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McCall JR, DeRuiter R, Ross M, Santibanez F, Hingtgen SD, Pinton GF, Dayton PA. Longitudinal 3-D Visualization of Microvascular Disruption and Perfusion Changes in Mice During the Evolution of Glioblastoma Using Super-Resolution Ultrasound. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2023; 70:1401-1416. [PMID: 37756182 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2023.3320034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with a very poor prognosis in which less than 6% of patients survive more than five-year post-diagnosis. The outcome of this disease for many patients may be improved by early detection. This could provide clinicians with the information needed to take early action for treatment. In this work, we present the utilization of a non-invasive, fully volumetric ultrasonic imaging method to assess microvascular change during the evolution of glioblastoma in mice. Volumetric ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) was used to observe statistically significant ( ) reduction in the appearance of functional vasculature over the course of three weeks. We also demonstrate evidence suggesting the reduction of vascular flow for vessels peripheral to the tumor. With an 82.5% consistency rate in acquiring high-quality vascular images, we demonstrate the possibility of volumetric ULM as a longitudinal method for microvascular characterization of neurological disease.
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McCall JR, Santibanez F, Belgharbi H, Pinton GF, Dayton PA. Non-invasive transcranial volumetric ultrasound localization microscopy of the rat brain with continuous, high volume-rate acquisition. Theranostics 2023; 13:1235-1246. [PMID: 36923540 PMCID: PMC10008741 DOI: 10.7150/thno.79189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Structure and function of the microvasculature provides critical information about disease state, can be used to identify local regions of pathology, and has been shown to be an indicator of response to therapy. Improved methods of assessing the microvasculature with non-invasive imaging modalities such as ultrasound will have an impact in biomedical theranostics. Ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) is a new technology which allows processing of ultrasound data for visualization of microvasculature at a resolution better than allowed by acoustic diffraction with traditional ultrasound systems. Previous application of this modality in brain imaging has required the use of invasive procedures, such as a craniotomy, skull-thinning, or scalp removal, all of which are not feasible for the purpose of longitudinal studies. Methods: The impact of ultrasound localization microscopy is expanded using a 1024 channel matrix array ultrasonic transducer, four synchronized programmable ultrasound systems with customized high-performance hardware and software, and high-performance GPUs for processing. The potential of the imaging hardware and processing approaches are demonstrated in-vivo. Results: Our unique implementation allows asynchronous acquisition and data transfer for uninterrupted data collection at an ultra-high fixed frame rate. Using these methods, the vasculature was imaged using 100,000 volumes continuously at a volume acquisition rate of 500 volumes per second. With ULM, we achieved a resolution of 31 µm, which is a resolution improvement on conventional ultrasound imaging by nearly a factor of ten, in 3-D. This was accomplished while imaging through the intact skull with no scalp removal, which demonstrates the utility of this method for longitudinal studies. Conclusions: The results demonstrate new capabilities to rapidly image and analyze complex vascular networks in 3-D volume space for structural and functional imaging in disease assessment, targeted therapeutic delivery, monitoring response to therapy, and other theranostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob R McCall
- The Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University.,Electrical and Computer Engineering, NC State University
| | - Francisco Santibanez
- The Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University
| | - Hatim Belgharbi
- The Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University
| | - Gianmarco F Pinton
- The Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University
| | - Paul A Dayton
- The Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University
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Newsome IG, Dayton PA. Visualization of Microvascular Angiogenesis Using Dual-Frequency Contrast-Enhanced Acoustic Angiography: A Review. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2020; 46:2625-2635. [PMID: 32703659 PMCID: PMC7608693 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancerous tumor growth is associated with the development of tortuous, chaotic microvasculature, and this aberrant microvascular morphology can act as a biomarker of malignant disease. Acoustic angiography is a contrast-enhanced ultrasound technique that relies on superharmonic imaging to form high-resolution 3-D maps of the microvasculature. To date, acoustic angiography has been performed with dual-element transducers that can achieve high contrast-to-tissue ratio and resolution in pre-clinical small animal models. In this review, we first describe the development of acoustic angiography, including the principle, transducer design, and optimization of superharmonic imaging techniques. We then detail several preclinical applications of this microvascular imaging method, as well as the current and future development of acoustic angiography as a pre-clinical and clinical diagnostic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel G Newsome
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Paul A Dayton
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
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Kierski TM, Espindola D, Newsome IG, Cherin E, Yin J, Foster FS, Demore CEM, Pinton GF, Dayton PA. Superharmonic Ultrasound for Motion-Independent Localization Microscopy: Applications to Microvascular Imaging From Low to High Flow Rates. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2020; 67:957-967. [PMID: 31940529 PMCID: PMC7297200 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2020.2965767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in high frame rate biomedical ultrasound have led to the development of ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM), a method of imaging microbubble (MB) contrast agents beyond the diffraction limit of conventional coherent imaging techniques. By localizing and tracking the positions of thousands of individual MBs, ultrahigh resolution vascular maps are generated which can be further analyzed to study disease. Isolating bubble echoes from tissue signal is a key requirement for super-resolution imaging which relies on the spatiotemporal separability and localization of the bubble signals. To date, this has been accomplished either during acquisition using contrast imaging sequences or post-beamforming by applying a spatiotemporal filter to the B-mode images. Superharmonic imaging (SHI) is another contrast imaging method that separates bubbles from tissue based on their strongly nonlinear acoustic properties. This approach is highly sensitive, and, unlike spatiotemporal filters, it does not require decorrelation of contrast agent signals. Since this superharmonic method does not rely on bubble velocity, it can detect completely stationary and moving bubbles alike. In this work, we apply SHI to ULM and demonstrate an average improvement in SNR of 10.3-dB in vitro when compared with the standard singular value decomposition filter approach and an increase in SNR at low flow ( [Formula: see text]/frame) from 5 to 16.5 dB. Additionally, we apply this method to imaging a rodent kidney in vivo and measure vessels as small as [Formula: see text] in diameter after motion correction.
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Tsuruta J, White R, Klauber-DeMore N, Dayton PA. Accelerated blood clearance of targeted ultrasound contrast reduced molecular imaging signal intensity: Secreted Frizzled Related Protein-2 signal remained significantly higher than signal from either Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 or alpha Vbeta 3 integrin. IEEE INTERNATIONAL ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM : [PROCEEDINGS]. IEEE INTERNATIONAL ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM 2019; 2019:407-410. [PMID: 34650779 DOI: 10.1109/ultsym.2019.8925919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Multiple doses of polyethylene glycol (PEG) decorated pharmaceuticals cause accelerated blood clearance (ABC) due to the generation of antibodies reactive to the PEG moiety. Using molecular imaging to monitor response to therapy could be complicated by the ABC effect due to PEG chains in microbubble lipid shells. Our objective was to measure the half-life of targeted contrast flowing through non-tumor tissue during longitudinal imaging studies, and to determine which targeted agent returned the highest signal intensity within tumors. The molecular imaging signals from contrast agents targeted to three distinct molecular targets, Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein-2 (SFRP2), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 (VEGFR2), AlphaVBeta3 Integrin (avb3) were all significantly correlated to contrast half-life. The molecular imaging signal from SFRP2 remained significantly higher than the signal returned by ultrasound contrast targeted to either VEGFR2 or avb3 before and after restricting analyses to imaging exams with similar half-lives. We hypothesize that increasing immune clearance rates during our longitudinal studies limited the amount of targeted contrast able to perfuse tumor vasculature, and that this resulted in a global dose-dependent decrease in molecular imaging signals. Molecular imaging may underestimate biomarker levels as longitudinal studies progress and as contrast half-lives decrease, unless contrast dosing is normalized by the amount of contrast able to reach the tumor and surrounding tissue rather than by the injected dosage.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Tsuruta
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rachel White
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nancy Klauber-DeMore
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Paul A Dayton
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Newsome IG, Kierski TM, Dayton PA. Assessment of the Superharmonic Response of Microbubble Contrast Agents for Acoustic Angiography as a Function of Microbubble Parameters. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2019; 45:2515-2524. [PMID: 31174922 PMCID: PMC7202402 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic angiography is a superharmonic contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging technique that enables 3-D high-resolution microvascular visualization. This technique utilizes a dual-frequency imaging strategy, transmitting at a low frequency and receiving at a higher frequency, to detect high-frequency contrast agent signatures and separate them from tissue background. Prior studies have illustrated differences in microbubble scatter dependent on microbubble size and composition; however, most previously reported data have utilized a relatively narrow frequency bandwidth centered around the excitation frequency. To date, a comprehensive study of isolated microbubble superharmonic responses with a broadband dual-frequency system has not been performed. Here, the superharmonic signal production of 14 contrast agents with various gas cores, shell compositions, and bubble diameters at mechanical indices of 0.2 to 1.2 was evaluated using a transmit 4 MHz, receive 25 MHz configuration. Results indicate that perfluorocarbon cores or lipid shells with 18- or 20-carbon acyl chains produce more superharmonic signal than sulfur hexafluoride cores or lipid shells with 16-carbon acyl chains, respectively. As microbubble diameter increases from 1 to 4 µm, superharmonic generation decreases. In a comparison of two clinical agents, Definity and Optison, and one preclinical agent, Micromarker, Optison produced the least superharmonic signal. Overall, this work suggests that microbubbles around 1 μm in diameter with perfluorocarbon cores and longer-chained lipid shells perform best for superharmonic imaging at 4 MHz. Studies have found that microbubble superharmonic response follows trends different from those described in prior studies using a narrower frequency bandwidth centered around the excitation frequency. Future work will apply these results in vivo to optimize the sensitivity of acoustic angiography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel G Newsome
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Thomas M Kierski
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Paul A Dayton
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
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Wischhusen J, Padilla F. Ultrasound Molecular Imaging with Targeted Microbubbles for Cancer Diagnostics: From Bench to Bedside. Ing Rech Biomed 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.irbm.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Wischhusen J, Wilson KE, Delcros JG, Molina-Peña R, Gibert B, Jiang S, Ngo J, Goldschneider D, Mehlen P, Willmann JK, Padilla F. Ultrasound molecular imaging as a non-invasive companion diagnostic for netrin-1 interference therapy in breast cancer. Theranostics 2018; 8:5126-5142. [PMID: 30429890 PMCID: PMC6217066 DOI: 10.7150/thno.27221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In ultrasound molecular imaging (USMI), ligand-functionalized microbubbles (MBs) are used to visualize vascular endothelial targets. Netrin-1 is upregulated in 60% of metastatic breast cancers and promotes tumor progression. A novel netrin-1 interference therapy requires the assessment of netrin-1 expression prior to treatment. In this study, we studied netrin-1 as a target for USMI and its potential as a companion diagnostic in breast cancer models. Methods: To verify netrin-1 expression and localization, an in vivo immuno-localization approach was applied, in which anti-netrin-1 antibody was injected into living mice 24 h before tumor collection, and revealed with secondary fluorescent antibody for immunofluorescence analysis. Netrin-1 interactions with the cell surface were studied by flow cytometry. Netrin-1-targeted MBs were prepared using MicroMarker Target-Ready (VisualSonics), and validated in in vitro binding assays in static conditions or in a flow chamber using purified netrin-1 protein or netrin-1-expressing cancer cells. In vivo USMI of netrin-1 was validated in nude mice bearing human netrin-1-positive SKBR7 tumors or weakly netrin-1-expressing MDA-MB-231 tumors using the Vevo 2100 small animal imaging device (VisualSonics). USMI feasibility was further tested in transgenic murine FVB/N Tg(MMTV/PyMT634Mul) (MMTV-PyMT) mammary tumors. Results: Netrin-1 co-localized with endothelial CD31 in netrin-1-positive breast tumors. Netrin-1 binding to the surface of endothelial HUVEC and cancer cells was partially mediated by heparan sulfate proteoglycans. MBs targeted with humanized monoclonal anti-netrin-1 antibody bound to netrin-1-expressing cancer cells in static and dynamic conditions. USMI signal was significantly increased with anti-netrin-1 MBs in human SKBR7 breast tumors and transgenic murine MMTV-PyMT mammary tumors compared to signals recorded with either isotype control MBs or after blocking of netrin-1 with humanized monoclonal anti-netrin-1 antibody. In weakly netrin-1-expressing human tumors and normal mammary glands, no difference in imaging signal was observed with anti-netrin-1- and isotype control MBs. Ex vivo analysis confirmed netrin-1 expression in MMTV-PyMT tumors. Conclusions: These results show that USMI allowed reliable detection of netrin-1 on the endothelium of netrin-1-positive human and murine tumors. Significant differences in USMI signal for netrin-1 reflected the significant differences in netrin-1 mRNA & protein expression observed between different breast tumor models. The imaging approach was non-invasive and safe, and provided the netrin-1 expression status in near real-time. Thus, USMI of netrin-1 has the potential to become a companion diagnostic for the stratification of patients for netrin-1 interference therapy in future clinical trials.
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