in vivo. The avian embryo and associated chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) has emerged as an in vivo preclinical model that bridges the gap between in vitro and in vivo, enabling rapid screening of NP behavior under physiologically relevant conditions and providing a rapid, accessible, economical, and more ethical means of qualifying nanoparticles for in vivo use. The CAM is highly vascularized and mimics the diverging/converging vasculature of the liver, spleen, and lungs that serve as nanoparticle traps. Intravital imaging of fluorescently labeled NPs injected into the CAM vasculature enables immediate assessment and quantification of nano-bio interactions at the individual NP scale in any tissue of interest that is perfused with a microvasculature. In this review, we highlight how utilization of the avian embryo and its CAM as a preclinical model can be used to understand NP stability in blood and tissues, extravasation, biocompatibility, and NP distribution over time, thereby serving to identify a subset of NPs with the requisite stability and performance to introduce into rodent models and enabling the development of structure-property relationships and NP optimization without the sacrifice of large populations of mice or other rodents. We then review how the chicken embryo and CAM model systems have been used to accelerate the development of NP delivery and imaging agents by allowing direct visualization of targeted (active) and nontargeted (passive) NP binding, internalization, and cargo delivery to individual cells (of relevance for the treatment of leukemia and metastatic cancer) and cellular ensembles (e.g., cancer xenografts of interest for treatment or imaging of cancer tumors). We conclude by showcasing emerging techniques for the utilization of the CAM in future nano-bio studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly
S. Butler
- Molecular
and Microbiology, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87123, United States
| | - C. Jeffrey Brinker
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Comprehensive Cancer
Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Hon Sing Leong
- Department
of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto M5G 1L7, Canada
- Biological
Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto M4N 3M5, Canada
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Fetzer DT. US Microvessel Imaging of Rat Liver Microcirculation: Opportunities and Challenges for Human Imaging. Radiology 2022; 307:e222735. [PMID: 36413135 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.222735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David T. Fetzer
- From the Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, E6-230-BF, Dallas, TX 75390-9316
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Zhang W, Huang C, Yin T, Miao X, Deng H, Zheng R, Ren J, Chen S. Ultrasensitive US Microvessel Imaging of Hepatic Microcirculation in the Cirrhotic Rat Liver. Radiology 2022; 307:e220739. [PMID: 36413130 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.220739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Liver microcirculation dysfunction plays a vital role in the occurrence and development of liver diseases, and thus, there is a clinical need for in vivo, noninvasive, and quantitative evaluation of liver microcirculation. Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of ultrasensitive US microvessel imaging (UMI) in the visualization and quantification of hepatic microvessels in healthy and cirrhotic rats. Materials and Methods In vivo studies were performed to image hepatic microvasculature by means of laparotomy in Sprague-Dawley rats (five cirrhotic and five control rats). In vivo conventional power Doppler US and ex vivo micro-CT were performed for comparison. UMI-based quantifications of perfusion, tortuosity, and integrity of microvessels were compared between the control and cirrhotic groups by using the Wilcoxon test. Spearman correlations between quantification parameters and pathologic fibrosis, perfusion function, and hepatic hypoxia were evaluated. Results UMI helped detect minute vessels below the liver capsule, as compared with conventional power Doppler US and micro-CT. With use of UMI, lower perfusion indicated by vessel density (median, 22% [IQR, 20%-28%] vs 41% [IQR, 37%-46%]; P = .008) and fractional moving blood volume (FMBV) (median, 6.4% [IQR, 4.8%-8.6%] vs 13% [IQR, 12%-14%]; P = .008) and higher tortuosity indicated by the sum of angles metric (SOAM) (median, 3.0 [IQR, 2.9-3.0] vs 2.7 [IQR, 2.6-2.9]; P = .008) were demonstrated in the cirrhotic rat group compared with the control group. Vessel density (r = 0.85, P = .003), FMBV (r = 0.86, P = .002), and median SOAM (r = -0.83, P = .003) showed strong correlations with pathologically derived vessel density labeled with dextran. Vessel density (r = -0.81, P = .005) and median SOAM (r = 0.87, P = .001) also showed strong correlations with hepatic tissue hypoxia. Conclusion Contrast-free ultrasensitive US microvessel imaging provided noninvasive in vivo imaging and quantification of hepatic microvessels in cirrhotic rat liver. © RSNA, 2022 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Fetzer in this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- From the Department of Ultrasound, Laboratory of Novel Optoacoustic (Ultrasonic) Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou 510630, China (W.Z., T.Y., X.M., H.D., R.Z., J.R.); and Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minn (C.H., S.C.)
| | - Chengwu Huang
- From the Department of Ultrasound, Laboratory of Novel Optoacoustic (Ultrasonic) Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou 510630, China (W.Z., T.Y., X.M., H.D., R.Z., J.R.); and Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minn (C.H., S.C.)
| | - Tinghui Yin
- From the Department of Ultrasound, Laboratory of Novel Optoacoustic (Ultrasonic) Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou 510630, China (W.Z., T.Y., X.M., H.D., R.Z., J.R.); and Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minn (C.H., S.C.)
| | - Xiaoyan Miao
- From the Department of Ultrasound, Laboratory of Novel Optoacoustic (Ultrasonic) Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou 510630, China (W.Z., T.Y., X.M., H.D., R.Z., J.R.); and Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minn (C.H., S.C.)
| | - Huan Deng
- From the Department of Ultrasound, Laboratory of Novel Optoacoustic (Ultrasonic) Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou 510630, China (W.Z., T.Y., X.M., H.D., R.Z., J.R.); and Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minn (C.H., S.C.)
| | - Rongqin Zheng
- From the Department of Ultrasound, Laboratory of Novel Optoacoustic (Ultrasonic) Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou 510630, China (W.Z., T.Y., X.M., H.D., R.Z., J.R.); and Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minn (C.H., S.C.)
| | - Jie Ren
- From the Department of Ultrasound, Laboratory of Novel Optoacoustic (Ultrasonic) Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou 510630, China (W.Z., T.Y., X.M., H.D., R.Z., J.R.); and Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minn (C.H., S.C.)
| | - Shigao Chen
- From the Department of Ultrasound, Laboratory of Novel Optoacoustic (Ultrasonic) Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Rd, Guangzhou 510630, China (W.Z., T.Y., X.M., H.D., R.Z., J.R.); and Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minn (C.H., S.C.)
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7
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Tang S, Huang C, Gong P, Lok UW, Zhou C, Yang L, Knoll KM, Robinson KA, Sheedy SP, Fletcher JG, Bruining DH, Knudsen JM, Chen S. Adaptive and Robust Vessel Quantification in Contrast-Free Ultrafast Ultrasound Microvessel Imaging. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2022; 48:2095-2109. [PMID: 35882573 PMCID: PMC9427726 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2022.05.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The morphological features of vasculature in diseased tissue differ significantly from those in normal tissue. Therefore, vasculature quantification is crucial for disease diagnosis and staging. Ultrasound microvessel imaging (UMI) with ultrafast ultrasound acquisitions has been determined to have potential in clinical applications given its superior sensitivity in blood flow detection. However, the presence of spatial-dependent noise caused by a low imaging signal-to-noise ratio and incoherent clutter artifacts caused by moving hyperechoic scatterers degrades the performance of UMI and the reliability of vascular quantification. To tackle these issues, we proposed an improved UMI technique along with an adaptive vessel segmentation workflow for robust vessel identification and vascular feature quantification. A previously proposed sub-aperture cross-correlation technique and a normalized cross-correlation technique were applied to equalize the spatially dependent noise level and suppress the incoherent clutter artifact. A square operator and non-local means filter were then used to better separate the blood flow signal from residual background noise. On the de-noised ultrasound microvessel image, an automatic and adaptive vessel segmentation method was developed based on the different spatial patterns of blood flow signal and background noise. The proposed workflow was applied to a CIRS phantom, to a Doppler flow phantom and to an inflammatory bowel, kidney and liver, to validate its feasibility. Results revealed that automatic adaptive, and robust vessel identification performance can be achieved using the proposed method without the subjectivity caused by radiologists/operators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Tang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Chengwu Huang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ping Gong
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - U-Wai Lok
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Chenyun Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA; Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lulu Yang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA; Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Kate M Knoll
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | | | - Joel G Fletcher
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - David H Bruining
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - John M Knudsen
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Shigao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
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8
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Miebach L, Berner J, Bekeschus S. In ovo model in cancer research and tumor immunology. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1006064. [PMID: 36248802 PMCID: PMC9556724 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1006064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Considering cancer not only as malignant cells on their own but as a complex disease in which tumor cells interact and communicate with their microenvironment has motivated the establishment of clinically relevant 3D models in past years. Technological advances gave rise to novel bioengineered models, improved organoid systems, and microfabrication approaches, increasing scientific importance in preclinical research. Notwithstanding, mammalian in vivo models remain closest to mimic the patient’s situation but are limited by cost, time, and ethical constraints. Herein, the in ovo model bridges the gap as an advanced model for basic and translational cancer research without the need for ethical approval. With the avian embryo being a naturally immunodeficient host, tumor cells and primary tissues can be engrafted on the vascularized chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) with high efficiencies regardless of species-specific restrictions. The extraembryonic membranes are connected to the embryo through a continuous circulatory system, readily accessible for manipulation or longitudinal monitoring of tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, and matrix remodeling. However, its applicability in immunoncological research is largely underexplored. Dual engrafting of malignant and immune cells could provide a platform to study tumor-immune cell interactions in a complex, heterogenic and dynamic microenvironment with high reproducibility. With some caveats to keep in mind, versatile methods for in and ex ovo monitoring of cellular and molecular dynamics already established in ovo are applicable alike. In this view, the present review aims to emphasize and discuss opportunities and limitations of the chicken embryo model for pre-clinical research in cancer and cancer immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Miebach
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Greifswald, Germany
- Department of General, Thoracic, Vascular, and Visceral Surgery, Greifswald University Medical Center, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Julia Berner
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Greifswald, Germany
- Department of General, Thoracic, Vascular, and Visceral Surgery, Greifswald University Medical Center, Greifswald, Germany
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medical Center, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sander Bekeschus
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Greifswald, Germany
- Department of General, Thoracic, Vascular, and Visceral Surgery, Greifswald University Medical Center, Greifswald, Germany
- *Correspondence: Sander Bekeschus,
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Huang L, Zhang J, Wei X, Jing L, He Q, Xie X, Wang G, Luo J. Improved Ultrafast Power Doppler Imaging by Using Spatiotemporal Non-Local Means Filtering. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2022; 69:1610-1624. [PMID: 35271440 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2022.3158611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The change of microvasculature is associated with the occurrence and development of many diseases. Ultrafast power Doppler imaging (uPDI) is an emerging technology for the visualization of microvessels due to the development of ultrafast plane wave (PW) imaging and advanced clutter filters. However, the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) caused by unfocused transmit of PW imaging deteriorates the subsequent imaging of microvasculature. Nonlocal means (NLM) filtering has been demonstrated to be effective in the denoising of both natural and medical images, including ultrasound power Doppler images. However, the feasibility and performance of applying an NLM filter on the ultrasound radio frequency (RF) data have not been investigated so far. In this study, we propose to apply an NLM filter on the spatiotemporal domain of clutter filtered blood flow RF data (St-NLM) to improve the quality of uPDI. Experiments were conducted to compare the proposed method with three different methods (under various similarity window sizes), including conventional uPDI without NLM filtering (Non-NLM), NLM filtering on the obtained power Doppler images (PD-NLM), and NLM filtering on the spatial domain of clutter filtered blood flow RF data (S-NLM). Phantom experiments, in vivo contrast-enhanced human spinal cord tumor experiments, and in vivo contrast-free human liver experiments were performed to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed St-NLM method over the other three methods. Qualitative and quantitative results show that the proposed St-NLM method can effectively suppress the background noise, improve the contrast between vessels and background, and preserve the details of small vessels at the same time. In the human liver study, the proposed St-NLM method achieves 31.05-, 24.49-, and 11.15-dB higher contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) and 36.86-, 36.86-, and 15.22-dB lower noise powers than Non-NLM, PD-NLM, and S-NLM, respectively. In the human spinal cord tumor, the full-width at half-maximums (FWHMs) of vessel cross Section are 76, 201, and [Formula: see text] for St-NLM, Non-NLM, and S-NLM, respectively. The proposed St-NLM method can enhance the microvascular visualization in uPDI and has the potential for the diagnosis of many microvessel-change-related diseases.
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10
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Chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay to study treatment effects in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263822. [PMID: 35157705 PMCID: PMC8843199 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a lethal pediatric brain tumor. While there are a number of in vivo rodent models for evaluating tumor biology and response to therapy, these models require significant time and resources. Here, we established the chick-embryo chorioallantoic (CAM) assay as an affordable and time efficient xenograft model for testing a variety of treatment approaches for DIPG. We found that patient-derived DIPG tumors develop in the CAM and maintain the same genetic and epigenetic characteristics of native DIPG tumors. We monitored tumor response to pharmaco- and radiation therapy by 3-D ultrasound volumetric and vasculature analysis. In this study, we established and validated the CAM model as a potential intermediate xenograft model for DIPG and its use for testing novel treatment approaches that include pharmacotherapy or radiation.
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11
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Lowerison MR, Sekaran NVC, Zhang W, Dong Z, Chen X, Llano DA, Song P. Aging-related cerebral microvascular changes visualized using ultrasound localization microscopy in the living mouse. Sci Rep 2022; 12:619. [PMID: 35022482 PMCID: PMC8755738 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04712-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging-related cognitive decline is an emerging health crisis; however, no established unifying mechanism has been identified for the cognitive impairments seen in an aging population. A vascular hypothesis of cognitive decline has been proposed but is difficult to test given the requirement of high-fidelity microvascular imaging resolution with a broad and deep brain imaging field of view, which is restricted by the fundamental trade-off of imaging penetration depth and resolution. Super-resolution ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) offers a potential solution by exploiting circulating microbubbles to achieve a vascular resolution approaching the capillary scale without sacrificing imaging depth. In this report, we apply ULM imaging to a mouse model of aging and quantify differences in cerebral vascularity, blood velocity, and vessel tortuosity across several brain regions. We found significant decreases in blood velocity, and significant increases in vascular tortuosity, across all brain regions in the aged cohort, and significant decreases in blood volume in the cerebral cortex. These data provide the first-ever ULM measurements of subcortical microvascular dynamics in vivo within the context of the aging brain and reveal that aging has a major impact on these measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Lowerison
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Nathiya Vaithiyalingam Chandra Sekaran
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhijie Dong
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Xi Chen
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Daniel A Llano
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Pengfei Song
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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Settell ML, Skubal AC, Chen RCH, Kasole M, Knudsen BE, Nicolai EN, Huang C, Zhou C, Trevathan JK, Upadhye A, Kolluru C, Shoffstall AJ, Williams JC, Suminski AJ, Grill WM, Pelot NA, Chen S, Ludwig KA. In vivo Visualization of Pig Vagus Nerve "Vagotopy" Using Ultrasound. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:676680. [PMID: 34899151 PMCID: PMC8660563 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.676680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Placement of the clinical vagus nerve stimulating cuff is a standard surgical procedure based on anatomical landmarks, with limited patient specificity in terms of fascicular organization or vagal anatomy. As such, the therapeutic effects are generally limited by unwanted side effects of neck muscle contractions, demonstrated by previous studies to result from stimulation of (1) motor fibers near the cuff in the superior laryngeal and (2) motor fibers within the cuff projecting to the recurrent laryngeal. Objective: Conventional non-invasive ultrasound, where the transducer is placed on the surface of the skin, has been previously used to visualize the vagus with respect to other landmarks such as the carotid and internal jugular vein. However, it lacks sufficient resolution to provide details about the vagus fascicular organization, or detail about smaller neural structures such as the recurrent and superior laryngeal branch responsible for therapy limiting side effects. Here, we characterize the use of ultrasound with the transducer placed in the surgical pocket to improve resolution without adding significant additional risk to the surgical procedure in the pig model. Methods: Ultrasound images were obtained from a point of known functional organization at the nodose ganglia to the point of placement of stimulating electrodes within the surgical window. Naïve volunteers with minimal training were then asked to use these ultrasound videos to trace afferent groupings of fascicles from the nodose to their location within the surgical window where a stimulating cuff would normally be placed. Volunteers were asked to select a location for epineural electrode placement away from the fascicles containing efferent motor nerves responsible for therapy limiting side effects. 2-D and 3-D reconstructions of the ultrasound were directly compared to post-mortem histology in the same animals. Results: High-resolution ultrasound from the surgical pocket enabled 2-D and 3-D reconstruction of the cervical vagus and surrounding structures that accurately depicted the functional vagotopy of the pig vagus nerve as confirmed via histology. Although resolution was not sufficient to match specific fascicles between ultrasound and histology 1 to 1, it was sufficient to trace fascicle groupings from a point of known functional organization at the nodose ganglia to their locations within the surgical window at stimulating electrode placement. Naïve volunteers were able place an electrode proximal to the sensory afferent grouping of fascicles and away from the motor nerve efferent grouping of fascicles in each subject (n = 3). Conclusion: The surgical pocket itself provides a unique opportunity to obtain higher resolution ultrasound images of neural targets responsible for intended therapeutic effect and limiting off-target effects. We demonstrate the increase in resolution is sufficient to aid patient-specific electrode placement to optimize outcomes. This simple technique could be easily adopted for multiple neuromodulation targets to better understand how patient specific anatomy impacts functional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L. Settell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aaron C. Skubal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Rex C. H. Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Maïsha Kasole
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Bruce E. Knudsen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Evan N. Nicolai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Chengwu Huang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Chenyun Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - James K. Trevathan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aniruddha Upadhye
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Chaitanya Kolluru
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Andrew J. Shoffstall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Justin C. Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aaron J. Suminski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Warren M. Grill
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Nicole A. Pelot
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Shigao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Kip A. Ludwig
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Jeong H, Kim SR, Kang Y, Kim H, Kim SY, Cho SH, Kim KN. Real-Time Longitudinal Evaluation of Tumor Blood Vessels Using a Compact Preclinical Fluorescence Imaging System. BIOSENSORS 2021; 11:bios11120471. [PMID: 34940228 PMCID: PMC8699707 DOI: 10.3390/bios11120471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Tumor angiogenesis is enhanced in all types of tumors to supply oxygen and nutrients for their growth and metastasis. With the development of anti-angiogenic drugs, the importance of technology that closely monitors tumor angiogenesis has also been emerging. However, to date, the technology for observing blood vessels requires specialized skills with expensive equipment, thereby limiting its applicability only to the laboratory setting. Here, we used a preclinical optical imaging system for small animals and, for the first time, observed, in real time, the entire process of blood vessel development in tumor-bearing mice injected with indocyanine green. Time-lapse sequential imaging revealed blood vessel volume and blood flow dynamics on a microscopic scale. Upon analyzing fluorescence dynamics at each stage of tumor progression, vessel volume and blood flow were found to increase as the tumor developed. Conversely, these vascular parameters decreased when the mice were treated with angiogenesis inhibitors, which suggests that the effects of drugs targeting angiogenesis can be rapidly and easily screened. The results of this study may help evaluate the efficacy of angiogenesis-targeting drugs by facilitating the observation of tumor blood vessels easily in a laboratory unit without large and complex equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoibin Jeong
- Chuncheon Center, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Chuncheon 24341, Korea; (H.J.); (S.-R.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Song-Rae Kim
- Chuncheon Center, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Chuncheon 24341, Korea; (H.J.); (S.-R.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Yujung Kang
- Vieworks, Anyang 14055, Korea; (Y.K.); (H.K.)
| | - Huisu Kim
- Vieworks, Anyang 14055, Korea; (Y.K.); (H.K.)
| | - Seo-Young Kim
- Chuncheon Center, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Chuncheon 24341, Korea; (H.J.); (S.-R.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (S.-H.C.)
- Division of Practical Application, Honam National Institute of Biological Resources, Mokpo 58762, Korea
| | - Su-Hyeon Cho
- Chuncheon Center, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Chuncheon 24341, Korea; (H.J.); (S.-R.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Kil-Nam Kim
- Chuncheon Center, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Chuncheon 24341, Korea; (H.J.); (S.-R.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (S.-H.C.)
- Department of Bio-Analytical Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Korea
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14
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Lowerison M, Zhang W, Chen X, Fan T, Song P. Characterization of Anti-angiogenic Chemo-sensitization via Longitudinal Ultrasound Localization Microscopy in Colorectal Carcinoma Tumor Xenografts. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2021; 69:1449-1460. [PMID: 34633926 PMCID: PMC9014806 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2021.3119280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Super-resolution ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) has unprecedented vascular resolution at clinically relevant imaging penetration depths. This technology can potentially screen for the transient microvascular changes that are thought to be critical to the synergistic effect(s) of combined chemotherapy-antiangiogenic agent regimens for cancer. METHODS In this paper, we apply this technology to a high-throughput colorectal carcinoma xenograft model treated with either the antiangiogenic agent sorafenib, FOLFOX-6 chemotherapy, a combination of the two treatments, or vehicle control. RESULTS Longitudinal ULM demonstrated morphological changes in the antiangiogenic treated cohorts, and evidence of vascular disruption caused by chemotherapy. Gold-standard histological measurements revealed reduced levels of hypoxia in the sorafenib treated cohort for both of the human cell lines tested (HCT-116 and HT-29). Therapy resistance was associated with an increase in tumor vascular fractal dimension as measured by a box-counting technique on ULM images. CONCLUSION These results imply that the morphological changes evident on ULM signify a functional change in the tumor microvasculature, which may be indicative of chemo-sensitivity. SIGNIFICANCE ULM provides additional utility for tumor therapy response evaluation by offering a myriad of morphological and functional quantitative indices for gauging treatment effect(s).
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15
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Applegate CC, Lowerison MR, Hambley E, Song P, Wallig MA, Erdman JW. Dietary tomato inhibits angiogenesis in TRAMP prostate cancer but is not protective with a Western-style diet in this pilot study. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18548. [PMID: 34535690 PMCID: PMC8448771 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97539-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) remains the second most diagnosed cancer worldwide. Higher body weight is associated with chronic inflammation, increased angiogenesis, and treatment-resistant tumor phenotypes. Dietary tomato reduces PCa risk, which may be due to tomato inhibition of angiogenesis and disruption of androgen signaling. This pilot study investigated the interplay between tomato powder (TP), incorporated into control (CON) and obesogenic (OB) diets, and PCa tumor growth and blood perfusion over time in a transgenic model of PCa (TRAMP). Ultrasound microvessel imaging (UMI) results showed good agreement with gold-standard immunohistochemistry quantification of endothelial cell density, indicating that this technique can be applied to non-invasively monitor tumor blood perfusion in vivo. Greater body weight was positively associated with tumor growth. We also found that TP significantly inhibited prostate tumor angiogenesis but that this inhibition differentially affected measured outcomes depending on CON or OB diets. TP led to reduced tumor growth, intratumoral inflammation, and intratumoral androgen-regulated gene expression (srd5a1, srd5a2) when incorporated with the CON diet but greater tumor growth and intratumoral gene expression when incorporated with the OB diet. Results from this study show that protective benefits from dietary tomato are lost, or may become deleterious, when combined with a Western-style diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine C Applegate
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Matthew R Lowerison
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Emma Hambley
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Pengfei Song
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Matthew A Wallig
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - John W Erdman
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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Ommen ML, Schou M, Beers C, Jensen JA, Larsen NB, Thomsen EV. 3D printed calibration micro-phantoms for super-resolution ultrasound imaging validation. ULTRASONICS 2021; 114:106353. [PMID: 33721683 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2021.106353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluates the use of 3D printed phantoms for 3D super-resolution ultrasound imaging (SRI) algorithm calibration. The main benefit of the presented method is the ability to do absolute 3D micro-positioning of sub-wavelength sized ultrasound scatterers in a material having a speed of sound comparable to that of tissue. Stereolithography is used for 3D printing soft material calibration micro-phantoms containing eight randomly placed scatterers of nominal size 205 μm × 205 μm × 200 μm. The backscattered pressure spatial distribution is evaluated to show similar distributions from micro-bubbles as the 3D printed scatterers. The printed structures are found through optical validation to expand linearly in all three dimensions by 2.6% after printing. SRI algorithm calibration is demonstrated by imaging a phantom using a λ/2 pitch 3 MHz 62+62 row-column addressed (RCA) ultrasound probe. The printed scatterers will act as point targets, as their dimensions are below the diffraction limit of the ultrasound system used. Two sets of 640 volumes containing the phantom features are imaged, with an intervolume uni-axial movement of the phantom of 12.5 μm, to emulate a flow velocity of 2 mm/s at a frame rate of 160 Hz. The ultrasound signal is passed to a super-resolution pipeline to localise the positions of the scatterers and track them across the 640 volumes. After compensating for the phantom expansion, a scaling of 0.989 is found between the distance between the eight scatterers calculated from the ultrasound data and the designed distances. The standard deviation of the variation in the scatterer positions along each track is used as an estimate of the precision of the super-resolution algorithm, and is expected to be between the two limiting estimates of (σ̃x,σ̃y,σ̃z) = (22.7 μm, 27.6 μm, 9.7 μm) and (σ̃x,σ̃y,σ̃z) = (18.7 μm, 19.3 μm, 8.9 μm). In conclusion, this study demonstrates the use of 3D printed phantoms for determining the accuracy and precision of volumetric super-resolution algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Lind Ommen
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Mikkel Schou
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Jørgen Arendt Jensen
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Niels Bent Larsen
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Erik Vilain Thomsen
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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Huang C, Song P, Trzasko JD, Gong P, Lok UW, Tang S, Manduca A, Chen S. Simultaneous Noise Suppression and Incoherent Artifact Reduction in Ultrafast Ultrasound Vascular Imaging. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2021; 68:2075-2085. [PMID: 33513103 PMCID: PMC8154644 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2021.3055498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound vascular imaging based on ultrafast plane wave imaging and singular value decomposition (SVD) clutter filtering has demonstrated superior sensitivity in blood flow detection. However, ultrafast ultrasound vascular imaging is susceptible to electronic noise due to the weak penetration of unfocused waves, leading to a lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at larger depths. In addition, incoherent clutter artifacts originating from strong and moving tissue scatterers that cannot be completely removed create a strong mask on top of the blood signal that obscures the vessels. Herein, a method that can simultaneously suppress the background noise and incoherent artifacts is proposed. The method divides the tilted plane or diverging waves into two subgroups. Coherent spatial compounding is performed within each subgroup, resulting in two compounded data sets. An SVD-based clutter filter is applied to each data set, followed by a correlation between the two data sets to produce a vascular image. Uncorrelated noise and incoherent artifacts can be effectively suppressed with the correlation process, while the coherent blood signal can be preserved. The method was evaluated in wire-target simulations and phantom, in which around 7-10-dB SNR improvement was shown. Consistent results were found in a flow channel phantom with improved SNR by the proposed method (39.9 ± 0.2 dB) against conventional power Doppler (29.1 ± 0.6 dB). Last, we demonstrated the effectiveness of the method combined with block-wise SVD clutter filtering in a human liver, breast tumor, and inflammatory bowel disease data sets. The improved blood flow visualization may facilitate more reliable small vessel imaging for a wide range of clinical applications, such as cancer and inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengwu Huang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Pengfei Song
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801
| | - Joshua D. Trzasko
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Ping Gong
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - U-Wai Lok
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Shanshan Tang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Armando Manduca
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905 USA
| | - Shigao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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Jafari Nivlouei S, Soltani M, Carvalho J, Travasso R, Salimpour MR, Shirani E. Multiscale modeling of tumor growth and angiogenesis: Evaluation of tumor-targeted therapy. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009081. [PMID: 34161319 PMCID: PMC8259971 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamics of tumor growth and associated events cover multiple time and spatial scales, generally including extracellular, cellular and intracellular modifications. The main goal of this study is to model the biological and physical behavior of tumor evolution in presence of normal healthy tissue, considering a variety of events involved in the process. These include hyper and hypoactivation of signaling pathways during tumor growth, vessels' growth, intratumoral vascularization and competition of cancer cells with healthy host tissue. The work addresses two distinctive phases in tumor development-the avascular and vascular phases-and in each stage two cases are considered-with and without normal healthy cells. The tumor growth rate increases considerably as closed vessel loops (anastomoses) form around the tumor cells resulting from tumor induced vascularization. When taking into account the host tissue around the tumor, the results show that competition between normal cells and cancer cells leads to the formation of a hypoxic tumor core within a relatively short period of time. Moreover, a dense intratumoral vascular network is formed throughout the entire lesion as a sign of a high malignancy grade, which is consistent with reported experimental data for several types of solid carcinomas. In comparison with other mathematical models of tumor development, in this work we introduce a multiscale simulation that models the cellular interactions and cell behavior as a consequence of the activation of oncogenes and deactivation of gene signaling pathways within each cell. Simulating a therapy that blocks relevant signaling pathways results in the prevention of further tumor growth and leads to an expressive decrease in its size (82% in the simulation).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Jafari Nivlouei
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isafahan, Iran
- CFisUC, Department of Physics, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - M. Soltani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CBB), University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Advanced Bioengineering Initiative Center, Computational Medicine Center, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - João Carvalho
- CFisUC, Department of Physics, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rui Travasso
- CFisUC, Department of Physics, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Ebrahim Shirani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isafahan, Iran
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Foolad Institute of Technology, Fooladshahr, Iran
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Özdemir İ, Johnson K, Mohr-Allen S, Peak KE, Varner V, Hoyt K. Three-dimensional visualization and improved quantification with super-resolution ultrasound imaging - validation framework for analysis of microvascular morphology using a chicken embryo model. Phys Med Biol 2021; 66:085008. [PMID: 33765676 PMCID: PMC8463964 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/abf203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to improve the morphological analysis of microvascular networks depicted in three-dimensional (3D) super-resolution ultrasound (SR-US) images. This was supported by qualitative and quantitative validation by comparison to matched brightfield microscopy and traditional B-mode ultrasound (US) images. Contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) images were collected using a preclinical US scanner (Vevo 3100, FUJIFILM VisualSonics Inc.) equipped with an MX250 linear array transducer. CEUS imaging was performed after administration of a microbubble (MB) contrast agent into the vitelline network of a developing chicken embryo. Volume data was collected by mechanically scanning the US transducer throughout a tissue volume-of-interest in 90μm step increments. CEUS images were collected at each increment and stored as in-phase/quadrature data (2000 frames at 152 frames per sec). SR-US images were created for each cross-sectional plane using established data processing methods. All SR-US images were then used to reconstruct a final 3D volume for vessel diameter (VD) quantification and for surface rendering. VD quantification from the 3D SR-US data exhibited an average error of 6.1% ± 6.0% when compared with matched brightfield microscopy images, whereas measurements from B-mode US images had an average error of 77.1% ± 68.9%. Volume and surface renderings in 3D space enabled qualitative validation and improved visualization of small vessels below the axial resolution of the US system. Overall, 3D SR-US image reconstructions depicted the microvascular network of the developing chicken embryos. Improved visualization of isolated vessels and quantification of microvascular morphology from SR-US images achieved a considerably greater accuracy compared to B-mode US measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- İpek Özdemir
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Kenneth Johnson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Shelby Mohr-Allen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Kara E Peak
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Victor Varner
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Kenneth Hoyt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States of America
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
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Lok UW, Trzasko JD, Huang C, Tang S, Gong P, Kim Y, Lucien F, Lowerison MR, Song P, Chen S. Improved Ultrasound Microvessel Imaging Using Deconvolution with Total Variation Regularization. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2021; 47:1089-1098. [PMID: 33468358 PMCID: PMC7908678 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Singular value decomposition-based clutter filters can robustly reject tissue clutter, allowing for detection of slow blood flow in imaging microvasculature. However, to identify microvessels, high ultrasound frequency must be used to increase the spatial resolution at the expense of shorter depth of penetration. Deconvolution using Tikhonov regularization is an imaging processing method widely used to improve spatial resolution. The ringing artifact of Tikhonov regularization, though, can produce image artifacts such as non-existent microvessels, which degrade image quality. Therefore, a deconvolution method using total variation is proposed in this study to improve spatial resolution and mitigate the ringing artifact. Performance of the proposed method was evaluated using chicken embryo brain, ex ovo chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane and tumor data. Results revealed that the reconstructed power Doppler (PD) images are substantially improved in spatial resolution compared with original PD images: the full width half-maximum (FWHM) of the cross-sectional profile of a microvessel was improved from 132 to 83 µm. Two neighboring microvessels that were 154 µm apart were better separated using the proposed method than conventional PD imaging. Additionally, 223 FWHMs measured from the cross-sectional profiles of 223 vessels were used to determine the improvement in FWHM with the proposed method statistically. The mean ± standard deviation of the FWHM without and with the proposed method was 233.19 ± 85.08 and 172.31 ± 75.11 μm, respectively; the maximum FWHM without and with the proposed method was 693.01 and 668.69 μm; and the minimum FWHM without and with the proposed method was 73.92 and 45.74 μm. There were statistically significant differences between FWHMs with and without the proposed method according to the rank-sum test, p < 0.0001. The contrast-to-noise ratio improved from 1.06 to 4.03 dB with use of the proposed method. We also compared the proposed method with Tikhonov regularization using ex ovo chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane data. We found that the proposed method outperformed Tikhonov regularization as false microvessels appeared using the Tikhonov regularization but not with the proposed method. These results indicate that the proposed method is capable of providing more robust PD images with higher spatial resolution and higher contrast-to-noise ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- U-Wai Lok
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Joshua D Trzasko
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Chengwu Huang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Shanshan Tang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ping Gong
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yohan Kim
- Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Fabrice Lucien
- Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Matthew R Lowerison
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA; Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Pengfei Song
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA; Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Shigao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
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21
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Kastelein AW, de Graaf BC, Latul YP, Verhorstert KWJ, Holthof J, Guler Z, Roovers JPWR. Ultra-high-frequency ultrasound: promising technique to visualize pelvic floor mesh in vivo. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2021; 57:653-654. [PMID: 32621365 DOI: 10.1002/uog.22137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A W Kastelein
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - B C de Graaf
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Y P Latul
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - K W J Verhorstert
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J Holthof
- Fujifilm Visualsonics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Z Guler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J P W R Roovers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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22
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Kang J, Go D, Song I, Yoo Y. Ultrafast Power Doppler Imaging Using Frame-Multiply-and-Sum-Based Nonlinear Compounding. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2021; 68:453-464. [PMID: 32746224 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2020.3011708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafast power Doppler imaging based on coherent compounding (UPDI-CC) has become a promising technique for microvascular imaging due to its high sensitivity to slow blood flows. However, since this method utilizes a limited number of plane-wave or diverging-wave transmissions for high-frame-rate imaging, it suffers from degraded image quality because of the low contrast resolution. In this article, an ultrafast power Doppler imaging method based on a nonlinear compounding framework, called frame-multiply-and-sum (UPDI-FMAS), is proposed to improve contrast resolution. In UPDI-FMAS, unlike conventional channel-domain delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS) beamforming, the signal coherence is estimated based on autocorrelation function over plane-wave angle frames. To avoid phase distortion of blood flow signals during the autocorrelation process, clutter filtering is preferentially applied to individual beamformed plane-wave data set. Therefore, only coherent blood flow signals are emphasized, while incoherent background noise is suppressed. The performance of the UPDI-FMAS was evaluated with simulation, phantom, and in vivo studies. For the simulation and phantom studies with a constant laminar flow, the UPDI-FMAS showed improvements in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) to those of UPDI-CC, i.e., over 10 and 7 dB for 13 plane waves, respectively, and the performances were improved as the number of plane waves increased. Moreover, the enhancement of the image quality due to the increased SNR and CNR in UPDI-FMAS was more clearly depicted with the in vivo study, in which a human kidney and a tumor-bearing mouse were evaluated. These results indicate that the FMAS compounding can improve the image quality of UPDI for microvascular imaging without loss of temporal resolution.
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23
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Thomas AN, Song KH, Upadhyay A, Papadopoulou V, Ramirez D, Benninger RKP, Lowerison M, Song P, Murray TW, Borden MA. Contrast-Enhanced Sonography with Biomimetic Lung Surfactant Nanodrops. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:2386-2396. [PMID: 33566623 PMCID: PMC8988746 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nanodrops comprising a perfluorocarbon liquid core can be acoustically vaporized into echogenic microbubbles for ultrasound imaging. Packaging the microbubble in its condensed liquid state provides some advantages, including in situ activation of the acoustic signal, longer circulation persistence, and the advent of expanded diagnostic and therapeutic applications in pathologies which exhibit compromised vasculature. One obstacle to clinical translation is the inability of the limited surfactant present on the nanodrop to encapsulate the greatly expanded microbubble interface, resulting in ephemeral microbubbles with limited utility. In this study, we examine a biomimetic approach to stabilize an expanding gas surface by employing the lung surfactant replacement, beractant. Lung surfactant contains a suite of lipids and proteins that provide efficient shuttling of material from bilayer folds to the monolayer surface. We hypothesized that beractant would improve stability of acoustically vaporized microbubbles. To test this hypothesis, we characterized beractant surface dilation mechanics and revealed a novel biophysical phenomenon of rapid interfacial melting, spreading, and resolidification. We then harnessed this unique functionality to increase the stability and echogenicity of microbubbles produced after acoustic droplet vaporization for in vivo ultrasound imaging. Such biomimetic lung surfactant-stabilized nanodrops may be useful for applications in ultrasound imaging and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec N Thomas
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, Colorado, United States
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Oxford University, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K
| | - Kang-Ho Song
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, Colorado, United States
| | - Awaneesh Upadhyay
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, Colorado, United States
| | - Virginie Papadopoulou
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill & North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill 27514, North Carolina, United States
| | - David Ramirez
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Boulder 80045, Colorado, United States
| | - Richard K P Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Boulder 80045, Colorado, United States
| | - Matthew Lowerison
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 61801, Colorado, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 61801, Colorado, United States
| | - Pengfei Song
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 61801, Colorado, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 61801, Colorado, United States
| | - Todd W Murray
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, Colorado, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, Colorado, United States
| | - Mark A Borden
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, Colorado, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, Colorado, United States
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24
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Eckrich J, Kugler P, Buhr CR, Ernst BP, Mendler S, Baumgart J, Brieger J, Wiesmann N. Monitoring of tumor growth and vascularization with repetitive ultrasonography in the chicken chorioallantoic-membrane-assay. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18585. [PMID: 33122780 PMCID: PMC7596505 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75660-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The chorioallantoic-membrane (CAM)-assay is an established model for in vivo tumor research. Contrary to rodent-xenograft-models, the CAM-assay does not require breeding of immunodeficient strains due to native immunodeficiency. This allows xenografts to grow on the non-innervated CAM without pain or impairment for the embryo. Considering multidirectional tumor growth, limited monitoring capability of tumor size is the main methodological limitation of the CAM-assay for tumor research. Enclosure of the tumor by the radiopaque eggshell and the small structural size only allows monitoring from above and challenges established imaging techniques. We report the eligibility of ultrasonography for repetitive visualization of tumor growth and vascularization in the CAM-assay. After tumor ingrowth, ultrasonography was repetitively performed in ovo using a commercial ultrasonographic scanner. Finally, the tumor was excised and histologically analyzed. Tumor growth and angiogenesis were successfully monitored and findings in ultrasonographic imaging significantly correlated with results obtained in histological analysis. Ultrasonography is cost efficient and widely available. Tumor imaging in ovo enables the longitudinal monitoring of tumoral development, yet allowing high quantitative output due to the CAM-assays simple and cheap methodology. Thus, this methodological novelty improves reproducibility in the field of in vivo tumor experimentation emphasizing the CAM-assay as an alternative to rodent-xenograft-models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Eckrich
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Philipp Kugler
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christoph Raphael Buhr
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Benjamin Philipp Ernst
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Simone Mendler
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jan Baumgart
- Translational Animal Research Center, University Medical Center Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 19, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Juergen Brieger
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nadine Wiesmann
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
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25
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Andersen SB, Taghavi I, Hoyos CAV, Søgaard SB, Gran F, Lönn L, Hansen KL, Jensen JA, Nielsen MB, Sørensen CM. Super-Resolution Imaging with Ultrasound for Visualization of the Renal Microvasculature in Rats Before and After Renal Ischemia: A Pilot Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:diagnostics10110862. [PMID: 33105888 PMCID: PMC7690607 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10110862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In vivo monitoring of the microvasculature is relevant since diseases such as diabetes, ischemia, or cancer cause microvascular impairment. Super-resolution ultrasound imaging allows in vivo examination of the microvasculature by detecting and tracking sparsely distributed intravascular microbubbles over a minute-long period. The ability to create detailed images of the renal vasculature of Sprague-Dawley rats using a modified clinical ultrasound platform was investigated in this study. Additionally, we hypothesized that early ischemic damage to the renal microcirculation could be visualized. After a baseline scan of the exposed kidney, 10 rats underwent clamping of the renal vein (n = 5) or artery (n = 5) for 45 min. The kidneys were rescanned at the onset of clamp release and after 60 min of reperfusion. Using a processing pipeline for tissue motion compensation and microbubble tracking, super-resolution images with a very high level of detail were constructed. Image filtration allowed further characterization of the vasculature by isolating specific vessels such as the ascending vasa recta with a 15–20 μm diameter. Using the super-resolution images alone, it was only possible for six assessors to consistently distinguish the healthy renal microvasculature from the microvasculature at the onset of vein clamp release. Future studies will aim at attaining quantitative estimations of alterations in the renal microvascular blood flow using super-resolution ultrasound imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Bech Andersen
- Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (S.B.S.); (L.L.); (K.L.H.); (M.B.N.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark;
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence:
| | - Iman Taghavi
- Center for Fast Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark; (I.T.); (J.A.J.)
| | | | - Stinne Byrholdt Søgaard
- Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (S.B.S.); (L.L.); (K.L.H.); (M.B.N.)
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Fredrik Gran
- BK Medical ApS, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (C.A.V.H.); (F.G.)
| | - Lars Lönn
- Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (S.B.S.); (L.L.); (K.L.H.); (M.B.N.)
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristoffer Lindskov Hansen
- Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (S.B.S.); (L.L.); (K.L.H.); (M.B.N.)
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Arendt Jensen
- Center for Fast Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark; (I.T.); (J.A.J.)
| | - Michael Bachmann Nielsen
- Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (S.B.S.); (L.L.); (K.L.H.); (M.B.N.)
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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26
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Huang C, Lowerison MR, Trzasko JD, Manduca A, Bresler Y, Tang S, Gong P, Lok UW, Song P, Chen S. Short Acquisition Time Super-Resolution Ultrasound Microvessel Imaging via Microbubble Separation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6007. [PMID: 32265457 PMCID: PMC7138805 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62898-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Super-resolution ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM), based on localization and tracking of individual microbubbles (MBs), offers unprecedented microvascular imaging resolution at clinically relevant penetration depths. However, ULM is currently limited by the requirement of dilute MB concentrations to ensure spatially sparse MB events for accurate localization and tracking. The corresponding long imaging acquisition times (tens of seconds or several minutes) to accumulate sufficient isolated MB events for full reconstruction of microvasculature preclude the clinical translation of the technique. To break this fundamental tradeoff between acquisition time and MB concentration, in this paper we propose to separate spatially overlapping MB events into sub-populations, each with sparser MB concentration, based on spatiotemporal differences in the flow dynamics (flow speeds and directions). MB localization and tracking are performed for each sub-population separately, permitting more robust ULM imaging of high-concentration MB injections. The superiority of the proposed MB separation technique over conventional ULM processing is demonstrated in flow channel phantom data, and in the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken embryos with optical imaging as an in vivo reference standard. Substantial improvement of ULM is further demonstrated on a chicken embryo tumor xenograft model and a chicken brain, showing both morphological and functional microvasculature details at super-resolution within a short acquisition time (several seconds). The proposed technique allows more robust MB localization and tracking at relatively high MB concentrations, alleviating the need for dilute MB injections, and thereby shortening the acquisition time of ULM imaging and showing great potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengwu Huang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Matthew R Lowerison
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Joshua D Trzasko
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Armando Manduca
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Yoram Bresler
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Coordinated Science Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Shanshan Tang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Ping Gong
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - U-Wai Lok
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Pengfei Song
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
| | - Shigao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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27
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Lowerison MR, Huang C, Lucien F, Chen S, Song P. Ultrasound localization microscopy of renal tumor xenografts in chicken embryo is correlated to hypoxia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2478. [PMID: 32051485 PMCID: PMC7015937 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59338-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) permits the reconstruction of super-resolved microvascular images at clinically relevant penetration depths, which can be potentially leveraged to provide non-invasive quantitative measures of tissue hemodynamics and hypoxic status. We demonstrate that ULM microbubble data processing methods, applied to images acquired with a Verasonics Vantage 256 system, can provide a non-invasive imaging surrogate biomarker of tissue oxygenation status. This technique was applied to evaluate the microvascular structure, vascular perfusion, and hypoxia of a renal cell carcinoma xenograft model grown in the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken embryos. Histological microvascular density was significantly correlated to ULM measures of intervessel distance (R = -0.92, CI95 = [-0.99,-0.42], p = 0.01). The Distance Metric, a measure of vascular tortuosity, was found to be significantly correlated to hypoxyprobe quantifications (R = 0.86, CI95 = [0.17, 0.99], p = 0.03). ULM, by providing non-invasive in vivo microvascular structural information, has the potential to be a crucial clinical imaging modality for the diagnosis and therapy monitoring of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Lowerison
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Chengwu Huang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Fabrice Lucien
- Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Shigao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| | - Pengfei Song
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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