MO-FG-210-00: US Guided Systems for Brachytherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

Ultrasound (US) is one of the most widely used imaging modalities in medical practice. Since US imaging offers real-time imaging capability, it has becomes an excellent option to provide image guidance for brachytherapy (IGBT). (1) The physics and the fundamental principles of US imaging are presented, and the typical steps required to commission an US system for IGBT is provided for illustration. (2) Application of US for prostate HDR brachytherapy, including partial prostate treatments using MR-ultrasound co-registration to enable a focused treatment on the disease within the prostate is also presented. Prostate HDR with US image guidance planning can benefitmore » from real time visualization of the needles, and fusion of the ultrasound images with T2 weighted MR allows the focusing of the treatment to the specific areas of disease within the prostate, so that the entire gland need not be treated. Finally, (3) ultrasound guidance for an eye plaque program is presented. US can be a key component of placement and QA for episcleral plaque brachytherapy for ocular cancer, and the UCLA eye plaque program with US for image guidance is presented to demonstrate the utility of US verification of plaque placement in improving the methods and QA in episcleral plaque brachytherapy. Learning Objectives: To understand the physics of an US system and the necessary aspects of commissioning US for image guided brachytherapy (IGBT). To understand real time planning of prostate HDR using ultrasound, and its application in partial prostate treatments using MR-ultrasound fusion to focus treatment on disease within the prostate. To understand the methods and QA in applying US for localizing the target and the implant during a episcleral plaque brachytherapy procedures.« less

MO-FG-210-01: Commissioning An US System for Brachytherapy: An Overview of Physics, Instrumentation, and Techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Z.

Ultrasound (US) is one of the most widely used imaging modalities in medical practice. Since US imaging offers real-time imaging capability, it has becomes an excellent option to provide image guidance for brachytherapy (IGBT). (1) The physics and the fundamental principles of US imaging are presented, and the typical steps required to commission an US system for IGBT is provided for illustration. (2) Application of US for prostate HDR brachytherapy, including partial prostate treatments using MR-ultrasound co-registration to enable a focused treatment on the disease within the prostate is also presented. Prostate HDR with US image guidance planning can benefitmore » from real time visualization of the needles, and fusion of the ultrasound images with T2 weighted MR allows the focusing of the treatment to the specific areas of disease within the prostate, so that the entire gland need not be treated. Finally, (3) ultrasound guidance for an eye plaque program is presented. US can be a key component of placement and QA for episcleral plaque brachytherapy for ocular cancer, and the UCLA eye plaque program with US for image guidance is presented to demonstrate the utility of US verification of plaque placement in improving the methods and QA in episcleral plaque brachytherapy. Learning Objectives: To understand the physics of an US system and the necessary aspects of commissioning US for image guided brachytherapy (IGBT). To understand real time planning of prostate HDR using ultrasound, and its application in partial prostate treatments using MR-ultrasound fusion to focus treatment on disease within the prostate. To understand the methods and QA in applying US for localizing the target and the implant during a episcleral plaque brachytherapy procedures.« less

Ceramic membrane ultrafiltration of natural surface water with ultrasound enhanced backwashing.

PubMed

Boley, A; Narasimhan, K; Kieninger, M; Müller, W-R

2010-01-01

Ultrafiltration membrane cleaning with ultrasound enhanced backwashing was investigated with two ceramic membrane systems in parallel. One of them was subjected to ultrasound during backwashing, the other acted as a reference system. The feed water was directly taken from a creek with a sedimentation process as only pre-treatment. The cleaning performance was improved with ultrasound but after 3 weeks of operation damages occurred on the membranes. These effects were studied with online measurements of flux, trans-membrane-pressure and temperature, but also with integrity tests, turbidity measurements and visual examination.

MO-FG-210-02: Implementation of Image-Guided Prostate HDR Brachytherapy Using MR-Ultrasound Fusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Libby, B.

Ultrasound (US) is one of the most widely used imaging modalities in medical practice. Since US imaging offers real-time imaging capability, it has becomes an excellent option to provide image guidance for brachytherapy (IGBT). (1) The physics and the fundamental principles of US imaging are presented, and the typical steps required to commission an US system for IGBT is provided for illustration. (2) Application of US for prostate HDR brachytherapy, including partial prostate treatments using MR-ultrasound co-registration to enable a focused treatment on the disease within the prostate is also presented. Prostate HDR with US image guidance planning can benefitmore » from real time visualization of the needles, and fusion of the ultrasound images with T2 weighted MR allows the focusing of the treatment to the specific areas of disease within the prostate, so that the entire gland need not be treated. Finally, (3) ultrasound guidance for an eye plaque program is presented. US can be a key component of placement and QA for episcleral plaque brachytherapy for ocular cancer, and the UCLA eye plaque program with US for image guidance is presented to demonstrate the utility of US verification of plaque placement in improving the methods and QA in episcleral plaque brachytherapy. Learning Objectives: To understand the physics of an US system and the necessary aspects of commissioning US for image guided brachytherapy (IGBT). To understand real time planning of prostate HDR using ultrasound, and its application in partial prostate treatments using MR-ultrasound fusion to focus treatment on disease within the prostate. To understand the methods and QA in applying US for localizing the target and the implant during a episcleral plaque brachytherapy procedures.« less

Stability, Antioxidant Capacity and Degradation Kinetics of Pelargonidin-3-glucoside Exposed to Ultrasound Power at Low Temperature.

PubMed

Sun, Jianxia; Mei, Zhouxiong; Tang, Yajuan; Ding, Lijun; Jiang, Guichuan; Zhang, Chi; Sun, Aidong; Bai, Weibin

2016-08-24

As an alternative preservation method to thermal treatment, ultrasound is a novel non-thermal processing technology that can significantly avoid undesirable nutritional changes. However, recently literature indicated that anthocyanin degradation occurred when high amplitude ultrasound was applied to juice. This work mainly studied the effect of ultrasound on the stability and antioxidant capacity of pelargonidin-3-glucoside (Pg-3-glu) and the correlation between anthocyanin degradation and •OH generation in a simulated system. Results indicated that the spectral intensities of Pg-3-glu decreased with increasing ultrasound power (200-500 W) and treatment time (0-60 min). The degradation trend was consistent with first-order reaction kinetics (R² > 0.9100). Further study showed that there was a good linear correlation between Pg-3-glu degradation and •OH production (R² = 0.8790), which indicated the important role of •OH in the degradation of anthocyanin during ultrasound exposure. Moreover, a decrease in the antioxidant activity of solution(s) containing Pg-3-glu as evaluated by the DPPH and FRAP methods was observed after ultrasound treatment.

WE-G-12A-01: High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Surgery and Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farahani, K; O'Neill, B

More and more emphasis is being made on alternatives to invasive surgery and the use of ionizing radiation to treat various diseases including cancer. Novel screening, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of response to treatment are also hot areas of research and new clinical technologies. Ultrasound(US) has gained traction in all of the aforementioned areas of focus. Especially with recent advances in the use of ultrasound to noninvasively treat various diseases/organ systems. This session will focus on covering MR-guided focused ultrasound and the state of the art clinical applications, and the second speaker will survey the more cutting edge technologies e.g.more » Focused Ultrasound (FUS) mediated drug delivery, principles of cavitation and US guided FUS. Learning Objectives: Fundamental physics and physical limitations of US interaction with tissue and nanoparticles The alteration of tissue transport using focused ultrasound US control of nanoparticle drug carriers for targeted release The basic principles of MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) surgery and therapy the current state of the art clinical applications of MRgFUS requirements for quality assurance and treatment planning.« less

Magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids: impact of technology advancement on ablation volumes in 115 patients.

PubMed

Trumm, Christoph G; Stahl, Robert; Clevert, Dirk-André; Herzog, Peter; Mindjuk, Irene; Kornprobst, Sabine; Schwarz, Christina; Hoffmann, Ralf-Thorsten; Reiser, Maximilian F; Matzko, Matthias

2013-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the advanced technology of the new ExAblate 2100 system (Insightec Ltd, Haifa, Israel) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focused ultrasound surgery on treatment outcomes in patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids, as measured by the nonperfused volume ratio. This is a retrospective analysis of 115 women (mean age, 42 years; range, 27-54 years) with symptomatic fibroids who consecutively underwent MRI-guided focused ultrasound treatment in a single center with the new generation ExAblate 2100 system from November 2010 to June 2011. Mean ± SD total volume and number of treated fibroids (per patient) were 89 ± 94 cm and 2.2 ± 1.7, respectively. Patient baseline characteristics were analyzed regarding their impact on the resulting nonperfused volume ratio. Magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound treatment was technically successful in 115 of 123 patients (93.5%). In 8 patients, treatment was not possible because of bowel loops in the beam pathway that could not be mitigated (n = 6), patient movement (n = 1), and system malfunction (n = 1). Mean nonperfused volume ratio was 88% ± 15% (range, 38%-100%). Mean applied energy level was 5400 ± 1200 J, and mean number of sonications was 74 ± 27. No major complications occurred. Two cases of first-degree skin burn resolved within 1 week after the intervention. Of the baseline characteristics analyzed, only the planned treatment volume had a statistically significant impact on nonperfused volume ratio. With technological advancement, the outcome of MRI-guided focused ultrasound treatment in terms of the nonperfused volume ratio can be enhanced with a high safety profile, markedly exceeding results reported in previous clinical trials.

In Vitro Investigation of the Individual Contributions of Ultrasound-Induced Stable and Inertial Cavitation in Targeted Drug Delivery.

PubMed

Gourevich, Dana; Volovick, Alexander; Dogadkin, Osnat; Wang, Lijun; Mulvana, Helen; Medan, Yoav; Melzer, Andreas; Cochran, Sandy

2015-07-01

Ultrasound-mediated targeted drug delivery is a therapeutic modality under development with the potential to treat cancer. Its ability to produce local hyperthermia and cell poration through cavitation non-invasively makes it a candidate to trigger drug delivery. Hyperthermia offers greater potential for control, particularly with magnetic resonance imaging temperature measurement. However, cavitation may offer reduced treatment times, with real-time measurement of ultrasonic spectra indicating drug dose and treatment success. Here, a clinical magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound surgery system was used to study ultrasound-mediated targeted drug delivery in vitro. Drug uptake into breast cancer cells in the vicinity of ultrasound contrast agent was correlated with occurrence and quantity of stable and inertial cavitation, classified according to subharmonic spectra. During stable cavitation, intracellular drug uptake increased by a factor up to 3.2 compared with the control. Reported here are the value of cavitation monitoring with a clinical system and its subsequent employment for dose optimization. Copyright © 2015 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery for treatment of painful osseous metastases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurwitz, Mark; Machtinger, Ronit; Fennessy, Fiona

2011-03-01

Magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is an emerging technology that can non-invasively heat and ablate targeted tissue utilizing ultrasound energy. Use of MR imaging for treatment guidance provides several key advantages over more widely used ultrasound guidance for focused ultrasound ablation. MR allows for precise targeting, detailed beam path visualization, real time non-invasive temperature measurement, and treatment feedback to ensure therapeutic goals are achieved. In the realm of oncology, management of painful bone metastases is a common and daunting clinical problem. The Insightec ExAblate System has been shown in phase I/II trials for treatment of bone metastases to have an excellent safety profile and high rates of pain response. An international multi-center phase III trial for patients with painful bone metastases or multiple myeloma who are not candidates for radiation therapy is currently open. Patients are randomized 3:1 to MRgFUS or sham treatment with crossover to study treatment allowed for sham failures. The primary study endpoint is assessment of pain control over 3 months following treatment. In addition safety, quality of life, cost effectiveness analysis, and patient perceived clinical benefit are also being assessed. Details of the MRgFUS system, technical and clinical therapeutic parameters, use of real time non-invasive MR thermometry, and examples of patient treatments with use of MRgFUS to treat bone metastases will be discussed. New directions in use of MRgFUS including an update on development of a new mobile applicator and integration of MRgFUS in multimodality oncologic care will also be presented.

MO-FG-210-03: Intraoperative Ultrasonography-Guided Positioning of Plaque Brachytherapy in the Treatment of Choroidal Melanoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lamb, J.

2015-06-15

Ultrasound (US) is one of the most widely used imaging modalities in medical practice. Since US imaging offers real-time imaging capability, it has becomes an excellent option to provide image guidance for brachytherapy (IGBT). (1) The physics and the fundamental principles of US imaging are presented, and the typical steps required to commission an US system for IGBT is provided for illustration. (2) Application of US for prostate HDR brachytherapy, including partial prostate treatments using MR-ultrasound co-registration to enable a focused treatment on the disease within the prostate is also presented. Prostate HDR with US image guidance planning can benefitmore » from real time visualization of the needles, and fusion of the ultrasound images with T2 weighted MR allows the focusing of the treatment to the specific areas of disease within the prostate, so that the entire gland need not be treated. Finally, (3) ultrasound guidance for an eye plaque program is presented. US can be a key component of placement and QA for episcleral plaque brachytherapy for ocular cancer, and the UCLA eye plaque program with US for image guidance is presented to demonstrate the utility of US verification of plaque placement in improving the methods and QA in episcleral plaque brachytherapy. Learning Objectives: To understand the physics of an US system and the necessary aspects of commissioning US for image guided brachytherapy (IGBT). To understand real time planning of prostate HDR using ultrasound, and its application in partial prostate treatments using MR-ultrasound fusion to focus treatment on disease within the prostate. To understand the methods and QA in applying US for localizing the target and the implant during a episcleral plaque brachytherapy procedures.« less

High-intensity ultrasound production of Maillard reaction flavor compounds in a cysteine-xylose model system.

PubMed

Ong, Olivia X H; Seow, Yi-Xin; Ong, Peter K C; Zhou, Weibiao

2015-09-01

Application of high intensity ultrasound has shown potential in the production of Maillard reaction odor-active flavor compounds in model systems. The impact of initial pH, sonication duration, and ultrasound intensity on the production of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) by ultrasound processing in a cysteine-xylose model system were evaluated using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a modified mathematical model. Generation of selected MRPs, 2-methylthiophene and tetramethyl pyrazine, was optimal at an initial pH of 6.00, accompanied with 78.1 min of processing at an ultrasound intensity of 19.8 W cm(-2). However, identification of volatiles using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) revealed that ultrasound-assisted Maillard reactions generated fewer sulfur-containing volatile flavor compounds as compared to conventional heat treatment of the model system. Likely reasons for this difference in flavor profile include the expulsion of H2S due to ultrasonic degassing and inefficient transmission of ultrasonic energy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic ultrasound as a potential male contraceptive: power, frequency and temperature required to deplete rat testes of meiotic cells and epididymides of sperm determined using a commercially available system.

PubMed

Tsuruta, James K; Dayton, Paul A; Gallippi, Caterina M; O'Rand, Michael G; Streicker, Michael A; Gessner, Ryan C; Gregory, Thomas S; Silva, Erick J R; Hamil, Katherine G; Moser, Glenda J; Sokal, David C

2012-01-30

Studies published in the 1970s by Mostafa S. Fahim and colleagues showed that a short treatment with ultrasound caused the depletion of germ cells and infertility. The goal of the current study was to determine if a commercially available therapeutic ultrasound generator and transducer could be used as the basis for a male contraceptive. Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and their testes were treated with 1 MHz or 3 MHz ultrasound while varying power, duration and temperature of treatment. We found that 3 MHz ultrasound delivered with 2.2 Watt per square cm power for fifteen minutes was necessary to deplete spermatocytes and spermatids from the testis and that this treatment significantly reduced epididymal sperm reserves. 3 MHz ultrasound treatment reduced total epididymal sperm count 10-fold lower than the wet-heat control and decreased motile sperm counts 1,000-fold lower than wet-heat alone. The current treatment regimen provided nominally more energy to the treatment chamber than Fahim's originally reported conditions of 1 MHz ultrasound delivered at 1 Watt per square cm for ten minutes. However, the true spatial average intensity, effective radiating area and power output of the transducers used by Fahim were not reported, making a direct comparison impossible. We found that germ cell depletion was most uniform and effective when we rotated the therapeutic transducer to mitigate non-uniformity of the beam field. The lowest sperm count was achieved when the coupling medium (3% saline) was held at 37 degrees C and two consecutive 15-minute treatments of 3 MHz ultrasound at 2.2 Watt per square cm were separated by 2 days. The non-invasive nature of ultrasound and its efficacy in reducing sperm count make therapeutic ultrasound a promising candidate for a male contraceptive. However, further studies must be conducted to confirm its efficacy in providing a contraceptive effect, to test the result of repeated use, to verify that the contraceptive effect is reversible and to demonstrate that there are no detrimental, long-term effects from using ultrasound as a method of male contraception.

Towards enabling ultrasound guidance in cervical cancer high-dose-rate brachytherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Adrian; Sojoudia, Samira; Gaudet, Marc; Yap, Wan Wan; Chang, Silvia D.; Abolmaesumi, Purang; Aquino-Parsons, Christina; Moradi, Mehdi

2014-03-01

MRI and Computed Tomography (CT) are used in image-based solutions for guiding High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatment of cervical cancer. MRI is costly and CT exposes the patients to ionizing radiation. Ultrasound, on the other hand, is affordable and safe. The long-term goal of our work is to enable the use of multiparametric ultrasound imaging in image-guided HDR for cervical cancer. In this paper, we report the development of enabling technology for ultrasound guidance and tissue typing. We report a system to obtain the 3D freehand transabdominal ultrasound RF signals and B-mode images of the uterus, and a method for registration of ultrasound to MRI. MRI and 3D ultrasound images of the female pelvis were registered by contouring the uterus in the two modalities, creating a surface model, followed by rigid and B-spline deformable registration. The resulting transformation was used to map the location of the tumor from the T2-weighted MRI to ultrasound images and to determine cancerous and normal areas in ultrasound. B-mode images show a contrast for cancer vs. normal tissue. Our study shows the potential and the challenges of ultrasound imaging in guiding cervical cancer treatments.

[Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and image fusion for procedures of liver interventions].

PubMed

Jung, E M; Clevert, D A

2018-06-01

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is becoming increasingly important for the detection and characterization of malignant liver lesions and allows percutaneous treatment when surgery is not possible. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound image fusion with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) opens up further options for the targeted investigation of a modified tumor treatment. Ultrasound image fusion offers the potential for real-time imaging and can be combined with other cross-sectional imaging techniques as well as CEUS. With the implementation of ultrasound contrast agents and image fusion, ultrasound has been improved in the detection and characterization of liver lesions in comparison to other cross-sectional imaging techniques. In addition, this method can also be used for intervention procedures. The success rate of fusion-guided biopsies or CEUS-guided tumor ablation lies between 80 and 100% in the literature. Ultrasound-guided image fusion using CT or MRI data, in combination with CEUS, can facilitate diagnosis and therapy follow-up after liver interventions. In addition to the primary applications of image fusion in the diagnosis and treatment of liver lesions, further useful indications can be integrated into daily work. These include, for example, intraoperative and vascular applications as well applications in other organ systems.

Ultrasound-assisted drug delivery for treatment of venous thrombosis: a case study.

PubMed

Marchiondo, Kathleen; Frink, Amber

2008-01-01

Ultrasound-assisted drug delivery is a relatively new medical intervention that combines low-intensity ultrasound waves with infusion of a thrombolytic agent directly into a thrombosed vein. Studies have demonstrated that clots are eradicated faster, more completely, and with fewer bleeding events with the use of ultrasound-assisted drug delivery for treatment of deep vein thrombosis compared to that of traditional therapies. Critical care nurses are responsible for preprocedure assessment and teaching and continuous monitoring of the patient during therapy for effectiveness and potential complications. An advantage of this technology from a nursing perspective is the minimal amount of time required for monitoring the drug delivery system, allowing greater focus on patient assessment and care.

Robotized High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) system for treatment of mobile organs using motion tracking by ultrasound imaging: An in vitro study.

PubMed

Chanel, Laure-Anais; Nageotte, Florent; Vappou, Jonathan; Luo, Jianwen; Cuvillon, Loic; de Mathelin, Michel

2015-01-01

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) therapy is a very promising method for ablation of solid tumors. However, intra-abdominal organ motion, principally due to breathing, is a substantial limitation that results in incorrect tumor targeting. The objective of this work is to develop an all-in-one robotized HIFU system that can compensate motion in real-time during HIFU treatment. To this end, an ultrasound visual servoing scheme working at 20 Hz was designed. It relies on the motion estimation by using a fast ultrasonic speckle tracking algorithm and on the use of an interleaved imaging/HIFU sonication sequence for avoiding ultrasonic wave interferences. The robotized HIFU system was tested on a sample of chicken breast undergoing a vertical sinusoidal motion at 0.25 Hz. Sonications with and without motion compensation were performed in order to assess the effect of motion compensation on thermal lesions induced by HIFU. Motion was reduced by more than 80% thanks to this ultrasonic visual servoing system.

Cell-penetrating peptide-doxorubicin conjugate loaded NGR-modified nanobubbles for ultrasound triggered drug delivery.

PubMed

Lin, Wen; Xie, Xiangyang; Deng, Jianping; Liu, Hui; Chen, Ying; Fu, Xudong; Liu, Hong; Yang, Yang

2016-01-01

A new drug-targeting system for CD13(+) tumors has been developed, based on ultrasound-sensitive nanobubbles (NBs) and cell-permeable peptides (CPPs). Here, the CPP-doxorubicin conjugate (CPP-DOX) was entrapped in the asparagine-glycine-arginine (NGR) peptide modified NB (CPP-DOX/NGR-NB) and the penetration of CPP-DOX was temporally masked; local ultrasound stimulation could trigger the CPP-DOX release from NB and activate its penetration. The CPP-DOX/NGR-NBs had particle sizes of about 200 nm and drug entrapment efficiency larger than 90%. In vitro release results showed that over 85% of the encapsulated DOX or CPP-DOX would release from NBs in the presence of ultrasound, while less than 1.5% of that (30 min) without ultrasound. Cell experiments showed the higher cellular CPP-DOX uptake of CPP-DOX/NGR-NB among the various NB formulations in Human fibrosarcoma cells (HT-1080, CD13(+)). The CPP-DOX/NGR-NB with ultrasound treatment exhibited an increased cytotoxic activity than the one without ultrasound. In nude mice xenograft of HT-1080 cells, CPP-DOX/NGR-NB with ultrasound showed a higher tumor inhibition effect (3.1% of T/C%, day 24), longer median survival time (50 days) and excellent body safety compared with the normal DOX injection group. These results indicate that the constructed vesicle would be a promising drug delivery system for specific cancer treatment.

Application of ultrasound and air stripping for the removal of aromatic hydrocarbons from spent sulfidic caustic for use in autotrophic denitrification as an electron donor.

PubMed

Lee, Jae-Ho; Park, Jeung-Jin; Choi, Gi-Choong; Byun, Im-Gyu; Park, Tae-Joo; Lee, Tae-Ho

2013-01-01

Spent sulfidic caustic (SSC) produced from petroleum industry can be reused to denitrify nitrate-nitrogen via a biological nitrogen removal process as an electron donor for sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification, because it has a large amount of dissolved sulfur. However, SSC has to be refined because it also contains some aromatic hydrocarbons, typically benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene (BTEX) and phenol that are recalcitrant organic compounds. In this study, laboratory-scale ultrasound irradiation and air stripping treatment were applied in order to remove these aromatic hydrocarbons. In the ultrasound system, both BTEX and phenol were exponentially removed by ultrasound irradiation during 60 min of reaction time to give the greatest removal efficiency of about 80%. Whereas, about 95% removal efficiency of BTEX was achieved, but not any significant phenol removal, within 30 min in the air stripping system, indicating that air stripping was a more efficient method than ultrasound irradiation. However, since air stripping did not remove any significant phenol, an additional process for degrading phenol was required. Accordingly, we applied a combined ultrasound and air stripping process. In these experiments, the removal efficiencies of BTEX and phenol were improved compared to the application of ultrasound and air stripping alone. Thus, the combined ultrasound and air stripping treatment is appropriate for refining SSC.

Apoptosis Induction in Cancer Cells by Ultrasound Exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Akihiro; Kawai, Kazuaki; Sato, Toshio; Nishimura, Hiroyuki; Kawashima, Norimichi; Takeuchi, Shinichi

2004-05-01

The methods of suppressing cancer cell proliferation by ultrasound exposure were investigated to develop a new minimally invasive cancer treatment. A stainless-steel diaphragm with a bolt-clamped Langevin-type transducer (BLT) was attached to the bottom of a water tank in the ultrasound exposure system used in this study. Cancer cells of a mouse T lymphoma (EL-4) in a flask were exposed to ultrasound under various conditions of exposure time, ultrasound frequency, ultrasound waveform, and so forth. The number of cancer cells exposed to ultrasound decreased during the culturing process. In this study, it was proved by electrophoresis, enzyme activity measurement and morphological observation that cancer cell proliferation can be suppressed by apoptosis induction in cancer cells by ultrasound exposure.

Potential and problems in ultrasound-responsive drug delivery systems

PubMed Central

Zhao, Ying-Zheng; Du, Li-Na; Lu, Cui-Tao; Jin, Yi-Guang; Ge, Shu-Ping

2013-01-01

Ultrasound is an important local stimulus for triggering drug release at the target tissue. Ultrasound-responsive drug delivery systems (URDDS) have become an important research focus in targeted therapy. URDDS include many different formulations, such as microbubbles, nanobubbles, nanodroplets, liposomes, emulsions, and micelles. Drugs that can be loaded into URDDS include small molecules, biomacromolecules, and inorganic substances. Fields of clinical application include anticancer therapy, treatment of ischemic myocardium, induction of an immune response, cartilage tissue engineering, transdermal drug delivery, treatment of Huntington’s disease, thrombolysis, and disruption of the blood–brain barrier. This review focuses on recent advances in URDDS, and discusses their formulations, clinical application, and problems, as well as a perspective on their potential use in the future. PMID:23637531

Temperature Changes During Therapeutic Ultrasound in the Precooled Human Gastrocnemius Muscle

PubMed Central

Rimington, Stephanie J.; Draper, David O.; Durrant, Earlene; Fellingham, Gilbert

1994-01-01

Therapeutic ultrasound is frequently employed as a deep heating rehabilitation modality. It is administered in one of three ways: a) ultrasound with no preceding treatment, b) ultrasound on preheated tissues, or c) ultrasound on precooled tissues. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ultrasound treatments on the tissue temperature rise of precooled human gastrocnemius muscle. Sixteen male subjects had a 23-gauge hypodermic needle microprobe inserted 3 cm deep into the medial aspect of their anesthetized gastrocnemius muscles. Data were gathered on each subject for one of two randomly assigned treatments: a) ultrasound treatment on precooled tissue, or b) ultrasound with no preceding treatment. Each treatment consisted of ultrasound delivered topically at 1.5 watts/cm2 in a continuous mode for 10 minutes. Ultrasound was applied in an overlapping longitudinal motion at 4 cm/s, with temperature readings recorded at 30-second intervals. We discovered a difference between the two treatment methods [t(14) = 16.26, p < .0001]. Ultrasound alone increased tissue temperature an average of 2°C, whereas ultrasound preceded by 15 minutes of ice did not increase tissue temperature even to the original baseline level. We concluded that, at a depth of 3 cm, ultrasound alone provided a greater heating effect than ultrasound preceded by an ice treatment. PMID:16558295

CO2 bubbling-based 'Nanobomb' System for Targetedly Suppressing Panc-1 Pancreatic Tumor via Low Intensity Ultrasound-activated Inertial Cavitation.

PubMed

Zhang, Kun; Xu, Huixiong; Chen, Hangrong; Jia, Xiaoqing; Zheng, Shuguang; Cai, Xiaojun; Wang, Ronghui; Mou, Juan; Zheng, Yuanyi; Shi, Jianlin

2015-01-01

Noninvasive and targeted physical treatment is still desirable especially for those cancerous patients. Herein, we develop a new physical treatment protocol by employing CO2 bubbling-based 'nanobomb' system consisting of low-intensity ultrasound (1.0 W/cm(2)) and a well-constructed pH/temperature dual-responsive CO2 release system. Depending on the temperature elevation caused by exogenous low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound irradiation and the low pH caused by the endogenous acidic-environment around/within tumor, dual-responsive CO2 release system can quickly release CO2 bubbles, and afterwards, the generated CO2 bubbles waves will timely explode before dissolution due to triggering by therapeutic ultrasound waves. Related bio-effects (e.g., cavitation, mechanical, shock waves, etc) caused by CO2 bubbles' explosion effectively induce instant necrosis of panc-1 cells and blood vessel destruction within panc-1 tumor, and consequently inhibit the growth of panc-1 solid tumor, simultaneously minimizing the side effects to normal organs. This new physiotherapy employing CO2 bubbling-based 'nanobomb' system promises significant potentials in targetedly suppressing tumors, especially for those highly deadly cancers.

CO2 bubbling-based 'Nanobomb' System for Targetedly Suppressing Panc-1 Pancreatic Tumor via Low Intensity Ultrasound-activated Inertial Cavitation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Kun; Xu, Huixiong; Chen, Hangrong; Jia, Xiaoqing; Zheng, Shuguang; Cai, Xiaojun; Wang, Ronghui; Mou, Juan; Zheng, Yuanyi; Shi, Jianlin

2015-01-01

Noninvasive and targeted physical treatment is still desirable especially for those cancerous patients. Herein, we develop a new physical treatment protocol by employing CO2 bubbling-based 'nanobomb' system consisting of low-intensity ultrasound (1.0 W/cm2) and a well-constructed pH/temperature dual-responsive CO2 release system. Depending on the temperature elevation caused by exogenous low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound irradiation and the low pH caused by the endogenous acidic-environment around/within tumor, dual-responsive CO2 release system can quickly release CO2 bubbles, and afterwards, the generated CO2 bubbles waves will timely explode before dissolution due to triggering by therapeutic ultrasound waves. Related bio-effects (e.g., cavitation, mechanical, shock waves, etc) caused by CO2 bubbles' explosion effectively induce instant necrosis of panc-1 cells and blood vessel destruction within panc-1 tumor, and consequently inhibit the growth of panc-1 solid tumor, simultaneously minimizing the side effects to normal organs. This new physiotherapy employing CO2 bubbling-based 'nanobomb' system promises significant potentials in targetedly suppressing tumors, especially for those highly deadly cancers. PMID:26379793

An interventional multispectral photoacoustic imaging platform for the guidance of minimally invasive procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Wenfeng; Nikitichev, Daniil I.; Mari, Jean Martial; West, Simeon J.; Ourselin, Sebastien; Beard, Paul C.; Desjardins, Adrien E.

2015-07-01

Precise and efficient guidance of medical devices is of paramount importance for many minimally invasive procedures. These procedures include fetal interventions, tumor biopsies and treatments, central venous catheterisations and peripheral nerve blocks. Ultrasound imaging is commonly used for guidance, but it often provides insufficient contrast with which to identify soft tissue structures such as vessels, tumors, and nerves. In this study, a hybrid interventional imaging system that combines ultrasound imaging and multispectral photoacoustic imaging for guiding minimally invasive procedures was developed and characterized. The system provides both structural information from ultrasound imaging and molecular information from multispectral photoacoustic imaging. It uses a commercial linear-array ultrasound imaging probe as the ultrasound receiver, with a multimode optical fiber embedded in a needle to deliver pulsed excitation light to tissue. Co-registration of ultrasound and photoacoustic images is achieved with the use of the same ultrasound receiver for both modalities. Using tissue ex vivo, the system successfully discriminated deep-located fat tissue from the surrounding muscle tissue. The measured photoacoustic spectrum of the fat tissue had good agreement with the lipid spectrum in literature.

Advanced treatment of biologically pretreated coal gasification wastewater by a novel integration of catalytic ultrasound oxidation and membrane bioreactor.

PubMed

Jia, Shengyong; Han, Hongjun; Zhuang, Haifeng; Xu, Peng; Hou, Baolin

2015-01-01

Laboratorial scale experiments were conducted to investigate a novel system integrating catalytic ultrasound oxidation (CUO) with membrane bioreactor (CUO-MBR) on advanced treatment of biologically pretreated coal gasification wastewater. Results indicated that CUO with catalyst of FeOx/SBAC (sewage sludge based activated carbon (SBAC) which loaded Fe oxides) represented high efficiencies in eliminating TOC as well as improving the biodegradability. The integrated CUO-MBR system with low energy intensity and high frequency was more effective in eliminating COD, BOD5, TOC and reducing transmembrane pressure than either conventional MBR or ultrasound oxidation integrated MBR. The enhanced hydroxyl radical oxidation, facilitation of substrate diffusion and improvement of cell enzyme secretion were the mechanisms for CUO-MBR performance. Therefore, the integrated CUO-MBR was the promising technology for advanced treatment in engineering applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PMO Delivery System Using Bubble Liposomes and Ultrasound Exposure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Treatment.

PubMed

Negishi, Yoichi; Ishii, Yuko; Nirasawa, Kei; Sasaki, Eri; Endo-Takahashi, Yoko; Suzuki, Ryo; Maruyama, Kazuo

2018-01-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration, caused by nonsense or frameshift mutations in the dystrophin (DMD) gene. Antisense oligonucleotides can be used to induce specific exon skipping; recently, a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) has been approved for clinical use in DMD. However, an efficient PMO delivery strategy is required to improve the therapeutic efficacy in DMD patients. We previously developed polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified liposomes containing ultrasound contrast gas, "Bubble liposomes" (BLs), and found that the combination of BLs with ultrasound exposure is a useful gene delivery tool. Here, we describe an efficient PMO delivery strategy using the combination of BLs and ultrasound exposure to treat muscles in a DMD mouse model (mdx). This ultrasound-mediated BL technique can increase the PMO-mediated exon-skipping efficiency, leading to significantly increased dystrophin expression. Thus, the combination of BLs and ultrasound exposure may be a feasible PMO delivery method to improve therapeutic efficacy and reduce the PMO dosage for DMD treatment.

Effect of ultrasound pre-treatment on the drying kinetics of brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum.

PubMed

Kadam, Shekhar U; Tiwari, Brijesh K; O'Donnell, Colm P

2015-03-01

The effect of ultrasound pre-treatment on the drying kinetics of brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum under hot-air convective drying was investigated. Pretreatments were carried out at ultrasound intensity levels ranging from 7.00 to 75.78 Wcm(-2) for 10 min using an ultrasonic probe system. It was observed that ultrasound pre-treatments reduced the drying time required. The shortest drying times were obtained from samples pre-treated at 75.78 Wcm(-2). The fit quality of 6 thin-layer drying models was also evaluated using the determination of coefficient (R(2)), root means square error (RMSE), AIC (Akaike information criterion) and BIC (Bayesian information criterion). Drying kinetics were modelled using the Newton, Henderson and Pabis, Page, Wang and Singh, Midilli et al. and Weibull models. The Newton, Wang and Singh, and Midilli et al. models showed the best fit to the experimental drying data. Color of ultrasound pretreated dried seaweed samples were lighter compared to control samples. It was concluded that ultrasound pretreatment can be effectively used to reduce the energy cost and drying time for drying of A. nodosum. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Registration of human skull computed tomography data to an ultrasound treatment space using a sparse high frequency ultrasound hemispherical array

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O’Reilly, Meaghan A., E-mail: moreilly@sri.utoront

Purpose: Transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) shows great promise for a range of therapeutic applications in the brain. Current clinical investigations rely on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to monitor treatments and for the registration of preoperative computed tomography (CT)-data to the MR images at the time of treatment to correct the sound aberrations caused by the skull. For some applications, MRI is not an appropriate choice for therapy monitoring and its cost may limit the accessibility of these treatments. An alternative approach, using high frequency ultrasound measurements to localize the skull surface and register CT data to themore » ultrasound treatment space, for the purposes of skull-related phase aberration correction and treatment targeting, has been developed. Methods: A prototype high frequency, hemispherical sparse array was fabricated. Pulse-echo measurements of the surface of five ex vivo human skulls were made, and the CT datasets of each skull were obtained. The acoustic data were used to rigidly register the CT-derived skull surface to the treatment space. The ultrasound-based registrations of the CT datasets were compared to the gold-standard landmark-based registrations. Results: The results show on an average sub-millimeter (0.9 ± 0.2 mm) displacement and subdegree (0.8° ± 0.4°) rotation registration errors. Numerical simulations predict that registration errors on this scale will result in a mean targeting error of 1.0 ± 0.2 mm and reduction in focal pressure of 1.0% ± 0.6% when targeting a midbrain structure (e.g., hippocampus) using a commercially available low-frequency brain prototype device (InSightec, 230 kHz brain system). Conclusions: If combined with ultrasound-based treatment monitoring techniques, this registration method could allow for the development of a low-cost transcranial FUS treatment platform to make this technology more widely available.« less

Registration of human skull computed tomography data to an ultrasound treatment space using a sparse high frequency ultrasound hemispherical array.

PubMed

O'Reilly, Meaghan A; Jones, Ryan M; Birman, Gabriel; Hynynen, Kullervo

2016-09-01

Transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) shows great promise for a range of therapeutic applications in the brain. Current clinical investigations rely on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to monitor treatments and for the registration of preoperative computed tomography (CT)-data to the MR images at the time of treatment to correct the sound aberrations caused by the skull. For some applications, MRI is not an appropriate choice for therapy monitoring and its cost may limit the accessibility of these treatments. An alternative approach, using high frequency ultrasound measurements to localize the skull surface and register CT data to the ultrasound treatment space, for the purposes of skull-related phase aberration correction and treatment targeting, has been developed. A prototype high frequency, hemispherical sparse array was fabricated. Pulse-echo measurements of the surface of five ex vivo human skulls were made, and the CT datasets of each skull were obtained. The acoustic data were used to rigidly register the CT-derived skull surface to the treatment space. The ultrasound-based registrations of the CT datasets were compared to the gold-standard landmark-based registrations. The results show on an average sub-millimeter (0.9 ± 0.2 mm) displacement and subdegree (0.8° ± 0.4°) rotation registration errors. Numerical simulations predict that registration errors on this scale will result in a mean targeting error of 1.0 ± 0.2 mm and reduction in focal pressure of 1.0% ± 0.6% when targeting a midbrain structure (e.g., hippocampus) using a commercially available low-frequency brain prototype device (InSightec, 230 kHz brain system). If combined with ultrasound-based treatment monitoring techniques, this registration method could allow for the development of a low-cost transcranial FUS treatment platform to make this technology more widely available.

Registration of human skull computed tomography data to an ultrasound treatment space using a sparse high frequency ultrasound hemispherical array

PubMed Central

O’Reilly, Meaghan A.; Jones, Ryan M.; Birman, Gabriel; Hynynen, Kullervo

2016-01-01

Purpose: Transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) shows great promise for a range of therapeutic applications in the brain. Current clinical investigations rely on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to monitor treatments and for the registration of preoperative computed tomography (CT)-data to the MR images at the time of treatment to correct the sound aberrations caused by the skull. For some applications, MRI is not an appropriate choice for therapy monitoring and its cost may limit the accessibility of these treatments. An alternative approach, using high frequency ultrasound measurements to localize the skull surface and register CT data to the ultrasound treatment space, for the purposes of skull-related phase aberration correction and treatment targeting, has been developed. Methods: A prototype high frequency, hemispherical sparse array was fabricated. Pulse-echo measurements of the surface of five ex vivo human skulls were made, and the CT datasets of each skull were obtained. The acoustic data were used to rigidly register the CT-derived skull surface to the treatment space. The ultrasound-based registrations of the CT datasets were compared to the gold-standard landmark-based registrations. Results: The results show on an average sub-millimeter (0.9 ± 0.2 mm) displacement and subdegree (0.8° ± 0.4°) rotation registration errors. Numerical simulations predict that registration errors on this scale will result in a mean targeting error of 1.0 ± 0.2 mm and reduction in focal pressure of 1.0% ± 0.6% when targeting a midbrain structure (e.g., hippocampus) using a commercially available low-frequency brain prototype device (InSightec, 230 kHz brain system). Conclusions: If combined with ultrasound-based treatment monitoring techniques, this registration method could allow for the development of a low-cost transcranial FUS treatment platform to make this technology more widely available. PMID:27587036

3D conformal MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound therapy: results of gel phantom experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

N'Djin, W. A.; Burtnyk, M.; McCormick, S.; Bronskill, M.; Chopra, R.

2011-09-01

MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound therapy shows promise for minimally invasive treatment of localized prostate cancer. Previous in-vivo studies demonstrated the feasibility of performing conservative treatments using real-time temperature feedback to control accurately the establishment of coagulative lesions within circumscribed prostate regions. This in-vitro study tested device configuration and control options for achieving full prostate treatments. A multi-channel MRI compatible ultrasound therapy system was evaluated in gel phantoms using 3 canine prostate models. Prostate profiles were 5 mm-step-segmented from T2-weighted MR images performed during previous in-vivo experiments. During ultrasound exposures, each ultrasound element was controlled independently by the 3D controller. Decisions on acoustic power, frequency, and device rotation rate were made in real time based on MR thermometry feedback and prostate radii. Low and high power treatment approaches using maximum acoustic powers of 10 or 20 W.cm-2 were tested as well as single and dual-frequency strategies (4.05/13.10 MHz). The dual-frequency strategy used either the fundamental frequency or the 3rd harmonic component, depending on the prostate radius. The 20 W.cm-2 dual frequency approach was the most efficient configuration in achieving full prostate treatments. Treatment times were about half the duration of those performed with 10 W.cm-2 configurations. Full prostate coagulations were performed in 16.3±6.1 min at a rate of 1.8±0.2 cm3.min-1, and resulted in very little undertreated tissue (<3%). Surrounding organs positioned beyond a safety distance of 1.4±1.0 mm from prostate boundaries were not damaged, particularly rectal wall tissues. In this study, a 3D, MR-thermometry-guided transurethral ultrasound therapy was validated in vitro in a tissue-mimicking phantom for performing full prostate treatment. A dual-frequency configuration with 20 W.cm-2 ultrasound intensity exposure showed good results with direct application to full human prostate treatments.

A multitechnique evaluation of topical corticosteroid treatment.

PubMed

Josse, G; Rouvrais, C; Mas, A; Haftek, M; Delalleau, A; Ferraq, Y; Ossant, F; George, J; Lagarde, J M; Schmitt, A M

2009-02-01

Corticosteroids are widely prescribed for systemic or local treatment of inflammatory autoimmune disorders. Long-term therapy is associated with side effects and causes cutaneous atrophy of the epidermis and the dermis. The present study aims to evaluate with several noninvasive techniques, the skin modifications observed during corticosteroids treatment. The potential of skin mechanical measurement and ultrasound radio frequency (RF) signal analysis are proposed as new measures more closely related to the functional impairments. Thirteen young healthy women volunteers had two applications per day on one arm of topical Clobetasol propionate 0.05% for 28 days, and they were followed for 28 days more. Skin modifications were studied by high-frequency ultrasound imaging, ultrasound RF signal analysis, optical coherence tomography and by the suction test. For all the techniques, a statistically significant change is observed with treatment. Large variations, around 30%, are observed for all techniques, but less for ultrasound imaging (10%). Dermis and epidermis thickness presented stable measurements on the nontreated zone. At the end of the study, measures returned to normal. The dynamic is mainly observed within the first 14 days of treatment and within the first 14 days after its cessation. Similar dynamics of skin modification during corticosteroid treatment was observed with very different techniques. Moreover, the potential of RF ultrasound analysis and mechanical skin measurement for characterizing skin structural and functional impairments has been evaluated.

Pilot-scale treatment of atrazine production wastewater by UV/O3/ultrasound: Factor effects and system optimization.

PubMed

Jing, Liang; Chen, Bing; Wen, Diya; Zheng, Jisi; Zhang, Baiyu

2017-12-01

This study shed light on removing atrazine from pesticide production wastewater using a pilot-scale UV/O 3 /ultrasound flow-through system. A significant quadratic polynomial prediction model with an adjusted R 2 of 0.90 was obtained from central composite design with response surface methodology. The optimal atrazine removal rate (97.68%) was obtained at the conditions of 75 W UV power, 10.75 g h -1 O 3 flow rate and 142.5 W ultrasound power. A Monte Carlo simulation aided artificial neural networks model was further developed to quantify the importance of O 3 flow rate (40%), UV power (30%) and ultrasound power (30%). Their individual and interaction effects were also discussed in terms of reaction kinetics. UV and ultrasound could both enhance the decomposition of O 3 and promote hydroxyl radical (OH·) formation. Nonetheless, the dose of O 3 was the dominant factor and must be optimized because excess O 3 can react with OH·, thereby reducing the rate of atrazine degradation. The presence of other organic compounds in the background matrix appreciably inhibited the degradation of atrazine, while the effects of Cl - , CO 3 2- and HCO 3 - were comparatively negligible. It was concluded that the optimization of system performance using response surface methodology and neural networks would be beneficial for scaling up the treatment by UV/O 3 /ultrasound at industrial level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motion tracing system for ultrasound guided HIFU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xu; Jiang, Tingyi; Corner, George; Huang, Zhihong

2017-03-01

One main limitation in HIFU treatment is the abdominal movement in liver and kidney caused by respiration. The study has set up a tracking model which mainly compromises of a target carrying box and a motion driving balloon. A real-time B-mode ultrasound guidance method suitable for tracking of the abdominal organ motion in 2D was established and tested. For the setup, the phantoms mimicking moving organs are carefully prepared with agar surrounding round-shaped egg-white as the target of focused ultrasound ablation. Physiological phantoms and animal tissues are driven moving reciprocally along the main axial direction of the ultrasound image probe with slightly motion perpendicular to the axial direction. The moving speed and range could be adjusted by controlling the inflation and deflation speed and amount of the balloon driven by a medical ventilator. A 6-DOF robotic arm was used to position the focused ultrasound transducer. The overall system was trying to estimate to simulate the actual movement caused by human respiration. HIFU ablation experiments using phantoms and animal organs were conducted to test the tracking effect. Ultrasound strain elastography was used to post estimate the efficiency of the tracking algorithms and system. In moving state, the axial size of the lesion (perpendicular to the movement direction) are averagely 4mm, which is one third larger than the lesion got when the target was not moving. This presents the possibility of developing a low-cost real-time method of tracking organ motion during HIFU treatment in liver or kidney.

CT and Ultrasound Guided Stereotactic High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Bradford J.; Yanof, J.; Frenkel, V.; Viswanathan, A.; Dromi, S.; Oh, K.; Kruecker, J.; Bauer, C.; Seip, R.; Kam, A.; Li, K. C. P.

2006-05-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of CT and B-mode Ultrasound (US) targeted HIFU, a prototype coaxial focused ultrasound transducer was registered and integrated to a CT scanner. CT and diagnostic ultrasound were used for HIFU targeting and monitoring, with the goals of both thermal ablation and non-thermal enhanced drug delivery. A 1 megahertz coaxial ultrasound transducer was custom fabricated and attached to a passive position-sensing arm and an active six degree-of-freedom robotic arm via a CT stereotactic frame. The outer therapeutic transducer with a 10 cm fixed focal zone was coaxially mounted to an inner diagnostic US transducer (2-4 megahertz, Philips Medical Systems). This coaxial US transducer was connected to a modified commercial focused ultrasound generator (Focus Surgery, Indianapolis, IN) with a maximum total acoustic power of 100 watts. This pre-clinical paradigm was tested for ability to heat tissue in phantoms with monitoring and navigation from CT and live US. The feasibility of navigation via image fusion of CT with other modalities such as PET and MRI was demonstrated. Heated water phantoms were tested for correlation between CT numbers and temperature (for ablation monitoring). The prototype transducer and integrated CT/US imaging system enabled simultaneous multimodality imaging and therapy. Pre-clinical phantom models validated the treatment paradigm and demonstrated integrated multimodality guidance and treatment monitoring. Temperature changes during phantom cooling corresponded to CT number changes. Contrast enhanced or non-enhanced CT numbers may potentially be used to monitor thermal ablation with HIFU. Integrated CT, diagnostic US, and therapeutic focused ultrasound bridges a gap between diagnosis and therapy. Preliminary results show that the multimodality system may represent a relatively inexpensive, accessible, and simple method of both targeting and monitoring HIFU effects. Small animal pre-clinical models may be translated to large animals and humans for HIFU-induced ablation and drug delivery. Integrated CT-guided focused ultrasound holds promise for tissue ablation, enhancing local drug delivery, and CT thermometry for monitoring ablation in near real-time.

Intraluminal laser atherectomy with ultrasound and electromagnetic guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregory, Kenton W.; Aretz, H. Thomas; Martinelli, Michael A.; LeDet, Earl G.; Hatch, G. F.; Gregg, Richard E.; Sedlacek, Tomas; Haase, Wayne C.

1991-05-01

The MagellanTM coronary laser atherectomy system is described. It uses high- resolution ultrasound imaging and electromagnetic sensing to provide real-time guidance and control of laser therapy in the coronary arteries. The system consists of a flexible catheter, an electromagnetic navigation antenna, a sensor signal processor and a computer for image processing and display. The small, flexible catheter combines an ultrasound transducer and laser delivery optics, aimed at the artery wall, and an electromagnetic receiving sensor. An extra-corporeal electromagnetic transmit antenna, in combination with catheter sensors, locates the position of the ultrasound and laser beams in the artery. Navigation and ultrasound data are processed electronically to produce real-time, transverse, and axial cross-section images of the artery wall at selected locations. By exploiting the ability of ultrasound to image beneath the surface of artery walls, it is possible to identify candidate treatment sites and perform safe radial laser debulking of atherosclerotic plaque with reduced danger of perforation. The utility of the system in plaque identification and ablation is demonstrated with imaging and experimental results.

Light and ultrasound activated microbubbles around gold nanorods for photoacoustic microsurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavigli, Lucia; Centi, Sonia; Lai, Sarah; Borri, Claudia; Micheletti, Filippo; Tortoli, Paolo; Panettieri, Ilaria; Streit, Ingolf; Rossi, Francesca; Ratto, Fulvio; Pini, Roberto

2017-07-01

Photoacoustic imaging and microsurgery have recently attracted attention for applications in oncology. Here, we present a versatile set-up to trigger vapor microbubbles around plasmonic nanoparticles by a combined light-ultrasound excitation. This system enables the detection and parametrization of bubbles as a function of several variables, such us optical fluence, ultrasound intensity, nanoparticles concentration, thus providing useful directions to the development of new strategies for treatments based on optical cavitation.

Ultrasound microscope: the new field in ultrasound diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novyc'kyy, Victor V.; Lushchyk, Ulyana B.

2001-06-01

A device which is a new stage in the development of medical equipment has been developed. The device works as an ultrasound microscope in vivo and provides 4 up to 32 colored histological image. It gives possibility to estimate tissue acoustic density with the help of 4 up to 32 gradation coloring different tissues and enables tissue microcirculation visualization. With the help of the device a doctor can objectify fatty hepatitis and cirrhosis, edema of different organs and tissues as well as microcirculation in organs and tissues (e.g. muscles, myocard and bone system). New promising applications of ultrasound systems in diagnostics and for choosing individual treatment tactics, with pathogenesis being taken into account, may be developed with the help of the device.

Ultrasonic Enhancement of Antibiotic Action on Escherichia coli Biofilms: an In Vivo Model

PubMed Central

Rediske, Andrea M.; Roeder, Beverly L.; Brown, Maren K.; Nelson, Jared L.; Robison, Rachel L.; Draper, David O.; Schaalje, G. Bruce; Robison, Richard A.; Pitt, William G.

1999-01-01

Biofilm infections are a common complication of prosthetic devices in humans. Previous in vitro research has determined that low-frequency ultrasound combined with aminoglycoside antibiotics is an effective method of killing biofilms. We report the development of an in vivo model to determine if ultrasound enhances antibiotic action. Two 24-h-old Escherichia coli (ATCC 10798) biofilms grown on polyethylene disks were implanted subcutaneously on the backs of New Zealand White female rabbits, one on each side of the spine. Low-frequency (28.48-kHz) and low-power-density (100- and 300-mW/cm2) continuous ultrasound treatment was applied for 24 h with and without systemic administration of gentamicin. The disks were then removed, and the number of viable bacteria on each disk was determined. At the low ultrasonic power used in this study, exposure to ultrasound only (no gentamicin) caused no significant difference in bacterial viability. In the presence of antibiotic, there was a significant reduction due to 300-mW/cm2 ultrasound (P = 0.0485) but no significant reduction due to 100-mW/cm2 ultrasound. Tissue damage to the skin was noted at the 300-mW/cm2 treatment level. Further development of this technique has promise in treatment of clinical implant infections. PMID:10223938

Ultrasonic enhancement of antibiotic action on Escherichia coli biofilms: an in vivo model.

PubMed

Rediske, A M; Roeder, B L; Brown, M K; Nelson, J L; Robison, R L; Draper, D O; Schaalje, G B; Robison, R A; Pitt, W G

1999-05-01

Biofilm infections are a common complication of prosthetic devices in humans. Previous in vitro research has determined that low-frequency ultrasound combined with aminoglycoside antibiotics is an effective method of killing biofilms. We report the development of an in vivo model to determine if ultrasound enhances antibiotic action. Two 24-h-old Escherichia coli (ATCC 10798) biofilms grown on polyethylene disks were implanted subcutaneously on the backs of New Zealand White female rabbits, one on each side of the spine. Low-frequency (28.48-kHz) and low-power-density (100- and 300-mW/cm2) continuous ultrasound treatment was applied for 24 h with and without systemic administration of gentamicin. The disks were then removed, and the number of viable bacteria on each disk was determined. At the low ultrasonic power used in this study, exposure to ultrasound only (no gentamicin) caused no significant difference in bacterial viability. In the presence of antibiotic, there was a significant reduction due to 300-mW/cm2 ultrasound (P = 0.0485) but no significant reduction due to 100-mW/cm2 ultrasound. Tissue damage to the skin was noted at the 300-mW/cm2 treatment level. Further development of this technique has promise in treatment of clinical implant infections.

MR compatible positioning device for guiding a focused ultrasound system for the treatment of brain deseases.

PubMed

Mylonas, N; Damianou, C

2014-03-01

A prototype magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible positioning device that navigates a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer is presented. The positioning device has three user-controlled degrees of freedom that allow access to brain targets using a lateral coupling approach. The positioning device can be used for the treatment of brain cancer (thermal mode ultrasound) or ischemic stroke (mechanical mode ultrasound). The positioning device incorporates only MRI compatible materials such as piezoelectric motors, ABS plastic, brass screws, and brass rack and pinion. The robot has the ability to accurately move the transducer thus creating overlapping lesions in rabbit brain in vivo. The registration and repeatability of the system was evaluated using tissues in vitro and gel phantom and was also tested in vivo in the brain of a rabbit. A simple, cost effective, portable positioning device has been developed which can be used in virtually any clinical MRI scanner since it can be placed on the table of the MRI scanner. This system can be used to treat in the future patients with brain cancer and ischemic stroke. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ultrasound-enhanced delivery of targeted echogenic liposomes in a novel ex vivo mouse aorta model.

PubMed

Hitchcock, Kathryn E; Caudell, Danielle N; Sutton, Jonathan T; Klegerman, Melvin E; Vela, Deborah; Pyne-Geithman, Gail J; Abruzzo, Todd; Cyr, Peppar E P; Geng, Yong-Jian; McPherson, David D; Holland, Christy K

2010-06-15

The goal of this study was to determine whether targeted, Rhodamine-labeled echogenic liposomes (Rh-ELIP) containing nanobubbles could be delivered to the arterial wall, and whether 1-MHz continuous wave ultrasound would enhance this delivery profile. Aortae excised from apolipoprotein-E-deficient (n=8) and wild-type (n=8) mice were mounted in a pulsatile flow system through which Rh-ELIP were delivered in a stream of bovine serum albumin. Half the aortae from each group were treated with 1-MHz continuous wave ultrasound at 0.49 MPa peak-to-peak pressure, and half underwent sham exposure. Ultrasound parameters were chosen to promote stable cavitation and avoid inertial cavitation. A broadband hydrophone was used to monitor cavitation activity. After treatment, aortic sections were prepared for histology and analyzed by an individual blinded to treatment conditions. Delivery of Rh-ELIP to the vascular endothelium was observed, and sub-endothelial penetration of Rh-ELIP was present in five of five ultrasound-treated aortae and was absent in those not exposed to ultrasound. However, the degree of penetration in the ultrasound-exposed aortae was variable. There was no evidence of ultrasound-mediated tissue damage in any specimen. Ultrasound-enhanced delivery within the arterial wall was demonstrated in this novel model, which allows quantitative evaluation of therapeutic delivery. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[New ultrasound navigational system in extracorporeal lithotripsy: decreased fluoroscopy and radiation].

PubMed

Abid, N; Ravier, E; Codas, R; Crouzet, S; Martin, X

2013-09-01

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is the most common method of treatment for kidney stones. Both fluoroscopy and ultrasound imaging can be used to locate stones, but fluoroscopy is more frequently employed. Evaluation of a new stereotaxic navigational system: the stone was located using an ultrasound probe, and its 3D location was saved. The table automatically moved to position the stone at the focal point. A real-time follow-up was possible during treatment. Our objective was to demonstrate a decrease in the use of fluoroscopy to locate kidney stones for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy through the use of a 3D ultrasound stone locking system. Prospective analysis of the case records of the 20 patients preceding and the 20 patients succeeding the arrival of the ultrasound stone locking system Visio-Track (EDAP-TMS). We used a Student test to compare age, BMI, kidney stone size, number of shock waves and administered energy. Patient characteristics were comparable. The average age was 55 years old and the average kidney stone size was 10.7 mm. Radiation duration was 174.8 seconds in the group without Visio-Track versus 57.1 seconds in the group with it (P<0.0001). A similar result was observed for radiation doses: 5197.25 mGy x cm2 for the group without versus 1987.6 mGy x cm2 for the group with Visio-Track (P=0.0033). The stone locking system Visio-Track reduced fluoroscopy in our first group of patients, which decreased the patient's individual absorbed irradiation dose. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The efficacy of a combination non-thermal focused ultrasound and radiofrequency device for noninvasive body contouring in Asians.

PubMed

Shek, Samantha Y N; Yeung, Chi K; Chan, Johnny C Y; Chan, Henry H L

2016-02-01

Several studies have been published on the first generation non-thermal focused ultrasound with an average improvement of 0-3.95 cm reported. We aim to investigate the efficacy of the second-generation non-thermal focused ultrasound device with a combined radiofrequency hand piece. With the addition of radiofrequency energy, the temperature of the adipose tissue is raised before focused ultrasound is applied. This facilitates the mechanical disruption of fat cells by focused ultrasound. Twenty subjects were recruited and underwent three treatments biweekly. Caliper reading, abdominal circumference, and standardized photographs were taken with the Vectra(®) system at all visits. We aim to have the subjects stand and hold the same position and the photograph taken after exhalation. Caliper and circumference measurements carry uncertainty. It is impossible to eliminate all uncertainties but can be improved by having the same trained physician assistant perform the measurement at the same site and taking an average of three readings. Pain score and satisfaction were recorded by means of the visual analogue scale. The efficacy is defined by a statistically significant improvement in circumferential improvement based on intention-to-treat analysis. Seventeen subjects completed the treatment schedule. Abdominal circumference showed statistically significant improvement at 2 weeks post-second treatment (P = 0.023) and almost all subsequent follow-ups. Caliper readings were statistically significant at 2 weeks post-second treatment (P = 0.013) and almost all follow-ups. The mean pain score reported was 2.3 on the visual analog scale and 6% were unsatisfied with the overall treatments. Six incidents of wheal formation appeared immediately after treatment all of which subsided spontaneously within several hours. The combination non-thermal focused ultrasound and radiofrequency device is effective for improving body contour in Asians. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of ultrasound on electrochemical chloride extraction from mortar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yiqun; Yao, Wu; Zuo, Junqing

2018-03-01

In this paper, the effect of auxiliary ultrasound on electrochemical chloride extraction (ECE) was studied. The chloride removal efficiency was investigated by examining the chloride content with ultrasound-assisted ECE and changing the introducing time of ultrasound. The experimental results showed that removal of chloride ions was noted to be more effective in ECE treatment assisted with ultrasound treatment (UT). In addition, the lower w/c ratio led to more distinct effect of ultrasonic cavitation on chloride removal. Electrochemical behaviors measured with different treatment revealed that UT treatment was effective on moderating the corrosion condition. Microstructural analyses revealed a significant alteration in composition and morphology of cementitious phases with UT treatment. Pull-out tests indicated that ultrasound had a certain negative impact on the bond strength. Although the effect of introducing ultrasound in the first 2 weeks or the last 2 weeks on the extraction efficiency was not obvious, intermittent ultrasound could not only ensure the chloride extraction efficiency, but also reduce the adverse effect of ultrasound on the bond strength.

Modeling analysis on germination and seedling growth using ultrasound seed pretreatment in switchgrass.

PubMed

Wang, Quanzhen; Chen, Guo; Yersaiyiti, Hayixia; Liu, Yuan; Cui, Jian; Wu, Chunhui; Zhang, Yunwei; He, Xueqing

2012-01-01

Switchgrass is a perennial C4 plant with great potential as a bioenergy source and, thus, a high demand for establishment from seed. This research investigated the effects of ultrasound treatment on germination and seedling growth in switchgrass. Using an orthogonal matrix design, conditions for the ultrasound pretreatment in switchgrass seed, including sonication time (factor A), sonication temperature (factor B) and ultrasound output power (factor C), were optimized for germinating and stimulating seedling growth (indicated as plumular and radicular lengths) through modeling analysis. The results indicate that sonication temperature (B) was the most effective factor for germination, whereas output power (C) had the largest effect on seedling growth when ultrasound treatment was used. Combined with the analyses of range, variance and models, the final optimal ultrasonic treatment conditions were sonication for 22.5 min at 39.7°C and at an output power of 348 W, which provided the greatest germination percentage and best seedling growth. For this study, the orthogonal matrix design was an efficient method for optimizing the conditions of ultrasound seed treatment on switchgrass. The electrical conductivity of seed leachates in three experimental groups (control, soaked in water only, and ultrasound treatment) was determined to investigate the effects of ultrasound on seeds and eliminate the effect of water in the ultrasound treatments. The results showed that the electrical conductivity of seed leachates during either ultrasound treatment or water bath treatment was significantly higher than that of the control, and that the ultrasound treatment had positive effects on switchgrass seeds.

Interstitial ablation and imaging of soft tissue using miniaturized ultrasound arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makin, Inder R. S.; Gallagher, Laura A.; Mast, T. Douglas; Runk, Megan M.; Faidi, Waseem; Barthe, Peter G.; Slayton, Michael H.

2004-05-01

A potential alternative to extracorporeal, noninvasive HIFU therapy is minimally invasive, interstitial ultrasound ablation that can be performed laparoscopically or percutaneously. Research in this area at Guided Therapy Systems and Ethicon Endo-Surgery has included development of miniaturized (~3 mm diameter) linear ultrasound arrays capable of high power for bulk tissue ablation as well as broad bandwidth for imaging. An integrated control system allows therapy planning and automated treatment guided by real-time interstitial B-scan imaging. Image quality, challenging because of limited probe dimensions and channel count, is aided by signal processing techniques that improve image definition and contrast. Simulations of ultrasonic heat deposition, bio-heat transfer, and tissue modification provide understanding and guidance for development of treatment strategies. Results from in vitro and in vivo ablation experiments, together with corresponding simulations, will be described. Using methods of rotational scanning, this approach is shown to be capable of clinically relevant ablation rates and volumes.

Combination of ultrasound and rtPA enhances fibrinolysis in an In Vitro clot system

PubMed Central

Winter, Philipp; Müller-Werkmeister, Hendrik; Strand, Susanne; König, Jochem; Kempski, Oliver; Ringel, Florian; Kantelhardt, Sven R.; Keric, Naureen

2017-01-01

Background Catheter-based lysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) is a well-established therapy for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The effectiveness of this therapy can be increased with ultrasound, but the optimal conditions are not yet clearly established. Using a novel in vitro system of blood clots previously developed by our group, we investigated various parameters of intralesional sonothrombolysis using an endosonography catheter in combination with rtPA. Methods Standardized human blood clots were equipped with a drainage catheter and weighed before and after 4 treatments: control (drainage only), rtPA only, ultrasound only and the combination of rtPA+ultrasound. The effectiveness of ultrasound was further analysed in terms of optimal frequency, duration and distance to the probe. Temperature and acoustic peak rarefaction pressure (APRP) were assessed to analyse potential adverse effects and quantify lysis. Histo-morphological analysis of the treated clots was performed by H&E staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy using fluorescent fibrinogen. Results The combined treatment rtPA+ultrasound achieved the highest lysis rates with a relative weight of 30.3%±5.5% (p≤0.0001) compared to all other groups. Similar results were observed when treating aged clots. Confocal fluorescent microscopy of the treated clots revealed a rarefied fibrin mesh without cavitations. No relevant temperature increase occurred (0.53±0.75°C). The optimal insonation treatment time was 1 hour. APRP measurements showed a lysis threshold of 515.5±113.4 kPa. Application of 10 MHz achieved optimal lysis and lysis radius, while simultaneously proving to be the best frequency for morphologic imaging of the clot and surrounding tissue. Conclusions These promising data provide the basis for an individualized minimal invasive ICH therapy by rtPA and sonothrombolysis independent of ICH age. PMID:29145482

Needle placement for piriformis injection using 3-D imaging.

PubMed

Clendenen, Steven R; Candler, Shawn A; Osborne, Michael D; Palmer, Scott C; Duench, Stephanie; Glynn, Laura; Ghazi, Salim M

2013-01-01

Piriformis syndrome is a pain syndrome originating in the buttock and is attributed to 6% - 8% of patients referred for the treatment of back and leg pain. The treatment for piriformis syndrome using fluoroscopy, computed tomography (CT), electromyography (EMG), and ultrasound (US) has become standard practice. The treatment of Piriformis Syndrome has evolved to include fluoroscopy and EMG with CT guidance. We present a case study of 5 successful piriformis injections using 3-D computer-assisted electromagnet needle tracking coupled with ultrasound. A 6-degree of freedom electromagnetic position tracker was attached to the ultrasound probe that allowed the system to detect the position and orientation of the probe in the magnetic field. The tracked ultrasound probe was used to find the posterior superior iliac spine. Subsequently, 3 points were captured to register the ultrasound image with the CT or magnetic resonance image scan. Moreover, after the registration was obtained, the navigation system visualized the tracked needle relative to the CT scan in real-time using 2 orthogonal multi-planar reconstructions centered at the tracked needle tip. Conversely, a recent study revealed that fluoroscopically guided injections had 30% accuracy compared to ultrasound guided injections, which tripled the accuracy percentage. This novel technique exhibited an accurate needle guidance injection precision of 98% while advancing to the piriformis muscle and avoiding the sciatic nerve. The mean (± SD) procedure time was 19.08 (± 4.9) minutes. This technique allows for electromagnetic instrument tip tracking with real-time 3-D guidance to the selected target. As with any new technique, a learning curve is expected; however, this technique could offer an alternative, minimizing radiation exposure.

HIFU Monitoring and Control with Dual-Mode Ultrasound Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casper, Andrew Jacob

The biological effects of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) have been known and studied for decades. HIFU has been shown capable of treating a wide variety of diseases and disorders. However, despite its demonstrated potential, HIFU has been slow to gain clinical acceptance. This is due, in part, to the difficulty associated with robustly monitoring and controlling the delivery of the HIFU energy. The non-invasive nature of the surgery makes the assessment of treatment progression difficult, leading to long treatment times and a significant risk of under treatment. This thesis research develops new techniques and systems for robustly monitoring HIFU therapies for the safe and efficacious delivery of the intended treatment. Systems and algorithms were developed for the two most common modes of HIFU delivery systems: single-element and phased array applicators. Delivering HIFU with a single element transducer is a widely used technique in HIFU therapies. The simplicity of a single element offers many benefits in terms of cost and overall system complexity. Typical monitoring schemes rely on an external device (e.g. diagnostic ultrasound or MRI) to assess the progression of therapy. The research presented in this thesis explores using the same element to both deliver and monitor the HIFU therapy. The use of a dual-mode ultrasound transducer (DMUT) required the development of an FPGA based single-channel arbitrary waveform generator and high-speed data acquisition unit. Data collected from initial uncontrolled ablations led to the development of monitoring and control algorithms which were implemented directly on the FPGA. Close integration between the data acquisition and arbitrary waveform units allowed for fast, low latency control over the ablation process. Results are presented that demonstrate control of HIFU therapies over a broad range of intensities and in multiple in vitro tissues. The second area of investigation expands the DMUT research to an ultrasound phased-array. The phased-array allows for electronic steering of the HIFU focus and imaging of the acoustic medium. Investigating the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) required the design and construction of a novel ultrasound-guided focused ultrasound (USgFUS) platform. The platform consisted of custom hardware designed for the unique requirements of operating a phased-array in both therapeutic and imaging modes. The platform also required the development of FPGA based signal processing and GPU based beamforming algorithms for online monitoring of the therapy process. The results presented in this thesis represent the first demonstration of a real-time USgFUS platform based around a DMUA. Experimental imaging and therapy results from series of animal experiments, including a 12 animal GLP study, are presented. In addition, in vitro control results, which build upon the DMUT work, are presented.

Ultrasonography for diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of tenosynovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Danielsen, Mads Ammitzbøll

2018-03-01

Rheumatod arthritis is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease, characterized by inflammation in joints and tendon sheaths, which frequently leads to permanent and serious disability due to joint destruction, but also tendon and ligament ruptures. Clinical management of rheumatoid arthritis has traditionally been supported by biochemical and radiographic findings. However, imaging modalities like ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have improved the possibility for better management of rheumatoid arthritis patients, due to higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting ongoing inflammation, this thesis is focusing on tenosynovitis as recent studies have shown that inflammation in tendon sheaths, i.e. tenosynovitis, is a very common manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis and may often be mistaken for synovitis. Furthermore, presence of ultrasonographic tenosynovitis may predict clinical flare and erosive progression. 
The main aim of this PhD thesis was to further develop and validate ultrasound as a tool for diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of tenosynovitis. This was investigated in four studies: 
Study I: 3D Doppler Ultrasound findings in healthy wrist and finger tendon sheaths - Can feeding vessels lead to misinterpretation in Doppler-detected tenosynovitis? 
Study II: Image fusion of Ultrasound and MRI and B-flow evaluation of tenosynovitis - A pilot study on new imaging techniques in rheumatoid arthritis patients. 
Study III: Validity and sensitivity to change of the semi-quantitative Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials (OMERACT) ultrasound scoring system for tenosynovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and for the quantitative scoring system, pixel index. 
Study IV: Intramuscular versus ultrasound guided intratenosynovial glucocorticoid injection for tenosynovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis - A randomised, double-blind, controlled study with ultrasound and clinical follow up at 4 and 12 weeks. 
From the studies presented in the PhD thesis the following was concluded:
 Doppler findings in or in close proximity to the tendon sheaths were common in wrists and fingers in healthy participants. These feeding vessels may be a source of misinterpretation, i.e .wrong diagnosis of a low degree of tenosynovitis, not only due to their presence but also because they may be interpreted as being inside the tendon sheath due to blooming and reverberations artefacts.
 Ultrasound and MRI had high agreement using image fusion for assessment of tenosynovitis when MRI partial volume artefacts were taken into account. In contrast, the agreement between B-flow and ultrasound was poor, since the quality of the b-flow images and the flow sensitivity were low.
 The OMERACT ultrasound scoring system for tenosynovitis had an excellent intra- and interreader agreement between trained investigators and a high ability to detect change over time, similarly, the quantitative tenosynovitis assessment by pixel index had a very good intrareader agreement and moderate to good interreader agreement, but only a moderate ability to detect change over time. The ultrasound scores had a high responsiveness, indicating that the OMERACT ultrasound scoring system was useful for diagnosing and monitoring tenosynovitis in rheumatoid arthritis patients in clinical trials and practice. For treatment of tenosynovitis in rheumatoid arthritis patients, remission (ultrasound tenosynovitis grey scale score ≤1 and Doppler score = 0) was achieved significantly more frequently in the ultrasound guided intratenosynovial glucocorticoid injection group than in the intramuscular glucocorticoid injection group, both at 4 and 12 week follow-ups. Furthermore, tenosynovitis responded significantly better clinically and by ultrasound assessment when treated with ultrasound guided intratenosynovial glucocorticoid injection com-pared to intramuscular glucocorticoid injection, both at 4 and 12 week follow-ups. Articles published in the Danish Medical Journal are “open access”. This means that the articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial License, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.

Development of a Cancer Treatment with the Concomitant Use of Low-Intensity Ultrasound: Entering the Age of Simultaneous Diagnosis and Treatment

PubMed Central

Emoto, Makoto

2014-01-01

In recent years, studies using ultrasound energy for cancer treatment have advanced, thus revealing the enhancement of drug effects by employing low-intensity ultrasound. Furthermore, anti-angiogenesis against tumors is now attracting attention as a new cancer treatment. Therefore, we focused on the biological effects and the enhancement of drug effects brought by this low-intensity ultrasound energy and reported on the efficacy against a uterine sarcoma model, by implementing the basic studies, for the first time, including the concomitant use of low-intensity ultrasound irradiation, as an expected new antiangiogenic therapy for cancer treatment. Furthermore, we have succeeded in simultaneously utilizing low-intensity ultrasound in both diagnosis and treatment, upon real time evaluation of the anti-tumor effects and anti-angiogenesis effects using color Doppler ultrasound imaging. Although the biological effects of ultrasound have not yet been completely clarified, transient stomas were formed (Sonoporation) in cancer cells irradiated by low-intensity ultrasound and it is believed that the penetration effect of drugs is enhanced due to the drug being more charged inside the cell through these stomas. Furthermore, it has become clear that the concomitant therapy of anti-angiogenesis drugs and low-intensity ultrasound blocks the angiogenic factor VEGF produced by cancer cells, inhibits the induction of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in the bone marrow, and expedites angiogenic inhibitor TSP-1. Based on research achievements in recent years, we predict that the current diagnostic device for color Doppler ultrasound imaging will be improved in the near future, bringing with it the arrival of an age of “low-intensity ultrasound treatment that simultaneously enables diagnosis and treatment of cancer in real time.” PMID:26852677

Case Study Using Ultrasound to Treat /[turned r]/

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Modha, Geetanjalee; Bernhardt, B. May; Church, Robyn; Bacsfalvi, Penelope

2008-01-01

Background: Ultrasound has shown promise as visual feedback in remediation of /[turned r]/.Aims: To compare treatment for [turned r] with and without ultrasound.Methods & Procedures: A Canadian English-speaking adolescent participated in a case study with a no treatment baseline, alternating treatment blocks with and without ultrasound and a…

A systematic approach to adnexal masses discovered on ultrasound: the ADNEx MR scoring system.

PubMed

Sadowski, Elizabeth A; Robbins, Jessica B; Rockall, Andrea G; Thomassin-Naggara, Isabelle

2018-03-01

Adnexal lesions are a common occurrence in radiology practice and imaging plays a crucial role in triaging women appropriately. Current trends toward early detection and characterization have increased the need for accurate imaging assessment of adnexal lesions prior to treatment. Ultrasound is the first-line imaging modality for assessing adnexal lesions; however, approximately 20% of lesions are incompletely characterized after ultrasound evaluation. Secondary assessment with MR imaging using the ADNEx MR Scoring System has been demonstrated as highly accurate in the characterization of adnexal lesions and in excluding ovarian cancer. This review will address the role of MR imaging in further assessment of adnexal lesions discovered on US, and the utility of the ADNEx MR Scoring System.

Clinical Utility of High-Frequency Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography in Foot and Ankle Pathology: How Ultrasound Imaging Influences Diagnosis and Management.

PubMed

Delzell, Patricia B; Tritle, Benjamin A; Bullen, Jennifer A; Chiunda, Stella; Forney, Michael C

The use of high-frequency (high-resolution) musculoskeletal ultrasonography is increasing and has shown promising utility in many areas of medicine. The utility of musculoskeletal ultrasonography for foot and ankle complaints has not been widely investigated, however. Although some conditions of the foot and ankle are easily diagnosed by physical examination, others can have nonspecific examination findings, making optimal treatment decisions difficult. We hypothesized that high-resolution musculoskeletal ultrasound scanning of the foot and ankle can affect the diagnosis and/or treatment for patients presenting with foot or ankle complaints. Retrospectively, the cases of 98 patients who had undergone musculoskeletal ultrasound scanning of the foot or ankle were reviewed. The pre-ultrasound clinical diagnosis and treatment were compared with the post-ultrasound diagnosis and treatment. In 64% of the patients, the diagnosis or treatment changed after the ultrasound examination. In 43% of patients, both the diagnosis and the treatment changed after ultrasound scanning. For those patients for whom the diagnosis and treatment were unchanged after the ultrasound examination, the ultrasound findings were concordant with the pre-ultrasound clinical diagnosis for 100% of the patients. These results suggest that in a large proportion of patients, high-resolution musculoskeletal ultrasonography of the foot or ankle can facilitate appropriate diagnosis and management. Copyright © 2017 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sonodegradation of cyanidin-3-glucosylrutinoside: degradation kinetic analysis and its impact on antioxidant capacity in vitro.

PubMed

Sun, Jianxia; Li, Xinghua; Lin, Xinyu; Mei, Zhouxiong; Li, Yitao; Ding, Lijun; Bai, Weibin

2017-03-01

As an alternative preservation method for thermal treatment, ultrasound comprises a novel non-thermal processing technology that can significantly avoid undesirable nutritional changes. However, the recent literature indicates that anthocyanin degradation occurs when ultrasound is applied in juice at high amplitude parameters. Such work has mainly focussed on the effect of ultrasound on stability, the antioxidant capacity of cyanidin-3-glucosylrutinoside (Cy-3-glc-rut) and the correlation between anthocyanin degradation and ·OH generation in a simulated system. The spectral intensities of Cy-3-glc-rut at 518 and 282 nm decreased with increasing ultrasound power and treatment time. The degradation of Cy-3-glc-rut was consistent with first-order reaction kinetics (r 2  > 0.9000) and there was a good linear correlation between anthocyanin degradation and hydroxyl radical formation induced by ultrasound (r 2  = 0.9258). Moreover, a decrease in the antioxidant activity of Cy-3-glc-rut after ultrasound evaluated by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power methods was observed. Overall, the results of the present study show that ultrasound will accelerate the degradation of Cy-3-glc-rut with the growth of power over time. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

High-intensity focused ultrasound treatment of placenta accreta after vaginal delivery: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Bai, Y; Luo, X; Li, Q; Yin, N; Fu, X; Zhang, H; Qi, H

2016-04-01

To evaluate the safety and efficiency of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of placenta accreta after vaginal delivery. Enrolled into this study between September 2011 and September 2013 were 12 patients who had been diagnosed with placenta accreta following vaginal delivery and who had stable vital signs. All patients were treated using an ultrasound-guided HIFU treatment system. As indication of the effectiveness of the treatment we considered decreased vascular index on color Doppler imaging, decrease in size of residual placenta compared with pretreatment size on assessment by three-dimensional ultrasound with Virtual Organ Computer-aided Analysis, reduced signal intensity and degree of enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging and avoidance of hysterectomy following treatment. To assess the safety of HIFU treatment, we recorded side effects, hemorrhage, infection, sex steroid levels, return of menses and subsequent pregnancy. Patients were followed up in this preliminary study until December 2013. The 12 patients receiving HIFU treatment had an average postpartum hospital stay of 6.8 days and an average period of residual placental involution of 36.9 days. HIFU treatment did not apparently increase the risk of infection or hemorrhage and no patient required hysterectomy. In all patients menstruation recommenced after an average of 80.2 days, and sex steroid levels during the middle luteal phase of the second menstrual cycle were normal. Two patients became pregnant again during the follow-up period. This preliminary study suggests that ultrasound-guided HIFU is a safe and effective non-invasive method to treat placenta accreta patients after vaginal delivery who have stable vital signs and desire to preserve fertility. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Low-Frequency Ultrasound Debridement in Chronic Wound Healing: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence

PubMed Central

Chang, Ying-Ju Ruby; Perry, Julie

2017-01-01

Chronic wounds are painful and debilitating to patients, pose a clinical challenge to physicians, and impose financial burden on the health-care system. New treatment options are therefore highly sought after. Ultrasound debridement is a promising technology that functions to disperse bacterial biofilms and stimulate wound healing. In this review, we focus on low-frequency ultrasound (20-60 kHz) and summarize the findings of 25 recent studies examining ultrasound efficacy. Ultrasound debridement appears to be most effective when used 3 times a week and has the potential to decrease exudate and slough, decrease patient pain, disperse biofilms, and increase healing in wounds of various etiology. Although current studies are generally of smaller size, the results are promising and we recommend the testing of low-frequency ultrasound therapy in clinical practice on a larger scale. PMID:29026808

Enhancement of drying and rehydration characteristics of okra by ultrasound pre-treatment application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tüfekçi, Senem; Özkal, Sami Gökhan

2017-07-01

Effect of ultrasound application prior to hot air drying on drying and rehydration kinetics, rehydration ratio and microstructure of okra slices were investigated. For this purpose, the selected parameters are ultrasound pre-treatment time (10, 20 and 30 min), ultrasound amplitude (55 and 100%) and the temperature of drying air (60 and 70 °C). 5 mm thick cylindrical shaped okra slices were used in the experiments. The samples were immersed in water and ultrasonic pre-treatments were done in water with ultrasonic probe connected to an ultrasonic generator with 20 kHz frequency. Pre-treated samples were dried in a tray drier with a 0.3 m/s air velocity. Ultrasound pre-treatment affected the drying rate of the okra slices significantly. Drying time of okra slices was decreased by the application of ultrasound pre-treatment. Modified Page model found to be the most suitable model for describing the drying characteristics of okra slices. Improvements in rehydration properties of the dried samples were observed due to the ultrasound pre-treatment. The influence of the ultrasound pre-treatment on microstructure was clearly observed through scanning electron microscopy images of the dried samples. As the amplitude of ultrasound increased the changes in structure of the okra tissue increased.

Synergistic advances in diagnostic and therapeutic medical ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lizzi, Frederic L.

2003-04-01

Significant advances are more fully exploiting ultrasound's potential for noninvasive diagnosis and treatment. Therapeutic systems employ intense focused beams to thermally kill cancer cells in, e.g., prostate; to stop bleeding; and to treat specific diseases (e.g., glaucoma). Diagnostic ultrasound techniques can quantitatively image an increasingly broad spectrum of physical tissue attributes. An exciting aspect of this progress is the emerging synergy between these modalities. Advanced diagnostic techniques may contribute at several stages in therapy. For example, treatment planning for small ocular tumors uses 50-MHz, 3-D ultrasonic images with 0.05-mm resolution. Thermal simulations employ these images to evaluate desired and undesired effects using exposure stategies with specially designed treatment beams. Therapy beam positioning can use diagnostic elastography to sense tissue motion induced by radiation pressure from high-intensity treatment beams. Therapy monitoring can sense lesion formation using elastography motion sensing (to detect the increased stiffness in lesions); harmonic imaging (to sense altered nonlinear properties); and spectrum analysis images (depicting changes in the sizes, concentration, and configuration of sub-resolution structures.) Experience from these applications will greatly expand the knowledge of acoustic phenomena in living tissues and should lead to further advances in medical ultrasound.

TU-H-CAMPUS-IeP3-04: Evaluation of Changes in Quantitative Ultrasound Parameters During Prostate Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Najafi, M; El Kaffas, A; Han, B

Purpose: Clarity Autoscan ultrasound monitoring system allows acquisition of raw radiofrequency (RF) ultrasound data prior and during radiotherapy. This enables the computation of 3D Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) tissue parametric maps from. We aim to evaluate whether QUS parameters undergo changes with radiotherapy and thus potentially be used as early predictors and/or markers of treatment response in prostate cancer patients. Methods: In-vivo evaluation was performed under IRB protocol to allow data collection in prostate patients treated with VMAT whereby prostate was imaged through the acoustic window of the perineum. QUS spectroscopy analysis was carried out by computing a tissue power spectrummore » normalized to the power spectrum obtained from a quartz to remove system transfer function effects. A ROI was selected within the 3D image volume of the prostate. Because longitudinal registration was optimal, the same features could be used to select ROIs at roughly the same location in images acquired on different days. Parametric maps were generated within the rectangular ROIs with window sizes that were approximately 8 times the wavelength of the ultrasound. The mid-band fit (MBF), spectral slope (SS) and spectral intercept (SI) QUS parameters were computed for each window within the ROI and displayed as parametric maps. Quantitative parameters were obtained by averaging each of the spectral parameters over the whole ROI. Results: Data was acquired for over 21 treatment fractions. Preliminary results show changes in the parametric maps. MBF values decreased from −33.9 dB to −38.7 dB from pre-treatment to the last day of treatment. The spectral slope increased from −1.1 a.u. to −0.5 a.u., and spectral intercept decreased from −28.2 dB to −36.3 dB over the 21 treatment regimen. Conclusion: QUS parametric maps change over the course of treatment which warrants further investigation in their potential use for treatment planning and predicting treatment outcomes. Research was supported by Elekta.« less

Expulsion of Fibroids to the Endometrial Cavity after Magnetic Resonance Imaging-guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) Treatment of Intramural Uterine Fibroids

PubMed Central

Jeong, Jae-Hyeok; Hong, Gil Pyo; Kim, Yu-Ri; Hong, Da Gyo; Ha, Jae-Eun; Yeom, Jung In; Kim, Eun-Jeong; Kim, Hyung-Il

2016-01-01

Objectives This report seeks to introduce some cases of the patients who received magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) surgery (MRgFUS)-based intramural uterine fibroids treatment where the post-MRgFUS intramural uterine fibroids decreased in its volume and protruded towards the endometrial cavity to be expelled by hysteroscopy. Methods Of the 157 patients who had received MRgFUS treatment in the Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Hospital from March, 2015 to February, 2016; this study examined 6 of the cases where, after high intensity focused ultrasound treatment, intramural uterine fibroids protruded towards the endometrial cavity to be removed by hysteroscopic myomectomy. The high intensity focused ultrasound utilized in the cases were Philips Achieva 1.5 Tesla MR (Philips Healthcare, Best, The Netherlands) and Sonalleve HIFU system. Results The volume of fibroids ranged from 26.0 cm3 to 199.5 cm3, averaging 95.6 cm3. The major axis length ranged from 4.0 cm to 8.2 cm, averaging 6.3 cm. Fibroid location in all of the patients was in intramural uterine before treatment but after the high intensity focused ultrasound treatment, the fibroids were observed to protrude towards the endometrial cavity in at least Day 5 or up to Day 73 to allow hysteroscopic myomectomy. Conclusions In some cases, after an intramural uterine fibroid is treated with MRgFUS, fibroid volume is decreased and the fibroid protrudes towards the endometrial cavity. In this case, hysteroscopic myomectomy can be a useful solution. PMID:28119893

Ultrasound therapy applicators for controlled thermal modification of tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burdette, E. Clif; Lichtenstiger, Carol; Rund, Laurie; Keralapura, Mallika; Gossett, Chad; Stahlhut, Randy; Neubauer, Paul; Komadina, Bruce; Williams, Emery; Alix, Chris; Jensen, Tor; Schook, Lawrence; Diederich, Chris J.

2011-03-01

Heat therapy has long been used for treatments in dermatology and sports medicine. The use of laser, RF, microwave, and more recently, ultrasound treatment, for psoriasis, collagen reformation, and skin tightening has gained considerable interest over the past several years. Numerous studies and commercial devices have demonstrated the efficacy of these methods for treatment of skin disorders. Despite these promising results, current systems remain highly dependent on operator skill, and cannot effectively treat effectively because there is little or no control of the size, shape, and depth of the target zone. These limitations make it extremely difficult to obtain consistent treatment results. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility for using acoustic energy for controlled dose delivery sufficient to produce collagen modification for the treatment of skin tissue in the dermal and sub-dermal layers. We designed and evaluated a curvilinear focused ultrasound device for treating skin disorders such as psoriasis, stimulation of wound healing, tightening of skin through shrinkage of existing collagen and stimulation of new collagen formation, and skin cancer. Design parameters were examined using acoustic pattern simulations and thermal modeling. Acute studies were performed in 201 freshly-excised samples of young porcine underbelly skin tissue and 56 in-vivo treatment areas in 60- 80 kg pigs. These were treated with ultrasound (9-11MHz) focused in the deep dermis. Dose distribution was analyzed and gross pathology assessed. Tissue shrinkage was measured based on fiducial markers and video image registration and analyzed using NIH Image-J software. Comparisons were made between RF and focused ultrasound for five energy ranges. In each experimental series, therapeutic dose levels (60degC) were attained at 2-5mm depth. Localized collagen changes ranged from 1-3% for RF versus 8-15% for focused ultrasound. Therapeutic ultrasound applied at high frequencies can achieve temperatures and dose distributions which concentrate in a depth profile that coincides with the location of maximum structural collagen content in skin tissues. Using an appropriate transducer configuration produces coverage of significant lateral area, thus making this a practical approach for treatment of skin disorders.

20 kHz ultrasound assisted treatment of chronic wounds with concurrent optic monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bawiec, Christopher R.; Sunny, Youhan; Diaz, David; Nadkarni, Sumati; Weingarten, Michael S.; Neidrauer, Michael; Margolis, David J.; Zubkov, Leonid; Lewin, Peter A.

2015-05-01

This paper describes a novel, wearable, battery powered ultrasound applicator that was evaluated as a therapeutic tool for healing of chronic wounds, such as venous ulcers. The low frequency and low intensity (~100mW/cm2) applicator works by generating ultrasound waves with peak-to-peak pressure amplitudes of 55 kPa at 20 kHz. The device was used in a pilot human study (n=25) concurrently with remote optical (diffuse correlation spectroscopy - DCS) monitoring to assess the healing outcome. More specifically, the ulcers' healing status was determined by measuring tissue oxygenation and blood flow in the capillary network. This procedure facilitated an early prognosis of the treatment outcome and - once verified - may eventually enable customization of wound management. The outcome of the study shows that the healing patients of the ultrasound treated group had a statistically improved (p<0.05) average rate of wound healing (20.6%/week) compared to the control group (5.3%/week). In addition, the calculated blood flow index (BFI) decreased more rapidly in wounds that decreased in size, indicating a correlation between BFI and wound healing prediction. Overall, the results presented support the notion that active low frequency ultrasound treatment of chronic venous ulcers accelerates healing when combined with the current standard clinical care. The ultrasound applicator described here provides a user-friendly, fully wearable system that has the potential for becoming the first device suitable for treatment of chronic wounds in patient's homes, which - in turn - would increase patients' compliance and improve quality of life.

SU-E-J-42: Evaluation of Fiducial Markers for Ultrasound and X-Ray Images Used for Motion Tracking in Pancreas SBRT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ng, SK; Armour, E; Su, L

Purpose Ultrasound tracking of target motion relies on visibility of vascular and/or anatomical landmark. However this is challenging when the target is located far from vascular structures or in organs that lack ultrasound landmark structure, such as in the case of pancreas cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate visibility, artifacts and distortions of fusion coils and solid gold markers in ultrasound, CT, CBCT and kV images to identify markers suitable for real-time ultrasound tracking of tumor motion in SBRT pancreas treatment. Methods Two fusion coils (1mm × 5mm and 1mm × 10 mm) and a solid goldmore » marker (0.8mm × 10mm) were embedded in a tissue–like ultrasound phantom. The phantom (5cm × 12cm × 20cm) was prepared using water, gelatin and psyllium-hydrophilic-mucilloid fiber. Psylliumhydrophilic mucilloid acts as scattering medium to produce echo texture that simulates sonographic appearance of human tissue in ultrasound images while maintaining electron density close to that of water in CT images. Ultrasound images were acquired using 3D-ultrasound system with markers embedded at 5, 10 and 15mm depth from phantom surface. CT images were acquired using Philips Big Bore CT while CBCT and kV images were acquired with XVI-system (Elexta). Visual analysis was performed to compare visibility of the markers and visibility score (1 to 3) were assigned. Results All markers embedded at various depths are clearly visible (score of 3) in ultrasound images. Good visibility of all markers is observed in CT, CBCT and kV images. The degree of artifact produced by the markers in CT and CBCT images are indistinguishable. No distortion is observed in images from any modalities. Conclusion All markers are visible in images across all modalities in this homogenous tissue-like phantom. Human subject data is necessary to confirm the marker type suitable for real-time ultrasound tracking of tumor motion in SBRT pancreas treatment.« less

Prostate tissue ablation with MRI guided transurethral therapeutic ultrasound and intraoperative assessment of the integrity of the neurovascular bundle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sammet, Steffen; Partanen, Ari; Yousuf, Ambereen; Wardrip, Craig; Niekrasz, Marek; Antic, Tatjana; Razmaria, Aria; Sokka, Sham; Karczmar, Gregory; Oto, Aytekin

2017-03-01

OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the precision of prostate tissue ablation with MRI guided therapeuticultrasound by intraoperative objective assessment of the neurovascular bundle in canines in-vivo. METHODS: In this ongoing IACUC approved study, eight male canines were scanned in a clinical 3T Achieva MRI scanner (Philips) before, during, and after ultrasound therapy with a prototype MR-guided ultrasound therapy system (Philips). The system includes a therapy console to plan treatment, to calculate real-time temperature maps, and to control ultrasound exposures with temperature feedback. Atransurethral ultrasound applicator with eight transducer elements was used to ablate canine prostate tissue in-vivo. Ablated prostate tissue volumes were compared to the prescribed target volumes to evaluate technical effectiveness. The ablated volumes determined by MRI (T1, T2, diffusion, dynamic contrast enhanced and 240 CEM43 thermal dose maps) were compared to H&E stained histological slides afterprostatectomy. Potential nerve damage of the neurovascular bundle was objectively assessed intraoperativelyduring prostatectomy with a CaverMap Surgical Aid nerve stimulator (Blue Torch Medical Technologies). RESULTS: Transurethral MRI -guided ultrasound therapy can effectively ablate canine prostate tissue invivo. Coronal MR-imaging confirmed the correct placement of the HIFU transducer. MRI temperature maps were acquired during HIFU treatment, and subsequently used for calculating thermal dose. Prescribed target volumes corresponded to the 240 CEM43 thermal dose maps during HIFU treatment in all canines. Ablated volumes on high resolution anatomical, diffusion weighted, and contrast enhanced MR images matched corresponding histological slides after prostatectomy. MRI guidance with realtime temperature monitoring showed no damage to surrounding tissues, especially to the neurovascular bundle (assessed intra-operatively with a nerve stimulator) or to the rectum wall. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the effectiveness and precision of transurethral ultrasound ablation of prostatic tissue in canines with MRI monitoring and guidance. The canine prostate is an excellent model for the human prostate with similar anatomical characteristics and diseases. MRI guidance with real-time, intraoperative temperature monitoring reduces the risk of damaging critical surrounding anatomical structures in ultrasound therapy of the prostate.

Ultrasound assisted combustion synthesis of TiC in Al-Ti-C system.

PubMed

Liu, Zhiwei; Rakita, Milan; Xu, Wilson; Wang, Xiaoming; Han, Qingyou

2015-11-01

This research investigated the effects of high-intensity ultrasound on the combustion synthesis of TiC particles in Al-Ti-C system. The process involved that high-intensity ultrasound was applied on the surface of a compacted Al-Ti-C pellet directly through a Nb probe during the thermal explosion reaction. By comparing with the sample without ultrasonic treatment, it was found that the thermal explosion reaction for synthesizing TiC phase could take place thoroughly in the ultrasonically treated sample. During the process of synthesizing TiC phase, the dissolution of solid graphite particles into the Al-Ti melt, as well as the nucleation and growth of TiC particles could be promoted effectively due to the effects of ultrasound, leading to an enhancement of the formation of TiC particles. Ultrasound assisted combustion synthesis as a simple and effective approach was proposed for synthesizing materials in this research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of breast cancer with a dedicated breast platform.

PubMed

Merckel, Laura G; Bartels, Lambertus W; Köhler, Max O; van den Bongard, H J G Desirée; Deckers, Roel; Mali, Willem P Th M; Binkert, Christoph A; Moonen, Chrit T; Gilhuijs, Kenneth G A; van den Bosch, Maurice A A J

2013-04-01

Optimizing the treatment of breast cancer remains a major topic of interest. In current clinical practice, breast-conserving therapy is the standard of care for patients with localized breast cancer. Technological developments have fueled interest in less invasive breast cancer treatment. Magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MR-HIFU) is a completely noninvasive ablation technique. Focused beams of ultrasound are used for ablation of the target lesion without disrupting the skin and subcutaneous tissues in the beam path. MRI is an excellent imaging method for tumor targeting, treatment monitoring, and evaluation of treatment results. The combination of HIFU and MR imaging offers an opportunity for image-guided ablation of breast cancer. Previous studies of MR-HIFU in breast cancer patients reported a limited efficacy, which hampered the clinical translation of this technique. These prior studies were performed without an MR-HIFU system specifically developed for breast cancer treatment. In this article, a novel and dedicated MR-HIFU breast platform is presented. This system has been designed for safe and effective MR-HIFU ablation of breast cancer. Furthermore, both clinical and technical challenges are discussed, which have to be solved before MR-HIFU ablation of breast cancer can be implemented in routine clinical practice.

Clinical responses to focused ultrasound applied to women with vulval intraepithelial neoplasia.

PubMed

Jia, Ying; Wu, Jin; Xu, Man; Tang, Liangdan; Li, Chengzhi; Luo, Ming; Lou, Meng

2014-11-01

Focused ultrasound waves penetrate superficial tissues and are aimed toward the target tissues at specific depths to exert their biological effects. Focused ultrasound has been applied for a number of clinical indications, including vulval dystrophies and low-grade vulval disease. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of focused ultrasound treatment of high-grade vulval intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN). Eighteen women with high-grade VIN were recruited and treated with focused ultrasound. During each posttreatment follow-up, the safety of, side effects of, and clinical responses to focused ultrasound were evaluated by a standardized protocol, including symptoms, clinical appearance, and histologic findings. All patients completed the designed follow-ups. In most cases, superficial mild to moderate swelling and blisters were seen in the focused ultrasound-treated skin but not in adjacent normal skin. Of the 18 patients, 16 showed complete histologic regression and resolution of symptoms 6 months after treatment. Of the other 2 patients, 1 showed complete regression after a second focused ultrasound treatment. The other patient did not respond to the focused ultrasound treatment and underwent a partial vulvectomy 6 months after treatment. None of the patients developed invasive carcinoma of the vulva during the follow-up period. One patient had local pruritus that was not alleviated by anti-inflammatory medication and local care. The complete responses observed in women with high-grade VIN treated by focused ultrasound, together with the preservation of adjacent normal tissue, suggest that focused ultrasound may be considered for treatment of high-grade VIN. © 2014 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Dynamic Observation of the Morphological Changes in Paraurethral Ducts Infected with Gonococci in Men before and after Ceftriaxone Therapy Using High-Frequency Ultrasound.

PubMed

Fan, Wenge; Zhang, Qingsong; Ye, Xun; Fan, Zhijiang

2018-01-01

To observe the morphological changes in paraurethral ducts infected with gonococci in men before and after the administration of the ceftriaxone therapy using high-frequency ultrasound and determine its clinical significance. Thirty-two male patients with gonococcal paraurethral duct infection were enrolled. Their lesions were examined using an ACUSON X300 ultrasound system before and after they were subjected to ceftriaxone therapy. The paraurethral duct was completely closed 3-4 days after ceftriaxone treatment in 30 patients. Paraurethral duct closure began from the blind end and proceeded gradually towards its orifice; during closure, the paraurethral duct diameter showed no apparent change. These 30 patients whose paraurethral ducts closed were considered cured. In the remaining 2 patients, the length and diameter of the paraurethral ducts showed no change before and after ceftriaxone treatment; one patient was unresponsive to ceftriaxone treatment, and the other had secondary dilatation of the paraurethral duct. These 2 patients were cured after surgery. High-frequency ultrasound enables dynamic observation of the morphological changes in paraurethral ducts infected with gonococci before and after ceftriaxone therapy. High-frequency ultrasound can provide valuable information for incision, drainage, and wedge resection of paraurethral ducts. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The efficacy of ultrasound treatment as a reversible male contraceptive in the rhesus monkey.

PubMed

VandeVoort, Catherine A; Tollner, Theodore L

2012-09-12

The use of therapeutic ultrasound as a contraceptive approach has involved nonhuman primates as well as rats and dogs. The current study was undertaken to determine whether this treatment could be a method for reversible contraception, using a model with testes size similar to adult humans. Two methods of ultrasound exposure were used, either the transducer probe at the bottom of a cup filled with saline (Cup) or direct application to the surface of the scrotum (Direct). Four adult rhesus (Macaca mulatta) males with normal semen parameters were treated with therapeutic ultrasound at 2.5 W/cm(2) for 30 min. Treatment was given 3 times, one every other day on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule. For each male, semen quality was evaluated a minimum of three times over several months prior to ultrasound exposure and weekly for two months following ultrasound treatment. Semen samples from all males, regardless of exposure method, exhibited a decrease in the percentage of motile sperm following ultrasound treatment. There was an average reduction in motility of 40% the week following treatment. Similarly, curvilinear velocity and the percentage of sperm with a normally shaped flagellum were also reduced in all males following ultrasound treatment. A significant reduction in the total number of sperm in an ejaculate (total sperm count) was only observed in males that received ultrasound via the cup method. Following treatment via the cup method, males exhibited up to a 91.7% decrease in average total sperm count (n = 2). Sperm count did not approach pre-treatment levels until 8 weeks following ultrasound exposure. The sustained reduction in sperm count, percent motility, normal morphology, and sperm vigor with the cup exposure method provides proof of principle that testicular treatment with ultrasound can be an effective contraceptive approach in humans.

Robotic active positioning for magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xu; Huang, Zhihong; Volovick, Alexander; Melzer, Andreas

2012-11-01

Magnetic resonance (MR) guided High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a noninvasive method producing thermal necrosis and cavitation at the position of tumors with high accuracy. Because the typical size of the high-intensity focused ultrasound focus are much smaller than the targeted tumor or other tissues, multiple sonications and focus repositioning become necessary for HIFU treatment. In order to reach a much wider range, manual repositioning or using MR compatible mechanical actuators could be used. The repositioning technique is a time consuming procedure because it needs a series of MR imaging to detect the transducer and markers preplaced on the mechanical devices. We combined an active tracking technique into the MR guided HIFU system. In this work, the robotic system used is the MR-compatible robotics from InnoMotion{trade mark, serif} (IBSMM, Engineering spol. s r.o. / Ltd, Czech) which is originally designed for MR-guided needle biopsy. The precision and positioning speed of the combined robotic HIFU system are evaluated in this study. Compared to the existing MR guided HIFU systems, the combined robotic system with active tracking techniques provides a potential that allows the HIFU treatment to operate in a larger spatial range and with a faster speed.

Ultrasound guided electrochemotherapy for the treatment of a clear cell thymoma in a cat

PubMed Central

Spugnini, Enrico Pierluigi; Menicagli, Francesco; Pettorali, Michela; Baldi, Alfonso

2017-01-01

A twelve-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat was presented for rapidly progressing respiratory distress. The cat was depressed, tachypneic and moderately responsive. Ultrasonography showed a mediastinal mass associated with a significant pleural effusion that needed tapping every five to seven days. Ultrasound guided biopsy yielded a diagnosis of clear cell thymoma upon histopathology. After complete staging procedures, the owner elected to treat the cat with electrochemotherapy (ECT) using systemic bleomycin. Two sessions of ultrasound guided ECT were performed at two week intervals with trains of biphasic electric pulses applied using needle electrodes until complete coverage of the area was achieved. The treatment was well tolerated and resulted in partial remission (PR). Additional sessions were performed on a monthly basis. The cat is still in PR after fourteen months. ECT resulted in improved local control and should be considered among the available adjuvant treatments in pets carrying visceral tumors. PMID:28331834

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) array system for image-guided ablative therapy (IGAT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaczkowski, Peter J.; Keilman, George W.; Cunitz, Bryan W.; Martin, Roy W.; Vaezy, Shahram; Crum, Lawrence A.

2003-06-01

Recent interest in using High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for surgical applications such as hemostasis and tissue necrosis has stimulated the development of image-guided systems for non-invasive HIFU therapy. Seeking an all-ultrasound therapeutic modality, we have developed a clinical HIFU system comprising an integrated applicator that permits precisely registered HIFU therapy delivery and high quality ultrasound imaging using two separate arrays, a multi-channel signal generator and RF amplifier system, and a software program that provides the clinician with a graphical overlay of the ultrasound image and therapeutic protocol controls. Electronic phasing of a 32 element 2 MHz HIFU annular array allows adjusting the focus within the range of about 4 to 12 cm from the face. A central opening in the HIFU transducer permits mounting a commercial medical imaging scanhead (ATL P7-4) that is held in place within a special housing. This mechanical fixture ensures precise coaxial registration between the HIFU transducer and the image plane of the imaging probe. Recent enhancements include development of an acoustic lens using numerical simulations for use with a 5-element array. Our image-guided therapy system is very flexible and enables exploration of a variety of new HIFU therapy delivery and monitoring approaches in the search for safe, effective, and efficient treatment protocols.

Tissue Bioeffects during Ultrasound-mediated Drug Delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutton, Jonathan

Ultrasound has been developed as both a valuable diagnostic tool and a potent promoter of beneficial tissue bioeffects for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Vascular effects can be mediated by mechanical oscillations of circulating microbubbles, or ultrasound contrast agents, which may also encapsulate and shield a therapeutic agent in the bloodstream. Oscillating microbubbles can create stresses directly on nearby tissue or induce fluid effects that effect drug penetration into vascular tissue, lyse thrombi, or direct drugs to optimal locations for delivery. These investigations have spurred continued research into alternative therapeutic applications, such as bioactive gas delivery. This dissertation addresses a fundamental hypothesis in biomedical ultrasound: ultrasound-mediated drug delivery is capable of increasing the penetration of drugs across different physiologic barriers within the cardiovascular system, such as the vascular endothelium, blood clots, and smooth muscle cells.

Aesthetic ultrasound therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthe, Peter G.; Slayton, Michael H.

2012-10-01

Ultrasound provides key benefits in aesthetic surgery compared to laser and RF based energy sources. We present results of research, development, pre-clinical and clinical studies, regulatory clearance and commercialization of a revolutionary non-invasive aesthetic ultrasound imaging and therapy system. Clinical applications for this platform include non-invasive face-lifts, brow-lifts, and neck-lifts achieved through fractionated treatment of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) and subcutaneous tissue. Treatment consists of placing a grid of micro-coagulative lesions on the order of 1 mm3 at depths in skin of 1 to 6 mm, source energy levels of 0.1 to 3 J, and spacing on the order of 1.5 mm, from 4 to 10 MHz dual-mode image/treat transducers. System details are described, as well as a regulatory pathway consisting of acoustic and bioheat simulations, source characterization (hydrophone, radiation force, and Schlieren), pre-clinical studies (porcine skin ex vivo, in vivo, and human cadaver), human safety studies (treat and resect) and efficacy trials which culminated in FDA clearance (2009) under a new device classification and world-wide usage. Clinical before and after photographs are presented which validate the clinical approach.

Combined ultrasound and MR imaging to guide focused ultrasound therapies in the brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arvanitis, Costas D.; Livingstone, Margaret S.; McDannold, Nathan

2013-07-01

Several emerging therapies with potential for use in the brain, harness effects produced by acoustic cavitation—the interaction between ultrasound and microbubbles either generated during sonication or introduced into the vasculature. Systems developed for transcranial MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thermal ablation can enable their clinical translation, but methods for real-time monitoring and control are currently lacking. Acoustic emissions produced during sonication can provide information about the location, strength and type of the microbubble oscillations within the ultrasound field, and they can be mapped in real-time using passive imaging approaches. Here, we tested whether such mapping can be achieved transcranially within a clinical brain MRgFUS system. We integrated an ultrasound imaging array into the hemisphere transducer of the MRgFUS device. Passive cavitation maps were obtained during sonications combined with a circulating microbubble agent at 20 targets in the cingulate cortex in three macaques. The maps were compared with MRI-evident tissue effects. The system successfully mapped microbubble activity during both stable and inertial cavitation, which was correlated with MRI-evident transient blood-brain barrier disruption and vascular damage, respectively. The location of this activity was coincident with the resulting tissue changes within the expected resolution limits of the system. While preliminary, these data clearly demonstrate, for the first time, that it is possible to construct maps of stable and inertial cavitation transcranially, in a large animal model, and under clinically relevant conditions. Further, these results suggest that this hybrid ultrasound/MRI approach can provide comprehensive guidance for targeted drug delivery via blood-brain barrier disruption and other emerging ultrasound treatments, facilitating their clinical translation. We anticipate that it will also prove to be an important research tool that will further the development of a broad range of microbubble-enhanced therapies.

In vivo evaluation of drug delivery after ultrasound application: A new use for the photoacoustic technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barja, P. R.; Acosta-Avalos, D.; Rompe, P. C. B.; Dos Anjos, F. H.; Marciano, F. R.; da Silva, M. D.

2005-06-01

Ultrasound application is a therapeutical resource widely employed in physiotherapy. One of its applications is the phonophoresis, a technique in which the ultrasound radiation is utilized to deliver drugs through the skin to soft tissues. The proposal of our study was to employ the Photoacoustic Technique to evaluate the efficacy of such treatment, analyzing if phonophoresis could enhance drug delivery through skin when compared to the more traditional method of manual massage. The configuration of the system employed was such that it was possible to perform in vivo measurements, which is a pre-requisite for this kind of study. The changes observed in the photoacoustic signal amplitude after each form of drug application were attributed to changes in the thermal effusivity of the system, due to penetration of the drug. The technique was able to detect differences in drug delivery between the specified physiotherapy treatments, indicating that phonophoresis enhances drug absorption by tissue.

Real-time photoacoustic imaging of prostate brachytherapy seeds using a clinical ultrasound system.

PubMed

Kuo, Nathanael; Kang, Hyun Jae; Song, Danny Y; Kang, Jin U; Boctor, Emad M

2012-06-01

Prostate brachytherapy is a popular prostate cancer treatment option that involves the permanent implantation of radioactive seeds into the prostate. However, contemporary brachytherapy procedure is limited by the lack of an imaging system that can provide real-time seed-position feedback. While many other imaging systems have been proposed, photoacoustic imaging has emerged as a potential ideal modality to address this need, since it could easily be incorporated into the current ultrasound system used in the operating room. We present such a photoacoustic imaging system built around a clinical ultrasound system to achieve the task of visualizing and localizing seeds. We performed several experiments to analyze the effects of various parameters on the appearance of brachytherapy seeds in photoacoustic images. We also imaged multiple seeds in an ex vivo dog prostate phantom to demonstrate the possibility of using this system in a clinical setting. Although still in its infancy, these initial results of a photoacoustic imaging system for the application of prostate brachytherapy seed localization are highly promising.

Application of low-frequency sonophoresis and reduction of antibiotics in the aquatic systems.

PubMed

Cobo Labarca, C; Radinger, J; Schöning, V; Ariav, R; Jung, R; Thompson, K D; Kloas, W; Knopf, K

2017-11-01

A major concern in aquaculture is the use of chemical therapeutics, such as antibiotics, because of their impact on the environment as well as on the fish product. As a potential tool for reducing antibiotic use, we tested the application of low-frequency ultrasound as a method for enhancing antibiotic uptake. Rainbow trout juveniles (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were exposed to two different concentrations of oxytetracycline (OTC), flumequine (FLU) and florfenicol (FLO), administered by bath after the application of ultrasound. After exposure, concentrations of these substances were measured in the liver and blood of treated fish. Results showed that the ultrasound treatment can significantly increase the uptake for all three antibiotics. The uptake of OTC for example, in fish exposed to an OTC concentration of 20 mg L -1 after prior treatment with ultrasound, was similar to the OTC concentrations in their liver and blood to fish exposed to 100 mg L -1 without sonication. For FLU and FLO, the use of ultrasound caused significant differences of uptake in the liver at high antibiotic concentrations. This suggests that the use of ultrasound as a technique to deliver antibiotics to fish can ultimately reduce the amount of antibiotics discharged into the aquatic environment. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A novel transcutaneous, non-focused ultrasound energy delivering device is able to induce subcutaneous adipose tissue destruction in an animal model.

PubMed

Levi, Assi; Amitai, Dan Ben; Lapidoth, Moshe

2017-01-01

The understanding that adipocytes are greatly influenced by thermal changes combined with the advancement of non-invasive ultrasound technologies have led to the application of ultrasound as an energy source to induce thermal fat destruction. While application of high intensity focused, ultrasound energy have been widely explored, there is far less information regarding the effects of non-focused ultrasound on adipose tissue. The purpose of this study was to characterize the effects of a novel transcutaneous, multi-elements, non-focused ultrasound energy regimen in an animal model, as a proof-of-concept of its potential to treat non-invasive subcutaneous benign tumors. The non-invasive transcutaneous ultrasound system prototype (LUMENIS, Ltd., Yoqneam, Israel) was applied to thermally induce adipocytes' death. During treatment, the ultrasound energy was transmitted into the subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) of 12 domestic adult female pigs. Two modes of operation (long and short), which differ in both the acoustic energy applied to the tissue and in their time durations (i.e., differ in their power settings), were used in this study. Efficacy and safety assessments included: Temperature measurement of skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) visual inspection and ultrasound imaging of the thermally affected areas, histopathological assessment of tissue samples using hematoxylin & eosin, and Masson's trichrome stains and in situ cell death detection kit for apoptosis assessment. The long and short treatment modes led to a 13.2°C and 17.8°C rise from baseline, respectively, in the SAT, whereas skin surface temperature was practically unaffected. Visual, ultrasonographic, and histopathological evaluation of the treated area showed SAT ablation. No treatment-related changes were observed in the epidermis, dermis subcutaneous muscle and nerves, or in livers and kidneys of treated animals. Additionally, no significant changes from baseline in blood- and urine-borne analytes were detected post-treatment. The novel transcutaneous, multi-elements, non-focused ultrasound energy regimen used in this study, proved effective in non-invasively ablating SAT in an animal model. The usage of low energy settings such as in the current study might reduce unwanted side effects related to high energy application. Lasers Surg. Med. 49:110-121, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ultrasound imaging to tailor the treatment of acute shoulder pain: a randomised controlled trial in general practice.

PubMed

Ottenheijm, Ramon P G; Cals, Jochen W L; Winkens, Bjorn; Weijers, René E; de Bie, Rob A; Dinant, Geert-Jan

2016-11-21

To determine the clinical effectiveness of ultrasound tailored treatment in patients with acute subacromial disorders. Pragmatic randomised controlled trial. Dutch general practice. Patients aged 18-65 years with acute (duration <3 months) unilateral shoulder pain and no previous treatment, in whom the general practitioner suspected a subacromial disorder was enrolled. All patients underwent ultrasound imaging of the affected shoulder. Patients who were still symptomatic after a qualification period of 2 weeks with standard treatment were randomised to treatment tailored to ultrasound diagnosis (disclosure of the ultrasound diagnosis) or usual care (non-disclosure of the ultrasound diagnosis). Patient-perceived recovery using the Global Perceived Effect questionnaire at 1 year. 129 patients were included. 18 patients recovered during the 2-week qualification period, resulting in 111 randomised patients; 56 were allocated to ultrasound tailored treatment and 55 to usual care. After 1 year, no statistically significant differences in recovery were found between the ultrasound tailored treatment group (72.5% (37/51)) and the usual care group (60% (30/50), OR 2.24 (95% CI 0.72 to 6.89; p=0.16)). Also, healthcare use was similar. This study has shown no clinically significant difference in the primary outcome measure between the ultrasound tailored treatment and usual care groups. Furthermore, there was no overall difference in healthcare resources used between groups. Although no formal cost data are included, one can only assume that the ultrasound examinations are additional costs for the intervention group, which cannot be justified in routine practice based on this trial. Based on this study, no change in current pragmatic guidelines to incorporate early ultrasound imaging can be recommended. NTR2403; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Combinational light emitting diode-high frequency focused ultrasound treatment for HeLa cell.

PubMed

Choe, Se-Woon; Park, Kitae; Park, Chulwoo; Ryu, Jaemyung; Choi, Hojong

2017-12-01

Light sources such as laser and light emitting diode or ultrasound devices have been widely used for cancer therapy and regenerative medicines, since they are more cost-effective and less harmful than radiation therapy, chemotherapy or magnetic treatment. Compared to laser and low intensity ultrasound techniques, light emitting diode and high frequency focused ultrasound shows enhanced therapeutic effects, especially for small tumors. We propose combinational light emitting diode-high frequency focused ultrasound treatment for human cervical cancer HeLa cells. Individual red, green, and blue light emitting diode light only, high frequency focused ultrasound only, or light emitting diode light combined with high frequency focused ultrasound treatments were applied in order to characterize the responses of HeLa cells. Cell density exposed by blue light emitting diode light combined with high frequency focused ultrasound (2.19 ± 0.58%) was much lower than that of cells exposed by red and green light emitting diode lights (81.71 ± 9.92% and 61.81 ± 4.09%), blue light emitting diode light (11.19 ± 2.51%) or high frequency focused ultrasound only (9.72 ± 1.04%). We believe that the proposed combinational blue light emitting diode-high frequency focused ultrasound treatment could have therapeutic benefits to alleviate cancer cell proliferation.

Decolorizing of azo dye Reactive red 24 aqueous solution using exfoliated graphite and H2O2 under ultrasound irradiation.

PubMed

Li, Mei; Li, Ji-Tai; Sun, Han-Wen

2008-07-01

At its natural pH (6.95), the decolorization of Reactive red 24 in ultrasound, ultrasound/H2O2, exfoliated graphite, ultrasound/exfoliated graphite, exfoliated graphite/H2O2 and ultrasound/exfoliated graphite/H2O2 systems were compared. An enhancement was observed for the decolorization in ultrasound/exfoliated graphite/H2O2 system. The effect of solution pH, H2O2 and exfoliated graphite dosages, and temperature on the decolorization of Reactive red 24 was investigated. The sonochemical treatment in combination with exfoliated graphite/H2O2 showed a synergistic effect for the decolorization of Reactive red 24. The results indicated that under proper conditions, there was a possibility to remove Reactive red 24 very efficient from aqueous solution. The decolorization of other azo dyes (Reactive red 2, Methyl orange, Acid red 1, Acid red 73, Acid red 249, Acid orange 7, Acid blue 113, Acid brown 75, Acid green 20, Acid yellow 42, Acid mordant brown 33, Acid mordant yellow 10 and Direct green 1) was also investigated, at their natural pH.

Transvaginal 3D Image-Guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Held, Robert; Nguyen, Thuc Nghi; Vaezy, Shahram

2005-03-01

The goal of this project is to develop a transvaginal image-guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) device using piezocomposite HIFU array technology, and commercially-available ultrasound imaging. Potential applications include treatment of uterine fibroids and abnormal uterine bleeding. The HIFU transducer was an annular phased array, with a focal length range of 30-60 mm, an elliptically-shaped aperture of 35×60 mm, and an operating frequency of 3 MHz. A pillow-shaped bag with water circulation will be used for coupling the HIFU energy into the tissue. An intra-cavity imaging probe (C9-5, Philips) was integrated with the HIFU array such that the focal axis of the HIFU transducer was within the image plane. The entire device will be covered by a gel-filled condom when inserted in the vaginal cavity. To control it, software packages were developed in the LabView programming environment. An imaging algorithm processed the ultrasound image to remove noise patterns due to the HIFU signal. The device will be equipped with a three-dimensional tracking system, using a six-degrees-of-freedom articulating arm. Necrotic lesions were produced in a tissue-mimicking phantom and a turkey breast sample for all focal lengths. Various HIFU doses allow various necrotic lesion shapes, including thin ellipsoidal, spherical, wide cylindrical, and teardrop-shaped. Software control of the device allows multiple foci to be activated sequentially for desired lesion patterns. Ultrasound imaging synchronization can be achieved using hardware signals obtained from the imaging system, or software signals determined empirically for various imaging probes. The image-guided HIFU device will provide a valuable tool in visualization of uterine fibroid tumors for the purposes of planning and subsequent HIFU treatment of the tumor, all in a 3D environment. The control system allows for various lesions of different shapes to be optimally positioned in the tumor to cover the entire tumor volume. Real-time ultrasound imaging for guidance and monitoring of HIFU treatment provides an effective method for outpatient-based procedures.

Ultrasound interstitial thermal therapy (USITT) for the treatment of uterine myomas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nau, William H., Jr.; Diederich, Chris J.; Simko, Jeff; Juang, Titania; Jacoby, Alison; Burdette, E. C.

2007-02-01

Uterine myomas (fibroids) are the most common pelvic tumors occurring in women, and are the leading cause of hysterectomy. Symptoms can be severe, and traditional treatments involve either surgical removal of the uterus (hysterectomy), or the fibroids (myomectomy). Interstitial ultrasound technologies have demonstrated potential for hyperthermia and high temperature thermal therapy in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors. These ultrasound devices offer favorable energy penetration allowing large volumes of tissue to be treated in short periods of time, as well as axial and angular control of heating to conform thermal treatment to a targeted tissue, while protecting surrounding tissues from thermal damage. The goal of this project is to evaluate interstitial ultrasound for controlled thermal coagulation of fibroids. Multi-element applicators were fabricated using tubular transducers, some of which were sectored to produce 180° directional heating patterns, and integrated with water cooling. Human uterine fibroids were obtained after routine myomectomies, and instrumented with thermocouples spaced at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 cm from the applicator. Power levels ranging from 8-15 W per element were applied for up to 15 minute heating periods. Results demonstrated that therapeutic temperatures >50° C and cytotoxic thermal doses (t 43) extended beyond 2 cm radially from the applicator (>4 cm diameter). It is anticipated that this system will make a significant contribution toward the treatment of uterine fibroids.

Noninvasive Drug Delivery Using Ultrasound: Targeting Melanoma Using siRNA Against Mutant (V600E) B-Raf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Melissa A.; Gowda, Raghavendra; Park, Eun-Joo; Adair, James; Smith, Nadine; Kester, Mark; Robertson, Gavin P.

2009-04-01

Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. Currently early surgical removal is the best treatment option for melanoma patients with little hope of successful treatment of late stage melanoma. Clearly new treatment options must be explored. Topical administration of drugs provides the advantage of being able to apply large quantities of drug in close proximity to the tumor without the issue of systemic side effects. However, the natural barrier formed by the skin must first be overcome for topical treatment to become a viable option. With this in mind we have sought to use low-frequency ultrasound to transiently permeabilize the stratum corneum and successfully deliver liposomal siRNA to melanoma cells residing at the basement membrane. B-Raf is one of the most frequently activated genes in melanoma, making it an ideal candidate for targeting via siRNA. The novel liposomes used in this study load siRNA, protect if from the outside environment and lead to knockdown of target message. Combining ultrasound with liposomal siRNA we show that siRNA can be delivered into melanoma cells. Additionally, we show that siRNA to mutant B-Raf can effectively inhibit melanoma growth in reconstructs and in mice by 60% and 30% respectively. Therefore, ultrasound with liposomal siRNA is a potentially valuable treatment option for melanoma patients.

Nanobubbles: a promising efficient tool for therapeutic delivery.

PubMed

Cavalli, Roberta; Soster, Marco; Argenziano, Monica

2016-01-01

In recent decades ultrasound-guided delivery of drugs loaded on nanocarriers has been the focus of increasing attention to improve therapeutic treatments. Ultrasound has often been used in combination with microbubbles, micron-sized spherical gas-filled structures stabilized by a shell, to amplify the biophysical effects of the ultrasonic field. Nanometer size bubbles are defined nanobubbles. They were designed to obtain more efficient drug delivery systems. Indeed, their small sizes allow extravasation from blood vessels into surrounding tissues and ultrasound-targeted site-specific release with minimal invasiveness. Additionally, nanobubbles might be endowed with improved stability and longer residence time in systemic circulation. This review will describe the physico-chemical properties of nanobubbles, the formulation parameters and the drug loading approaches, besides potential applications as a therapeutic tool.

Blood coagulation using High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Phuc V.; Oh, Junghwan; Kang, Hyun Wook

2014-03-01

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) technology provides a feasible method of achieving thermal coagulation during surgical procedures. One of the potential clinical benefits of HIFU can induce immediate hemostasis without suturing. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficiency of a HIFU system for blood coagulation on severe vascular injury. ngHIFU treatment was implemented immediately after bleeding in artery. The ultrasound probe was made of piezoelectric material, generating a central frequency of 2.0 MHz as well as an ellipsoidal focal spot of 2 mm in lateral dimension and 10 mm in axial dimension. Acoustic coagulation was employed on a perfused chicken artery model in vitro. A surgical incision (1 to 2 mm long) was made with a scapel on the arterial wall, and heparinized autologous blood was made to leak out from the incision with a syringe pump. A total of 5 femoral artery incisions was treated with the HIFU beam. The intensity of 4500 W/cm2 at the focus was applied for all treatments. Complete hemostasis was achieved in all treatments, along with the treatment times of 25 to 50 seconds. The estimated intraoperative blood loss was from 2 to 5 mL. The proposed HIFU system may provide an effective method for immediate blood coagulation for arteries and veins in clinical applications.

High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation assisted using color Doppler imaging for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinomas.

PubMed

Fukuda, Hiroyuki; Numata, Kazushi; Nozaki, Akito; Kondo, Masaaki; Morimoto, Manabu; Maeda, Shin; Tanaka, Katsuaki; Ohto, Masao; Ito, Ryu; Ishibashi, Yoshiharu; Oshima, Noriyoshi; Ito, Ayao; Zhu, Hui; Wang, Zhi-Biao

2013-12-01

We evaluated the usefulness of color Doppler flow imaging to compensate for the inadequate resolution of the ultrasound (US) monitoring during high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). US-guided HIFU ablation assisted using color Doppler flow imaging was performed in 11 patients with small HCC (<3 lesions, <3 cm in diameter). The HIFU system (Chongqing Haifu Tech) was used under US guidance. Color Doppler sonographic studies were performed using an HIFU 6150S US imaging unit system and a 2.7-MHz electronic convex probe. The color Doppler images were used because of the influence of multi-reflections and the emergence of hyperecho. In 1 of the 11 patients, multi-reflections were responsible for the poor visualization of the tumor. In 10 cases, the tumor was poorly visualized because of the emergence of a hyperecho. In these cases, the ability to identify the original tumor location on the monitor by referencing the color Doppler images of the portal vein and the hepatic vein was very useful. HIFU treatments were successfully performed in all 11 patients with the assistance of color Doppler imaging. Color Doppler imaging is useful for the treatment of HCC using HIFU, compensating for the occasionally poor visualization provided by B-mode conventional US imaging.

The potential of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) combine phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PhS-OCT) for diseases diagnosis, treatment and monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Kanheng; Wang, Yan; Feng, Kairui; Li, Chunhui; Huang, Zhihong

2018-02-01

HIFU is a truly noninvasive, acoustic therapeutic technique that utilizes high intensity acoustic field in the focus to kill the targeted tissue for disease treatment purpose. The mechanical properties of targeted tissue changes before and after treatment, and this change can be accurately detected by shear wave elastography. Hence, shear wave elastography is usually used for monitoring HIFU treatment asynchronously. To improve the low spatial resolution in ultrasound shear wave elastography, and to perform diseases diagnosis, treatment and monitoring in the same system, a new setup that combines HIFU and PhS-OCT system was proposed in this study. This proposed setup could do 1) HIFU treatment when the transducer works at high energy level, 2) ultrasound induced shear wave optical coherence elastography for HIFU treatment asynchronous monitoring when the transducer works at low energy level. Ex-vivo bovine liver tissue was treated at the same energy level for different time (0s, 1s, 5s, 9s) in this research. Elastography was performed on the lesion area of the sample after HIFU treatment, and the elastogram was reconstructed by the time of flight time method. The elastogram results clearly show the boundary of HIFU lesion area and surrounding normal tissue, even for 1s treatment time. And the average elasticity of the lesion grows linearly as the treatment time increases. Combined with OCT needle probe, the proposed method has a large potential not only to be used for superficial diseases treatment, but also to be used for high-precision-demanded diseases treatment, e.g. nervous disease treatment.

The use of vertical constructed wetland and ultrasound in aquaponic systems.

PubMed

Krivograd Klemenčič, A; Griessler Bulc, T

2015-01-01

Treatment performance, fish production, crop plant biomass production, water consumption, and water use efficiency of a pilot aquaponic system for small-scale land-based cyprinid fish farms were evaluated. The system consisted of a 36 m(3) Pond A with an initial carp load of 0.6 kg/m(3); of a treatment chain with a lamellar settler, a roughing filter, a vertical constructed wetland filled with expanded clay and planted with tomatoes; and of a low power ultrasound unit installed in the corner of the pond. The average circulation of the water in the system was 1.2 times per day. Pond A was compared with Pond B of the same dimensions and fish load but with no treatment chain or ultrasound. The treatment chain was efficient in mass removal of total suspended solids , biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, NH4-N, total nitrogen, and total phosphorous (57, 49, 35, 42, 31, and 25 %, respectively). Negative removal of NO3-N, NO2-N, and PO4-P indicated the need for the introduction of additional hydroponic beds in the system. Pond A had markedly lower nutrient concentrations compared with Pond B. Fish body weight increase and specific growth rate in Pond A were higher than in Pond B (102.6 %, 72.1 %; 0.19 %/day, 0.14 %/day, respectively) indicating better rearing conditions in Pond A. Tomato biomass production was high. Water use efficiency was higher in Pond A compared with Pond B (0.31 kg of produced fish/m(3) inflow water and 0.22 kg of produced fish/m(3) inflow water, respectively). The presented aquaponic system could be useful for semi-natural fish farming with fish loads up to 2 kg/m(3).

Cryotherapy simulator for localized prostate cancer.

PubMed

Hahn, James K; Manyak, Michael J; Jin, Ge; Kim, Dongho; Rewcastle, John; Kim, Sunil; Walsh, Raymond J

2002-01-01

Cryotherapy is a treatment modality that uses a technique to selectively freeze tissue and thereby cause controlled tissue destruction. The procedure involves placement of multiple small diameter probes through the perineum into the prostate tissue at selected spatial intervals. Transrectal ultrasound is used to properly position the cylindrical probes before activation of the liquid Argon cooling element, which lowers the tissue temperature below -40 degrees Centigrade. Tissue effect is monitored by transrectal ultrasound changes as well as thermocouples placed in the tissue. The computer-based cryotherapy simulation system mimics the major surgical steps involved in the procedure. The simulated real-time ultrasound display is generated from 3-D ultrasound datasets where the interaction of the ultrasound with the instruments as well as the frozen tissue is simulated by image processing. The thermal and mechanical simulations of the tissue are done using a modified finite-difference/finite-element method optimized for real-time performance. The simulator developed is a part of a comprehensive training program, including a computer-based learning system and hands-on training program with a proctor, designed to familiarize the physician with the technique and equipment involved.

Non-Invasive Targeted Peripheral Nerve Ablation Using 3D MR Neurography and MRI-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MR-HIFU): Pilot Study in a Swine Model.

PubMed

Huisman, Merel; Staruch, Robert M; Ladouceur-Wodzak, Michelle; van den Bosch, Maurice A; Burns, Dennis K; Chhabra, Avneesh; Chopra, Rajiv

2015-01-01

Ultrasound (US)-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been proposed for noninvasive treatment of neuropathic pain and has been investigated in in-vivo studies. However, ultrasound has important limitations regarding treatment guidance and temperature monitoring. Magnetic resonance (MR)-imaging guidance may overcome these limitations and MR-guided HIFU (MR-HIFU) has been used successfully for other clinical indications. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing 3D MR neurography to identify and guide ablation of peripheral nerves using a clinical MR-HIFU system. Volumetric MR-HIFU was used to induce lesions in the peripheral nerves of the lower limbs in three pigs. Diffusion-prep MR neurography and T1-weighted images were utilized to identify the target, plan treatment and immediate post-treatment evaluation. For each treatment, one 8 or 12 mm diameter treatment cell was used (sonication duration 20 s and 36 s, power 160-300 W). Peripheral nerves were extracted < 3 hours after treatment. Ablation dimensions were calculated from thermal maps, post-contrast MRI and macroscopy. Histological analysis included standard H&E staining, Masson's trichrome and toluidine blue staining. All targeted peripheral nerves were identifiable on MR neurography and T1-weighted images and could be accurately ablated with a single exposure of focused ultrasound, with peak temperatures of 60.3 to 85.7°C. The lesion dimensions as measured on MR neurography were similar to the lesion dimensions as measured on CE-T1, thermal dose maps, and macroscopy. Histology indicated major hyperacute peripheral nerve damage, mostly confined to the location targeted for ablation. Our preliminary results indicate that targeted peripheral nerve ablation is feasible with MR-HIFU. Diffusion-prep 3D MR neurography has potential for guiding therapy procedures where either nerve targeting or avoidance is desired, and may also have potential for post-treatment verification of thermal lesions without contrast injection.

[Focused ultrasound therapy: current status and potential applications in neurosurgery].

PubMed

Dervishi, E; Aubry, J-F; Delattre, J-Y; Boch, A-L

2013-12-01

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) therapy is an innovative approach for tissue ablation, based on high intensity focused ultrasound beams. At the focus, HIFU induces a temperature elevation and the tissue can be thermally destroyed. In fact, this approach has been tested in a number of clinical studies for the treatment of several tumors, primarily the prostate, uterine, breast, bone, liver, kidney and pancreas. For transcranial brain therapy, the skull bone is a major limitation, however, new adaptive techniques of phase correction for focusing ultrasound through the skull have recently been implemented by research systems, paving the way for HIFU therapy to become an interesting alternative to brain surgery and radiotherapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound visual feedback treatment and practice variability for residual speech sound errors

PubMed Central

Preston, Jonathan L.; McCabe, Patricia; Rivera-Campos, Ahmed; Whittle, Jessica L.; Landry, Erik; Maas, Edwin

2014-01-01

Purpose The goals were to (1) test the efficacy of a motor-learning based treatment that includes ultrasound visual feedback for individuals with residual speech sound errors, and (2) explore whether the addition of prosodic cueing facilitates speech sound learning. Method A multiple baseline single subject design was used, replicated across 8 participants. For each participant, one sound context was treated with ultrasound plus prosodic cueing for 7 sessions, and another sound context was treated with ultrasound but without prosodic cueing for 7 sessions. Sessions included ultrasound visual feedback as well as non-ultrasound treatment. Word-level probes assessing untreated words were used to evaluate retention and generalization. Results For most participants, increases in accuracy of target sound contexts at the word level were observed with the treatment program regardless of whether prosodic cueing was included. Generalization between onset singletons and clusters was observed, as well as generalization to sentence-level accuracy. There was evidence of retention during post-treatment probes, including at a two-month follow-up. Conclusions A motor-based treatment program that includes ultrasound visual feedback can facilitate learning of speech sounds in individuals with residual speech sound errors. PMID:25087938

Impact of axillary ultrasound and core needle biopsy on the utility of intraoperative frozen section analysis and treatment decision making in women with invasive breast cancer.

PubMed

Caretta-Weyer, Holly; Sisney, Gale A; Beckman, Catherine; Burnside, Elizabeth S; Salkowsi, Lonie R; Strigel, Roberta M; Wilke, Lee G; Neuman, Heather B

2012-09-01

Our objective was to evaluate the impact of preoperative axillary ultrasound and core needle biopsy (CNB) on breast cancer treatment decision making. A secondary aim was to evaluate the impact on the utility of intraoperative sentinel lymph node (SLN) frozen section. A review of 84 patients with clinically negative axilla who underwent axillary ultrasound was performed. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive/negative predictive value for axillary ultrasound with CNB was calculated. Thirty-one (37%) had suspicious nodes. Of 27 amenable to CNB, 12 (14%) were malignant, changing treatment plans. The sensitivity of ultrasound and CNB was 54% and specificity 100%; the positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 80%, respectively. In 41 patients with normal ultrasounds who underwent SLN frozen section, 10 (24%) were positive. Preoperative axillary ultrasound impacts treatment decision making in 14%. With a sensitivity of 54%, it is a useful adjunct to, but not replacement for, SLN biopsy. Frozen section remains of utility even after a negative axillary ultrasound. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound: how to treat calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff by ultrasound-guided single-needle lavage technique.

PubMed

Lee, Kenneth S; Rosas, Humberto G

2010-09-01

The purpose of this video article is to illustrate the ultrasound appearance of calcium deposition in the rotator cuff and provide a detailed step-by-step protocol for performing the ultrasound-guided single-needle lavage technique for the treatment of calcific tendinitis with emphasis on patient positioning, necessary supplies, real-time lavage technique, and steroid injection into the subacromial subdeltoid bursa. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is well established as a safe, cost-effective imaging tool in diagnosing and treating common musculoskeletal disorders. Calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff is a common disabling cause of shoulder pain. Although most cases are self-limiting, a subset of patients is refractory to conservative therapy and requires treatment intervention. Ultrasound-guided lavage is an effective and safe minimally-invasive treatment not readily offered in the United States as an alternative to surgery, perhaps because of the limited prevalence of musculoskeletal ultrasound programs and limited training. On completion of this video article, the participant should be able to develop an appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for the treatment of calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff using ultrasound.

Focused Ultrasound Surgery for Uterine Fibroids

MedlinePlus

... ultrasound surgery, your doctor may perform a pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan before treatment. Focused ultrasound surgery — also called magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery or focused ultrasound ...

Dual-modality imaging with a ultrasound-gamma device for oncology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polito, C.; Pellegrini, R.; Cinti, M. N.; De Vincentis, G.; Lo Meo, S.; Fabbri, A.; Bennati, P.; Cencelli, V. Orsolini; Pani, R.

2018-06-01

Recently, dual-modality systems have been developed, aimed to correlate anatomical and functional information, improving disease localization and helping oncological or surgical treatments. Moreover, due to the growing interest in handheld detectors for preclinical trials or small animal imaging, in this work a new dual modality integrated device, based on a Ultrasounds probe and a small Field of View Single Photon Emission gamma camera, is proposed.

Magnetic resonance image guided transurethral ultrasound prostate ablation: a preclinical safety and feasibility study with 28-day followup.

PubMed

Burtnyk, Mathieu; Hill, Tracy; Cadieux-Pitre, Heather; Welch, Ian

2015-05-01

We determine the safety and feasibility of magnetic resonance image guided transurethral ultrasound prostate ablation using active temperature feedback control in a preclinical canine model with 28-day followup. After a long acclimatization period we performed ultrasound treatment in 8 subjects using the magnetic resonance image guided TULSA-PRO™ transurethral ultrasound prostate ablation system. Comprehensive examinations and observations were done before and throughout the 28-day followup, including assessment of clinically significant treatment related adverse events. In addition to gross pathology evaluation, extensive histopathological analysis was done to assess cell kill inside and outside the prostate. We evaluated prostate conformal heating by comparing the spatial difference between the treatment plan and the 55C isotherm measured on magnetic resonance imaging thermometry acquired during treatment. These findings were confirmed on contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging immediately after treatment and at 28 days. Clinically there were no adverse events in any of the 8 subjects throughout the 28-day followup. All subjects had normal urinary and bowel function. Gross necropsy and histology confirmed that the intended thermal cell kill was confined to the prostate. No surrounding tissue was damaged, including the rectum and the external urinary sphincter. Conformal heating was achieved with an average -0.9 mm accuracy and 0.9 mm precision. Contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and histological analysis confirmed tissue ablation in targeted areas of the prostate. Urethral tissue was spared from thermal damage. Magnetic resonance image guided transurethral ultrasound is a safe, feasible procedure for accurate and precise conformal thermal ablation of prostate tissue, as demonstrated in a preclinical model with 28-day followup. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic aspects of endoscopic ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, Timothy A.

1999-06-01

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a technology that had been used primarily as a passive imaging modality. Recent advances have enabled us to move beyond the use of EUS solely as a staging tool to an interventional device. Current studies suggest that interventional applications of EUS will allow for minimally invasive assessment and therapies in a cost-effective manner. Endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has been demonstrated to be a technically feasible, relatively safe method of obtaining cytologic specimens. The clinical utility of EUS- FNA appears to be greatest in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer and in the nodal staging of gastrointestinal and pulmonary malignancies. In addition, EUS-FNA has demonstrated utility in the sampling pleural and ascitic fluid not generally appreciated or assessable to standard interventions. Interventional applications of EUS include EUS-guided pseudocyst drainage, EUS-guided injection of botulinum toxin in the treatment of achalasia, and EUS- guided celiac plexus neurolysis in the treatment of pancreatic cancer pain. Finally, EUS-guided fine-needle installation is being evaluated, in conjunction with recent bimolecular treatment modalities, as a delivery system in the treatment of certain gastrointestinal tumors.

Consensus statement for use and technical requirements of thyroid ultrasound in endocrinology units.

PubMed

Martín-Hernández, Tomás; Díez Gómez, Juan José; Díaz-Soto, Gonzalo; Torres Cuadro, Alberto; Navarro González, Elena; Oleaga Alday, Amelia; Sambo Salas, Marcel; Reverter Calatayud, Jordi L; Argüelles Jiménez, Iñaki; Mancha Doblas, Isabel; Fernández García, Diego; Galofré, Juan Carlos

2017-03-01

Thyroid nodule detection has increased with widespread use of ultrasound, which is currently the main tool for detection, monitoring, diagnosis and, in some instances, treatment of thyroid nodules. Knowledge of ultrasound and adequate instruction on its use require a position statement by the scientific societies concerned. The working groups on thyroid cancer and ultrasound techniques of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition have promoted this document, based on a thorough analysis of the current literature, the results of multicenter studies and expert consensus, in order to set the requirements for the best use of ultrasound in clinical practice. The objectives include the adequate framework for use of thyroid ultrasound, the technical and legal requirements, the clinical situations in which it is recommended, the levels of knowledge and learning processes, the associated responsibility, and the establishment of a standardized reporting of results and integration into hospital information systems and endocrinology units. Copyright © 2017 SEEN. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Influence of power ultrasound on the main quality properties and cell viability of osmotic dehydrated cranberries.

PubMed

Nowacka, Malgorzata; Fijalkowska, Aleksandra; Wiktor, Artur; Dadan, Magdalena; Tylewicz, Urszula; Dalla Rosa, Marco; Witrowa-Rajchert, Dorota

2018-02-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of ultrasound treatment in two osmotic solutions, carried out at different time, on some physical properties, antioxidant activity and cell survival of cranberries. Ultrasound treatment was conducted at 21kHz for 30 and 60min in liquid medium: 61.5% sucrose solution and 30% sucrose solution with 0.1% steviol glycosides addition. Some samples before the ultrasound treatment were subjected to cutting or blanching. The results showed that dry matter content and concentration of the dissolved substances increased during ultrasound treatment in osmotic solution, however higher value was observed for treatment in 61.5% sucrose solution and for longer time. Water activity and volume of cranberries did not change after the ultrasonic treatment. Combined treatment led to colour and antioxidant activity alterations as well. A cell viability of whole and cut samples decreased after 60min of osmotic treatment and completely lost in the blanched samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tracked 3D ultrasound in radio-frequency liver ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boctor, Emad M.; Fichtinger, Gabor; Taylor, Russell H.; Choti, Michael A.

2003-05-01

Recent studies have shown that radio frequency (RF) ablation is a simple, safe and potentially effective treatment for selected patients with liver metastases. Despite all recent therapeutic advancements, however, intra-procedural target localization and precise and consistent placement of the tissue ablator device are still unsolved problems. Various imaging modalities, including ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) have been tried as guidance modalities. Transcutaneous US imaging, due to its real-time nature, may be beneficial in many cases, but unfortunately, fails to adequately visualize the tumor in many cases. Intraoperative or laparoscopic US, on the other hand, provides improved visualization and target imaging. This paper describes a system for computer-assisted RF ablation of liver tumors, combining navigational tracking of a conventional imaging ultrasound probe to produce 3D ultrasound imaging with a tracked RF ablation device supported by a passive mechanical arm and spatially registered to the ultrasound volume.

The Role of Ultrasound on Advanced Oxidation Processes.

PubMed

Babu, Sundaram Ganesh; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian; Neppolian, Bernaurdshaw

2016-10-01

This chapter describes the use of ultrasound in remediation of wastewater contaminated with organic pollutants in the absence and presence of other advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as sonolysis, sono-ozone process, sonophotocatalysis, sonoFenton systems and sonophoto-Fenton methods in detail. All these methods are explained with the suitable literature illustrations. In most of the cases, hybrid AOPs (combination of ultrasound with one or more AOPs) resulted in superior efficacy to that of individual AOP. The advantageous effects such as additive and synergistic effects obtained by operating the hybrid AOPs are highlighted with appropriate examples. It is worth to mention here that the utilization of ultrasound is not only restricted in preparation of modern active catalysts but also extensively used for the wastewater treatment. Interestingly, ultrasound coupled AOPs are operationally simple, efficient, and environmentally benign, and can be readily applied for large scale industrial processes which make them economically viable.

Simultaneous functional photoacoustic and ultrasonic endoscopy of internal organs in vivo.

PubMed

Yang, Joon-Mo; Favazza, Christopher; Chen, Ruimin; Yao, Junjie; Cai, Xin; Maslov, Konstantin; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K Kirk; Wang, Lihong V

2012-08-01

At present, clinicians routinely apply ultrasound endoscopy in a variety of interventional procedures that provide treatment solutions for diseased organs. Ultrasound endoscopy not only produces high-resolution images, but also is safe for clinical use and broadly applicable. However, for soft tissue imaging, its mechanical wave-based image contrast fundamentally limits its ability to provide physiologically specific functional information. By contrast, photoacoustic endoscopy possesses a unique combination of functional optical contrast and high spatial resolution at clinically relevant depths, ideal for imaging soft tissues. With these attributes, photoacoustic endoscopy can overcome the current limitations of ultrasound endoscopy. Moreover, the benefits of photoacoustic imaging do not come at the expense of existing ultrasound functions; photoacoustic endoscopy systems are inherently compatible with ultrasound imaging, thereby enabling multimodality imaging with complementary contrast. Here we present simultaneous photoacoustic and ultrasonic dual-mode endoscopy and show its ability to image internal organs in vivo, thus illustrating its potential clinical application.

Simultaneous functional photoacoustic and ultrasonic endoscopy of internal organs in vivo

PubMed Central

Yang, Joon-Mo; Favazza, Christopher; Chen, Ruimin; Yao, Junjie; Cai, Xin; Maslov, Konstantin; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K. Kirk; Wang, Lihong V.

2013-01-01

Presently, clinicians routinely apply ultrasound endoscopy in a variety of interventional procedures which provide treatment solutions for diseased organs. Ultrasound endoscopy not only produces high resolution images, it is also safe for clinical use and broadly applicable. However, for soft tissue imaging, its mechanical wave-based image contrast fundamentally limits its ability to provide physiologically-specific functional information. By contrast, photoacoustic endoscopy possesses a unique combination of functional optical contrast and high spatial resolution at clinically-relevant depths, ideal for soft tissue imaging. With these attributes, photoacoustic endoscopy can overcome the current limitations of ultrasound endoscopy. Moreover, the benefits of photoacoustic imaging do not come at the expense of existing ultrasound functions; photoacoustic endoscopy systems are inherently compatible with ultrasound imaging, enabling multi-modality imaging with complementary contrast. Here, we present simultaneous photoacoustic and ultrasonic dual-mode endoscopy and demonstrate its ability to image internal organs in vivo, illustrating its potential clinical application. PMID:22797808

ExAblate magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound system in multiple body applications.

PubMed

Dick, E A; Gedroyc, W M W

2010-09-01

Focused ultrasound surgery (FUS) is a completely noninvasive method of thermally destroying a target tissue while sparing adjacent tissues and organs. Treatment is relatively painless and can be carried out under conscious sedation on an out-patient basis. The combination of magnetic resonance guidance with FUS (MRgFUS) provides the ability to plan and monitor treatments in near real-time, further increasing the safety profile of MRgFUS. This technology provides a very personalized treatment, adjusted to the individual patient anatomy, pathology and treatment response, hence it meets the needs of patients, as well as of physicians. MRgFUS has been used extensively in the successful treatment of uterine fibroids, and has been shown to be an effective treatment in the breast and in bone metastases in smaller scale studies. It shows great potential in the treatment of prostate and liver tumors, as well as in the brain and facet joints.

Progression of ultrasound findings of fetal syphilis after maternal treatment.

PubMed

Rac, Martha W F; Bryant, Stefanie N; McIntire, Donald D; Cantey, Joseph B; Twickler, Diane M; Wendel, George D; Sheffield, Jeanne S

2014-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate ultrasound findings of fetal syphilis and to describe their progression after maternal treatment. This was a retrospective cohort study from September 1981 to June 2011 of seropositive women after 18 weeks of gestation who had an ultrasound before treatment to evaluate for fetal syphilis. Only those women who received treatment after the initial ultrasound scan, but before delivery, were included. If the initial ultrasound scan was abnormal, serial sonography was performed until resolution of the abnormality or delivery. Patient demographics, ultrasound findings, stage of syphilis, delivery, and infant outcomes were recorded. Standard statistical analyses were performed. Kaplan-Meier estimates were constructed to estimate time to resolution. Two hundred thirty-five women met the inclusion criteria; 73 of them (30%) had evidence of fetal syphilis on initial ultrasound scan. Abnormalities included hepatomegaly (79%), placentomegaly (27%), polyhydramnios (12%), ascites (10%) and abnormal middle cerebral arterial Doppler assessment (33%). After treatment, middle cerebral arterial Doppler assessment abnormalities, ascites, and polyhydramnios resolved first, followed by placentomegaly and finally hepatomegaly. Infant outcomes were available for 173 deliveries; of these, 32 infants (18%) were diagnosed with congenital syphilis. Congenital syphilis was more common when antenatal ultrasound abnormalities were present (39% vs 12%; P < .001). Infant examination findings at delivery were similar between women with and without an abnormal pretreatment ultrasound scan. However, in those infants with congenital syphilis, hepatomegaly was the most frequent abnormality found, regardless of antenatal ultrasound findings. Sonographic signs of fetal syphilis confer a higher risk of congenital syphilis at delivery for all maternal stages. Hepatomegaly develops early and resolves last after antepartum treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Decreased Radiation Exposure and Increased Efficacy in Extracorporeal Lithotripsy Using a New Ultrasound Stone Locking System.

PubMed

Abid, Nadia; Ravier, Emmanuel; Promeyrat, Xavier; Codas, Ricardo; Fehri, Hakim Fassi; Crouzet, Sebastien; Martin, Xavier

2015-11-01

To compare fluoroscopy duration, radiation dose, and efficacy of two ultrasound stone localization systems during extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) treatment. Monocentric prospective data were obtained from patients consecutively treated for renal stones using the Sonolith(®) i-sys (EDAP TMS) lithotripter, with fluoroscopy combined with ultrasound localization using an "outline" Automatic Ultrasound Positioning Support (AUPS) (group A), or the "free-line" Visio-Track (VT) (EDAP-TMS) hand-held three-dimensional ultrasound stone locking system (group B). Efficacy rate was defined as the within-groups proportion stone free or with partial stone fragmentation not needing additional procedures. Statistical analysis used Pearson chi-square tests for categoric variables, nonparametric Mann-Whitney tests for continuous variables, and linear regression for operator learning curve with VT. Continuous variables were reported as median (range) values. Patients in group A (n=73) and group B (n=81) were comparable in baseline characteristics (age, kidney stone size, others) and in SWL application (duration, number of shocks, energy [Joules]). During SWL, the median (range) duration (seconds) of radiation exposure was 159.5 (0-690) in group A and 3.5 (0-478) in group B (P<0.001) and irradiation dose (mGy.cm(2)), 10598 (0-54843) in group A and 163 (0-13926) in group B (P<0.001). Fluoroscopy time significantly decreased with operator experience using VT. The efficacy rate was 54.5% in group A and 79.5% in group B (P=0.001). VT significantly reduced fluoroscopy use during SWL and the duration and dose of patient exposure to ionizing radiation. Stone treatment efficacy was significantly greater with VT mainly because of a better real-time monitoring of the stone.

MRI-controlled interstitial ultrasound brain therapy: An initial in-vivo study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

N'Djin, W. Apoutou; Burtnyk, Mathieu; Lipsman, Nir; Bronskill, Michael; Schwartz, Michael; Kucharczyk, Walter; Chopra, Rajiv

2012-11-01

The recent emergence at the clinical level of minimally-invasive focal therapy such as laser-induced thermal therapy (LITT) has demonstrated promise in the management of brain metastasis [1], although control over the spatial pattern of heating is limited. Delivery of HIFU from minimally-invasive applicators enables high spatial control of the heat deposition in biological tissues, large treatment volumes and high treatment rate in well chosen conditions [2,3]. In this study, the feasibility of MRI-guided interstitial ultrasound therapy in brain was studies in-vivo in a porcine model. A prototype system originally developed for transurethral ultrasound therapy [4,5,6] was used in this study. Two burr holes of 12 mm in diameter were created in the animal's skull to allow the insertion of the therapeutic ultrasound applicator (probe) into the brain at two locations (right and left frontal lobe). A 4-element linear ultrasound transducer (f = 8 MHz) was mounted at the tip of a 25-cm linear probe (6 mm in diameter). The target boundary was traced to cover in 2D a surface compatible with the treatment of a 2 cm brain tumor. Acoustic power of each element and rotation rate of the device were adjusted in real-time based on MR-thermometry feedback control to optimize heat deposition at the target boundary [2,4,5]. Two MRT-controlled ultrasound brain treatments per animal have been performed using a maximal surface acoustic power of 10W.cm-2. In all cases, it was possible to increase accurately the temperature of the brain tissues in the targeted region over the 55°C threshold necessary for the creation of irreversible thermal lesion. Tissue changes were visible on T1w contrast-enhanced images immediately after treatment. These changes were also evident on T2w FSE images taken 2 hours after the 1st treatment and correlated well with the temperature image. On average, the targeted volume was 4.7 ± 2.3 cm3 and the 55°C treated volume was 6.7 ± 4.4 cm3. The volumetric undertreatment and overtreatment were respectively 0.1 ± 0.1 cm3 and 0.7 ± 0.6 cm3. The radial targeting accuracy was on average 1 ± 3 mm. Treatments were completed within 7 ± 3 min, that is an treatment rate of 0.9 ± 0.7 cm3/min. MRI-controlled interstitial ultrasound therapy of brain tissue is feasible. This minimally-invasive approach avoids the need to propagate ultrasound through the skull and allows spatially controlled heating which could be used for tissue ablation or drug delivery.

A technical evaluation of the Nucletron FIRST system: conformance of a remote afterloading brachytherapy seed implantation system to manufacturer specifications and AAPM Task Group report recommendations.

PubMed

Rivard, Mark J; Evans, Dee-Ann Radford; Kay, Ian

2005-01-01

The Fully Integrated Real-time Seed Treatment (FIRST) system by Nucletron has been available in Europe since November 2001 and is being used more and more in Canada and the United States. Like the conventional transrectal ultrasound implant procedure, the FIRST system utilizes an ultrasound probe, needles, and brachytherapy seeds. However, this system is unique in that it (1) utilizes a low-dose-rate brachytherapy seed remote afterloader (the seedSelectron), (2) utilizes 3D image reconstruction acquired from electromechanically controlled, nonstepping rotation of the ultrasound probe, (3) integrates the control of a remote afterloader with electromechanical control of the ultrasound probe for integrating the clinical procedure into a single system, and (4) automates the transfer of planning information and seed delivery to improve quality assurance and radiation safety. This automated delivery system is specifically intended to address reproducibility and accuracy of seed positioning during implantation. The FIRST computer system includes two software environments: SPOT PRO and seedSelectron; both are used to facilitate treatment planning and brachytherapy seed implantation from beginning to completion of the entire procedure. In addition to these features, the system is reported to meet certain product specifications for seed delivery positioning accuracy and reproducibility, seed calibration accuracy and reliability, and brachytherapy dosimetry calculations. Consequently, a technical evaluation of the FIRST system was performed to determine adherence to manufacturer specifications and to the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group Reports 43, 53, 56, 59, and 64 and recommendations of the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS). The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recently added Licensing Guidance for the seedSelectron system under 10 CFR 35.1000. Adherence to licensing guidance is made by referencing applicable AAPM Task Group recommendations. In general, results of this evaluation indicated that the system met its claimed specifications as well as the applicable recommendations outlined in the AAPM and ABS reports.

Use of high-intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of both benign and malignant prostatic disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kernen, Kenneth M.; Miles, Brian J.

2000-05-01

Prostate cancer, the most common malignancy in men in the United States, accounts for more than 29% of all male cancers diagnosed and 13% of all cancer deaths. This translates into approximately 200,000 men diagnosed and 37,000 men who will die from the disease this year in this country. A significant number of patients ultimately choose external beam radiation or interstitial radioactive implants (brachytherapy) combined with external beam radiotherapy as their primary treatment. Approximately 25 - 35% of external beam irradiation patients and 20 - 30% of interstitial implants combined with external beam radiotherapy will fail within 10 years. The treatment options for patients with localized radiorecurrent disease include watchful waiting, endocrine therapy, salvage radiotherapy, and salvage radical prostatectomy, cryotherapy and now high intensity focused ultrasound therapy (HIFU). Although some studies regarding watchful waiting demonstrated comparable results to formal treatment for early prostate cancer, other studies have shown metastatic and mortality rates that are significantly higher, and that radiorecurrent patients would have even greater rates of metastasis and progression to death. Prostate cancer cure by means of endocrine therapy is highly unlikely and its role is still one of palliation with a side effect profile which includes hot flashes, osteoporosis, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, anemia, loss of libido and potency. The role of salvage radiotherapy may offer local control, however long term efficacy has yet to be determined. In a recent series, only 50% of the patients were controlled for a mean of four years with salvage radiotherapy. Salvage prostatectomy has the advantage of providing excellent local control and even a cure if the cancer is confined to the prostate or within the surrounding periprostatic tissue. Historically, salvage prostatectomy is technically demanding and fraught with higher complications. In one large series, investigators found rectal injuries in up to 15%, anastomotic strictures in 27% and urinary incontinence in approximately 58%, as well as an overall higher estimated blood loss, transfusions, and hospital stay greater than that of a standard radical retropubic prostatectomy. Cryotherapy also has a significant complication rate with incontinence (73%), impotence (72%), and prolonged dysuria in 67%. In this report, biopsies were negative in 77% but biochemical failure occurred in 58% of patients. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy is a relatively new treatment modality and is being applied transrectally for the treatment of both benign prostatic hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The therapy is also under evaluation at multiple centers in the United States for the treatment of radiorecurrent prostate cancer. In Europe, it not only being evaluated as treatment for radiorecurrent prostate cancer, but is also being evaluated and offered as a minimally invasive primary therapy for prostate cancers localized to the gland. The technique of HIFU generation has been previously described in detail. The ablation device is comprised of a patient treatment table, main computer, an oscillator, power amplifier, power measurement system, probe movement system, endorectal probe with built-in ultrasound scanner and treatment transducer, and reprography equipment. The patient is administered either a spinal or general anesthesia, positioned on the treatment table on his side with the legs flexed, the endorectal probe is then inserted. The ultrasound imaging is used to detect the contours of the prostate and the target volume to be treated is then calculated. Under computer control, the HIFU device position and then successively repositions the endorectal probe, delivering the high intensity focused ultrasound according to the treatment blocks defined by the surgeon. This sequence then repeats until all sectors of the prostate have been treated. HIFU is generated by high power acoustic transducers, which produce focused ultrasound waves, that generate high temperatures to achieve coagulative necrosis of the target tissue. The ultrasound waves are emitted in discrete, timed bursts with a duration of several seconds. At the focal point of the ultrasound, the temperatures achieved are approximately 85 degrees Celsius, thereby ablating the prostate tissue. An attractive advantage of HIFU is its low risk of morbidity, due to the sudden, short bursts of the intensely focused ultrasound, which, along with the heat generated, are quickly absorbed by the target tissue, thereby protecting the surrounding tissues from damage.

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) focal spot localization using harmonic motion imaging (HMI).

PubMed

Han, Yang; Hou, Gary Yi; Wang, Shutao; Konofagou, Elisa

2015-08-07

Several ultrasound-based imaging modalities have been proposed for image guidance and monitoring of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. However, accurate localization and characterization of the effective region of treatment (focal spot) remain important obstacles in the clinical implementation of HIFU ablation. Harmonic motion imaging for focused ultrasound (HMIFU) is a HIFU monitoring technique that utilizes radiation-force-induced localized oscillatory displacement. HMIFU has been shown to correctly identify the formation and extent of HIFU thermal ablation lesions. However a significant problem remains in identifying the location of the HIFU focus, which is necessary for treatment planning. In this study, the induced displacement was employed to localize the HIFU focal spot inside the tissue prior to treatment. Feasibility was shown with two separate systems. The 1D HMIFU system consisted of a HIFU transducer emitting an amplitude-modulated HIFU beam for mechanical excitation and a confocal single-element, pulse-echo transducer for simultaneous RF acquisition. The 2D HIFU system consists of a HIFU phased array, and a co-axial imaging phased array for simultaneous imaging. Initial feasibility was first performed on tissue-mimicking gelatin phantoms and the focal zone was defined as the region corresponding to the -3dB full width at half maximum of the HMI displacement. Using the same parameters, in vitro experiments were performed in canine liver specimens to compare the defined focal zone with the lesion. In vitro measurements showed good agreement between the HMI predicted focal zone and the induced HIFU lesion location. HMIFU was experimentally shown to be capable of predicting and tracking the focal region in both phantoms and in vitro tissues. The accuracy of focal spot localization was evaluated by comparing with the lesion location in post-ablative tissues, with a R(2) = 0.821 at p < 0.002 in the 2D HMI system. We demonstrated the feasibility of using this HMI-based technique to localize the HIFU focal spot without inducing thermal changes during the planning phase. The focal spot localization method has also been applied on ex vivo human breast tissue ablation and can be fully integrated into any HMI system for planning purposes.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) Focal Spot Localization Using Harmonic Motion Imaging (HMI)

PubMed Central

Han, Yang; Hou, Gary Yi; Wang, Shutao; Konofagou, Elisa

2015-01-01

Several ultrasound-based imaging modalities have been proposed for image guidance and monitoring of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. However, accurate localization and characterization of the effective region of treatment (focal spot) remain important obstacles in the clinical implementation of HIFU ablation. Harmonic Motion Imaging for Focused Ultrasound (HMIFU) is a HIFU monitoring technique that utilizes radiation-force-induced localized oscillatory displacement. HMIFU has been shown to correctly identify the formation and extent of HIFU thermal ablation lesions. However a significant problem remains in identifying the location of the HIFU focus, which is necessary for treatment planning. In this study, the induced displacement was employed to localize the HIFU focal spot inside the tissue prior to treatment. Feasibility was shown with two separate systems. The 1D HMIFU system consisted of a HIFU transducer emitting an amplitude-modulated HIFU beam for mechanical excitation and a confocal single-element, pulse-echo transducer for simultaneous RF acquisition. The 2D HIFU system consists of a HIFU phased array, and a co-axial imaging phased array for simultaneous imaging. Initial feasibility was first performed on tissue-mimicking gelatin phantoms and the focal zone was defined as the region corresponding to the −3 dB full width at half maximum of the HMI displacement. Using the same parameters, in vitro experiments were performed in canine liver specimens to compare the defined focal zone with the lesion. In vitro measurements showed good agreement between the HMI predicted focal zone and the induced HIFU lesion location. HMIFU was experimentally shown to be capable of predicting and tracking the focal region in both phantoms and in vitro tissues. The accuracy of focal spot localization was evaluated by comparing with the lesion location in post-ablative tissues, with a R2 = 0.821 at p<0.002 in the 2D HMI system. We demonstrated the feasibility of using this HMI-based technique to localize the HIFU focal spot without inducing thermal changes during the planning phase. The focal spot localization method has also been applied on ex vivo human breast tissue ablation and can be fully integrated into any HMI system for planning purposes. PMID:26184846

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) focal spot localization using harmonic motion imaging (HMI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Yang; Hou, Gary Yi; Wang, Shutao; Konofagou, Elisa

2015-08-01

Several ultrasound-based imaging modalities have been proposed for image guidance and monitoring of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. However, accurate localization and characterization of the effective region of treatment (focal spot) remain important obstacles in the clinical implementation of HIFU ablation. Harmonic motion imaging for focused ultrasound (HMIFU) is a HIFU monitoring technique that utilizes radiation-force-induced localized oscillatory displacement. HMIFU has been shown to correctly identify the formation and extent of HIFU thermal ablation lesions. However a significant problem remains in identifying the location of the HIFU focus, which is necessary for treatment planning. In this study, the induced displacement was employed to localize the HIFU focal spot inside the tissue prior to treatment. Feasibility was shown with two separate systems. The 1D HMIFU system consisted of a HIFU transducer emitting an amplitude-modulated HIFU beam for mechanical excitation and a confocal single-element, pulse-echo transducer for simultaneous RF acquisition. The 2D HIFU system consists of a HIFU phased array, and a co-axial imaging phased array for simultaneous imaging. Initial feasibility was first performed on tissue-mimicking gelatin phantoms and the focal zone was defined as the region corresponding to the  -3dB full width at half maximum of the HMI displacement. Using the same parameters, in vitro experiments were performed in canine liver specimens to compare the defined focal zone with the lesion. In vitro measurements showed good agreement between the HMI predicted focal zone and the induced HIFU lesion location. HMIFU was experimentally shown to be capable of predicting and tracking the focal region in both phantoms and in vitro tissues. The accuracy of focal spot localization was evaluated by comparing with the lesion location in post-ablative tissues, with a R2 = 0.821 at p  <  0.002 in the 2D HMI system. We demonstrated the feasibility of using this HMI-based technique to localize the HIFU focal spot without inducing thermal changes during the planning phase. The focal spot localization method has also been applied on ex vivo human breast tissue ablation and can be fully integrated into any HMI system for planning purposes.

MR-guided pulsed high intensity focused ultrasound enhancement of docetaxel combined with radiotherapy for prostate cancer treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Zhaomei; Ma, C.-M.; Chen, Xiaoming; Cvetkovic, Dusica; Pollack, Alan; Chen, Lili

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the enhancement of docetaxel by pulsed focused ultrasound (pFUS) in combination with radiotherapy (RT) for treatment of prostate cancer in vivo. LNCaP cells were grown in the prostates of male nude mice. When the tumors reached a designated volume by MRI, tumor bearing mice were randomly divided into seven groups (n = 5): (1) pFUS alone; (2) RT alone; (3) docetaxel alone; (4) docetaxel + pFUS (5) docetaxel + RT (6) docetaxel + pFUS + RT, and (7) control. MR-guided pFUS treatment was performed using a focused ultrasound treatment system (InSightec ExAblate 2000) with a 1.5T GE MR scanner. Animals were treated once with pFUS, docetaxel, RT or their combinations. Docetaxel was given by i.v. injection at 5 mg kg-1 before pFUS. RT was given 2 Gy after pFUS. Animals were euthanized 4 weeks after treatment. Tumor volumes were measured on MRI at 1 and 4 weeks post-treatment. Results showed that triple combination therapies of docetaxel, pFUS and RT provided the most significant tumor growth inhibition among all groups, which may have potential for the treatment of prostate cancer due to an improved therapeutic ratio.

Risks and benefits in treatment of mediastinal abscess by endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration.

PubMed

Tian, Lei; Krimsky, William S; Wu, Qingchen; Sun, Jiayuan

2017-07-01

Mediastinal abscess is a fatal condition, treatment of mediastinal abscess is with antibiotics and sometimes surgery for debridement and drainage. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a safe assessment and candidate treatment method of mediastinal lesions. This study aimed to HYPERLINK "javascript:void(0);" discuss risks and benefits in treatment of mediastinal abscess by EBUS-TBNA. We noticed a 56-year-old man with developed bilateral pneumonia and sepsis after puncture of mediastinal abscess by EBUS-TBNA. The patient was successfully treated with a combination of systemic anti-infection treatment and intracavitary administration of antibiotics, antifungal and repeated drainage and lavage via EBUS-TBNA, in 1 year follow-up without recurrence. This study indicated infection spread risk of mediastinal abscess after EBUS-TBNA, and mediastinal abscess was successfully cured by combination of systemic anti-infection and local intervention through EBUS-TBNA. EBUS-TBNA is a potential effective minimally invasive treatment for mediastinal abscess, and it is necessary to be aware of clinical complications after puncture of mediastinal infectious lesions by EBUS-TBNA. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Catheter-based ultrasound hyperthermia with HDR brachytherapy for treatment of locally advanced cancer of the prostate and cervix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diederich, Chris J.; Wootton, Jeff; Prakash, Punit; Salgaonkar, Vasant; Juang, Titania; Scott, Serena; Chen, Xin; Cunha, Adam; Pouliot, Jean; Hsu, I. C.

2011-03-01

A clinical treatment delivery platform has been developed and is being evaluated in a clinical pilot study for providing 3D controlled hyperthermia with catheter-based ultrasound applicators in conjunction with high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Catheter-based ultrasound applicators are capable of 3D spatial control of heating in both angle and length of the devices, with enhanced radial penetration of heating compared to other hyperthermia technologies. Interstitial and endocavity ultrasound devices have been developed specifically for applying hyperthermia within HDR brachytherapy implants during radiation therapy in the treatment of cervix and prostate. A pilot study of the combination of catheter based ultrasound with HDR brachytherapy for locally advanced prostate and cervical cancer has been initiated, and preliminary results of the performance and heating distributions are reported herein. The treatment delivery platform consists of a 32 channel RF amplifier and a 48 channel thermocouple monitoring system. Controlling software can monitor and regulate frequency and power to each transducer section as required during the procedure. Interstitial applicators consist of multiple transducer sections of 2-4 cm length × 180 deg and 3-4 cm × 360 deg. heating patterns to be inserted in specific placed 13g implant catheters. The endocavity device, designed to be inserted within a 6 mm OD plastic tandem catheter within the cervix, consists of 2-3 transducers × dual 180 or 360 deg sectors. 3D temperature based treatment planning and optimization is dovetailed to the HDR optimization based planning to best configure and position the applicators within the catheters, and to determine optimal base power levels to each transducer section. To date we have treated eight cervix implants and six prostate implants. 100 % of treatments achieved a goal of >60 min duration, with therapeutic temperatures achieved in all cases. Thermal dosimetry within the hyperthermia target volume (HTV) and clinical target volume (CTV) are reported. Catheter-based ultrasound hyperthermia with HDR appears feasible with therapeutic temperature coverage of the target volume within the prostate or cervix while sparing surrounding more sensitive regions.

Development of an in vitro diaphragm motion reproduction system.

PubMed

Liao, Ai-Ho; Chuang, Ho-Chiao; Shih, Ming-Chih; Hsu, Hsiao-Yu; Tien, Der-Chi; Kuo, Chia-Chun; Jeng, Shiu-Chen; Chiou, Jeng-Fong

2017-07-01

This study developed an in vitro diaphragm motion reproduction system (IVDMRS) based on noninvasive and real-time ultrasound imaging to track the internal displacement of the human diaphragm and diaphragm phantoms with a respiration simulation system (RSS). An ultrasound image tracking algorithm (UITA) was used to retrieve the displacement data of the tracking target and reproduce the diaphragm motion in real time using a red laser to irradiate the diaphragm phantom in vitro. This study also recorded the respiration patterns in 10 volunteers. Both simulated and the respiration patterns in 10 human volunteers signals were input to the RSS for conducting experiments involving the reproduction of diaphragm motion in vitro using the IVDMRS. The reproduction accuracy of the IVDMRS was calculated and analyzed. The results indicate that the respiration frequency substantially affects the correlation between ultrasound and kV images, as well as the reproduction accuracy of the IVDMRS due to the system delay time (0.35s) of ultrasound imaging and signal transmission. The utilization of a phase lead compensator (PLC) reduced the error caused by this delay, thereby improving the reproduction accuracy of the IVDMRS by 14.09-46.98%. Applying the IVDMRS in clinical treatments will allow medical staff to monitor the target displacements in real time by observing the movement of the laser beam. If the target displacement moves outside the planning target volume (PTV), the treatment can be immediately stopped to ensure that healthy tissues do not receive high doses of radiation. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usage of Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (mrgfus) in Oncology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Yair

2011-09-01

Magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is a non-invasive incision-less surgical approach which limits the tissue destruction to the targeted tumor. Acoustic energy penetrates through intact skin and through the tissues surrounding the tumor without causing any significant bio-effects. Energy deposition takes place mainly at the focal spot where heat induced thermal coagulation of the targeted tissue is accomplished. Real time targeting and image guidance is provided by MRI tumor margin definition and real time thermometry provides closed loop feedback control of energy deposition. The patient lies in the MRI scanner throughout the treatment planning and treatment, and the physician conducts the treatment from the MRgFUS workstation in the adjacent MR control room. The ExAblate system for MRgFUS is commercially available in many countries for treatment of uterine fibroids. The system has also received CE and KFDA approval for pain palliation of bone metastases, and research of other oncologic applications is underway.

Vasospasm is a significant factor in cyclosporine-induced neurotoxicity: case report.

PubMed

Braakman, Hilde M H; Lodder, Jan; Postma, Alida A; Span, Lambert F R; Mess, Werner H

2010-05-11

The aetiology of central nervous system lesions observed in cerebral cyclosporine neurotoxicity remains controversial. We report a 48-year-old woman with a non-severe aplastic anaemia who presented with stroke-like episodes while on cyclosporine treatment.Transcranial Doppler ultrasound revealed severely elevated flow velocities in several cerebral vessels, consistent with vasospasm. Immediately after reducing the cyclosporine dose, the stroke-like episodes disappeared. Only after cyclosporine withdrawal the transcranial Doppler ultrasound abnormalities fully resolved. This case demonstrates a significant role of vasospasm in the pathway of cyclosporine-induced neurotoxicity. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound is an effective tool for the diagnosis and follow-up of cyclosporine-induced vasospasm.

Emerging Non-Cancer Applications of Therapeutic Ultrasound

PubMed Central

O’Reilly, Meaghan A.; Hynynen, Kullervo

2015-01-01

Ultrasound therapy has been investigated for over half a century. Ultrasound can act on tissue through a variety of mechanisms, including thermal, shockwave and cavitation mechanisms, and through these can elicit different responses. Ultrasound therapy can provide a non-invasive or minimally invasive treatment option, and ultrasound technology has advanced to the point where devices can be developed to investigate a wide range of applications. This review focuses on non-cancer, clinical applications of therapeutic ultrasound, with an emphasis on treatments that have recently reached clinical investigations, and preclinical research programs that have great potential to impact patient care. PMID:25792225

Coupling between high-frequency ultrasound and solar photo-Fenton at pilot scale for the treatment of organic contaminants: an initial approach.

PubMed

Papoutsakis, Stefanos; Miralles-Cuevas, Sara; Gondrexon, Nicolas; Baup, Stéphane; Malato, Sixto; Pulgarin, César

2015-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the performance of a novel pilot-scale coupled system consisting of a high frequency ultrasonic reactor (400kHz) and a compound parabolic collector (CPC). The benefits of the concurrent application of ultrasound and the photo-Fenton process were studied in regard to the degradation behavior of a series of organic pollutants. Three compounds (phenol, bisphenol A and diuron) with different physicochemical properties have been chosen in order to identify possible synergistic effects and to obtain a better estimate of the general feasibility of such a system at field scale (10L). Bisphenol A and diuron were specifically chosen due to their high hydrophobicity, and thus their assumed higher affinity towards the cavitation bubble. Experiments were conducted under ultrasonic, photo-Fenton and combined treatments. Enhanced degradation kinetics were observed during the coupled treatment and synergy factors clearly in excess of 1 have been calculated for phenol as well as for saturated solutions of bisphenol A and diuron. Although the relatively high cost of ultrasound compared to photo-Fenton still presents a significant challenge towards mainstream industrial application, the observed behavior suggests that its prudent use has the potential to significantly benefit the photo-Fenton process, via the decrease of both treatment time and H2O2 consumption. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combined Ultrasound and MR Imaging to Guide Focused Ultrasound Therapies in the Brain

PubMed Central

Arvanitis, Costas D.; Livingstone, Margaret S.; McDannold, Nathan

2013-01-01

Purpose Several emerging therapies with potential for use in the brain harness effects produced by acoustic cavitation – the interaction between ultrasound and microbubbles either generated during sonication or introduced into the vasculature. Systems developed for transcranial MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thermal ablation can enable their clinical translation, but methods for real-time monitoring and control are currently lacking. Acoustic emissions produced during sonication can provide information about the location, strength, and type of the microbubble oscillations within the ultrasound field, and they can be mapped in real-time using passive imaging approaches. Here, we tested whether such mapping can be achieved transcranially within a clinical brain MRgFUS system. Materials and Methods We integrated an ultrasound imaging array into the hemisphere transducer of the MRgFUS device. Passive cavitation maps were obtained during sonications combined with a circulating microbubble agent at 20 targets in the cingulate cortex in three macaques. The maps were compared with MRI-evident tissue effects. Results The system successfully mapped microbubble activity during both stable and inertial cavitation, which was correlated with MRI-evident transient blood-brain barrier disruption and vascular damage, respectively. The location of this activity was coincident with the resulting tissue changes within the expected resolution limits of the system. Conclusion While preliminary, these data clearly demonstrate, for the first time, that is possible to construct maps of stable and inertial cavitation transcranially, in a large animal model, and under clinically relevant conditions. Further, these results suggest that this hybrid ultrasound/MRI approach can provide comprehensive guidance for targeted drug delivery via blood-brain barrier disruption and other emerging ultrasound treatments, facilitating their clinical translation. We anticipate it will also prove to be an important research tool that will further the development of a broad range of microbubble-enhanced therapies. PMID:23788054

Machine Learning in Ultrasound Computer-Aided Diagnostic Systems: A Survey

PubMed Central

Zhang, Fan; Li, Xuelong

2018-01-01

The ultrasound imaging is one of the most common schemes to detect diseases in the clinical practice. There are many advantages of ultrasound imaging such as safety, convenience, and low cost. However, reading ultrasound imaging is not easy. To support the diagnosis of clinicians and reduce the load of doctors, many ultrasound computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems are proposed. In recent years, the success of deep learning in the image classification and segmentation led to more and more scholars realizing the potential of performance improvement brought by utilizing the deep learning in the ultrasound CAD system. This paper summarized the research which focuses on the ultrasound CAD system utilizing machine learning technology in recent years. This study divided the ultrasound CAD system into two categories. One is the traditional ultrasound CAD system which employed the manmade feature and the other is the deep learning ultrasound CAD system. The major feature and the classifier employed by the traditional ultrasound CAD system are introduced. As for the deep learning ultrasound CAD, newest applications are summarized. This paper will be useful for researchers who focus on the ultrasound CAD system. PMID:29687000

Machine Learning in Ultrasound Computer-Aided Diagnostic Systems: A Survey.

PubMed

Huang, Qinghua; Zhang, Fan; Li, Xuelong

2018-01-01

The ultrasound imaging is one of the most common schemes to detect diseases in the clinical practice. There are many advantages of ultrasound imaging such as safety, convenience, and low cost. However, reading ultrasound imaging is not easy. To support the diagnosis of clinicians and reduce the load of doctors, many ultrasound computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems are proposed. In recent years, the success of deep learning in the image classification and segmentation led to more and more scholars realizing the potential of performance improvement brought by utilizing the deep learning in the ultrasound CAD system. This paper summarized the research which focuses on the ultrasound CAD system utilizing machine learning technology in recent years. This study divided the ultrasound CAD system into two categories. One is the traditional ultrasound CAD system which employed the manmade feature and the other is the deep learning ultrasound CAD system. The major feature and the classifier employed by the traditional ultrasound CAD system are introduced. As for the deep learning ultrasound CAD, newest applications are summarized. This paper will be useful for researchers who focus on the ultrasound CAD system.

Current and Future Clinical Applications of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Pancreatic Cancer.

PubMed

Jang, Hyun Joo; Lee, Jae-Young; Lee, Don-Haeng; Kim, Won-Hong; Hwang, Joo Ha

2010-09-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a novel therapeutic modality that permits noninvasive treatment of various benign and malignant solid tumors, including prostatic cancer, uterine fibroids, hepatic tumors, renal tumors, breast cancers, and pancreatic cancers. Several preclinical and clinical studies have investigated the safety and efficacy of HIFU for treating solid tumors, including pancreatic cancer. The results of nonrandomized studies of HIFU therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer have suggested that HIFU treatment can effectively alleviate cancer-related pain without any significant complications. This noninvasive method of delivering ultrasound energy into the body has recently been evolving from a method for purely thermal ablation to harnessing the mechanical effects of HIFU to induce a systemic immune response and to enhance targeted drug delivery. This review provides a brief overview of HIFU, describes current clinical applications of HIFU for pancreatic cancer, and discusses future applications and challenges.

Current and Future Clinical Applications of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Pancreatic Cancer

PubMed Central

Jang, Hyun Joo; Lee, Jae-Young; Lee, Don-Haeng; Kim, Won-Hong

2010-01-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a novel therapeutic modality that permits noninvasive treatment of various benign and malignant solid tumors, including prostatic cancer, uterine fibroids, hepatic tumors, renal tumors, breast cancers, and pancreatic cancers. Several preclinical and clinical studies have investigated the safety and efficacy of HIFU for treating solid tumors, including pancreatic cancer. The results of nonrandomized studies of HIFU therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer have suggested that HIFU treatment can effectively alleviate cancer-related pain without any significant complications. This noninvasive method of delivering ultrasound energy into the body has recently been evolving from a method for purely thermal ablation to harnessing the mechanical effects of HIFU to induce a systemic immune response and to enhance targeted drug delivery. This review provides a brief overview of HIFU, describes current clinical applications of HIFU for pancreatic cancer, and discusses future applications and challenges. PMID:21103296

[Prognostic analysis of plantar fasciitis treated by pneumatic ballistic extracorporeal shock wave versus ultrasound guided intervention].

PubMed

Huo, Xiu-Lin; Wang, Ke-Tao; Zhang, Xiao-Ying; Yang, Yi-Tian; Cao, Fu-Yang; Yang, Jing; Yuan, Wei-Xiu; Mi, Wei-Dong

2018-02-20

To compare the medium- and long-term effect of pneumatic ballistic extracorporeal shock wave versus ultrasound-guided hormone injection in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. The clinical data were collected from patients with plantar fasciitis admitted to PLA General Hospital pain department from September, 2015 to February, 2017. The patients were randomly divided into ultrasound-guided drug injection group and shock wave group. The therapeutic parameters including the numerical rating scale (NRS) scores in the first step pain in the morning, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle Hindfoot Scale, and thickness of the plantar fascia were monitored before and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the treatment. The recurrence rate, effectiveness, and patient satisfaction were compared between the two groups at 6 months after the treatment. Thirty-nine patients were enrolled in shock wave group and 38 patients in ultrasound group. The NRS scores in the first step pain in the morning were lowered after treatment in both groups (P<0.05), and the scores were significantly lower in ultrasound group than in shock wave group at 1 week and 1 month (P<0.01), but significantly higher in ultrasound group than in shock wave group at 3 and 6 months after treatment (P<0.05). The AOFAS functional scores were increased in both groups (P<0.05) at 6 months after treatment, was significantly lower in ultrasound group than in shock wave group than group B (90.44∓13.27 vs 75.76∓21.40; P<0.05). The effective rates in shock wave group and ultrasound group were 92.31% and 76.32%, respectively (P<0.05). Recurrence was found in 1 patient (2.56%) in shock wave group and in 8 (21.05%) in ultrasound group (P<0.05). The patient satisfaction scores were significantly higher in shock wave group than in ultrasound group (8.13∓2.67 vs 6.63∓3.75, P=0.048). Pneumatic ballistic extracorporeal shock achieves better medium- and long-term outcomes than ultrasound-guided hormone injection in the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

Spatial Angular Compounding Technique for H-Scan Ultrasound Imaging.

PubMed

Khairalseed, Mawia; Xiong, Fangyuan; Kim, Jung-Whan; Mattrey, Robert F; Parker, Kevin J; Hoyt, Kenneth

2018-01-01

H-Scan is a new ultrasound imaging technique that relies on matching a model of pulse-echo formation to the mathematics of a class of Gaussian-weighted Hermite polynomials. This technique may be beneficial in the measurement of relative scatterer sizes and in cancer therapy, particularly for early response to drug treatment. Because current H-scan techniques use focused ultrasound data acquisitions, spatial resolution degrades away from the focal region and inherently affects relative scatterer size estimation. Although the resolution of ultrasound plane wave imaging can be inferior to that of traditional focused ultrasound approaches, the former exhibits a homogeneous spatial resolution throughout the image plane. The purpose of this study was to implement H-scan using plane wave imaging and investigate the impact of spatial angular compounding on H-scan image quality. Parallel convolution filters using two different Gaussian-weighted Hermite polynomials that describe ultrasound scattering events are applied to the radiofrequency data. The H-scan processing is done on each radiofrequency image plane before averaging to get the angular compounded image. The relative strength from each convolution is color-coded to represent relative scatterer size. Given results from a series of phantom materials, H-scan imaging with spatial angular compounding more accurately reflects the true scatterer size caused by reductions in the system point spread function and improved signal-to-noise ratio. Preliminary in vivo H-scan imaging of tumor-bearing animals suggests this modality may be useful for monitoring early response to chemotherapeutic treatment. Overall, H-scan imaging using ultrasound plane waves and spatial angular compounding is a promising approach for visualizing the relative size and distribution of acoustic scattering sources. Copyright © 2018 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound beam steering of oxygen nanobubbles for enhanced bladder cancer therapy.

PubMed

Bhandari, Pushpak; Novikova, Gloriia; Goergen, Craig J; Irudayaraj, Joseph

2018-02-15

New intravesical treatment approaches for bladder cancer are needed as currently approved treatments show several side effects and high tumor recurrence rate. Our study used MB49 murine urothelial carcinoma model to evaluate oxygen encapsulated cellulosic nanobubbles as a novel agent for imaging and ultrasound guided drug delivery. In this study, we show that oxygen nanobubbles (ONB) can be propelled (up to 40 mm/s) and precisely guided in vivo to the tumor by an ultrasound beam. Nanobubble velocity can be controlled by altering the power of the ultrasound Doppler beam, while nanobubble direction can be adjusted to different desired angles by altering the angle of the beam. Precise ultrasound beam steering of oxygen nanobubbles was shown to enhance the efficacy of mitomycin-C, resulting in significantly lower tumor progression rates while using a 50% lower concentration of chemotherapeutic drug. Further, dark field imaging was utilized to visualize and quantify the ONB ex vivo. ONBs were found to localize up to 500 µm inside the tumor using beam steering. These results demonstrate the potential of an oxygen nanobubble drug encapsulated system to become a promising strategy for targeted drug delivery because of its multimodal (imaging and oxygen delivery) and multifunctional (targeting and hypoxia programming) properties.

Application of MR-guided focused pulsed ultrasound for destroying clots in vitro using thrombolytic drugs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadjisavvas, V.; Ioannides, K.; Damianou, C.

2011-09-01

In this paper an MR-guided focused pulsed ultrasound system for the treatment of stroke using thrombolytic drugs in a model in vitro is presented. A single element spherically focused transducer of 5 cm diameter; focusing at 10 cm and operating at 0.5 MHz or 1 MHz was used. The transducer was mounted in an MR compatible robot. The artery was modelled using a silicone tube. Tissue was modelled using polyaclylimide gel. Coagulated blood was used to model thrombus. A thermocouple was placed in the thrombus in order to measure the thrombus temperature. The effect of power, beam, and frequency was investigated. The goal was to maintain a temperature increase of less than 1 °C during the application of pulse ultrasound (called safe temperature). With the application of ultrasound alone there was no notable destruction of the thrombus. With the combination of ultrasound and thrombolytic drugs destruction occurred after 60 mins of pulse exposure (PRF = 1 s, duty factor = 10%, and with thrombus placed at 1 cm deep in the tissue). This simple in vitro model was proven very successful for evaluating MRgFUS as a modality for treating stroke. In the future we plan to apply this treatment protocol in live animals and humans.

Non-invasive Renal Denervation: Update on External Ultrasound Approaches.

PubMed

Schmieder, Roland E; Ott, Christian; Bramlage, Peter

2016-06-01

In the last decade, intravenous renal denervation (RDN) has emerged as an alternative to pharmacological treatment in patients with resistant hypertension, but currently involves an invasive and technically challenging procedure. The Surround Sound™ system utilises externally delivered ultrasound to achieve RDN using a completely non-invasive, automated real-time tracking system coupled with a therapeutic delivery module thereby addressing these limitations. A brief history, technical overview and summary of preclinical and clinical studies of the KonaMedical Surround Sound™ system are presented. A literature search using the terms "renal denervation", "resistant hypertension" and "external ultrasound" was performed using PubMed, and references retrieved were selected based on relevancy and year of publication (date range 1991-2015). The Surround Sound™ system appears to be a promising approach to RDN which eliminates several of the factors currently limiting the intravenous approach. So far, it has demonstrated efficacy for reducing blood pressure in resistant hypertension patients with minimal adverse effects. Several double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trials are currently underway to confirm the validity of these findings.

Effect of the ultrasound-Fenton oxidation process with the addition of a chelating agent on the removal of petroleum-based contaminants from soil.

PubMed

Li, Ying; Li, Fangmin; Li, Fanxiu; Yuan, Fuqian; Wei, Pingfang

2015-12-01

The effects of ultrasonic irradiation, the chelating agent modified Fenton reaction, and a combination of ultrasound and the Fenton method in removing petroleum contaminants from a soil were studied. The results showed that the contaminant removal rate of the Fenton treatment combined with an oxalic acid chelating agent was 55.6% higher than that without a chelating agent. The average removal rate of the contaminants using the ultrasound-Fenton treatment was 59.0% higher than that without ultrasonic treatment. A combination of ultrasound and an Fe(2+)/Fe(3+)-oxalate complex-modified Fenton reagent resulted in significantly higher removal rates of n-alkanes (C(n)H(2n+2), n < 28), isoprenoid hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, and saturated polycyclic terpenes compared with the ultrasound treatment alone or the Fenton method. The Fenton reaction and the ultrasound-Fenton treatment can unselectively remove multiple components of residual hydrocarbons and a number of benzene rings in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The chemistry of the heterocyclic compounds and the position and number of substituents can affect the degradation process.

Real-time 3D ultrasound guidance of autonomous surgical robot for shrapnel detection and breast biopsy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, Albert J.; Light, Edward D.; von Allmen, Daniel; Smith, Stephen W.

2009-02-01

Two studies have been conducted using real time 3D ultrasound and an automated robot system for carrying out surgical tasks. The first task is to perform a breast lesion biopsy automatically after detection by ultrasound. Combining 3D ultrasound with traditional mammography allows real time guidance of the biopsy needle. Image processing techniques analyze volumes to calculate the location of a target lesion. This position was converted into the coordinate system of a three axis robot which moved a needle probe to touch the lesion. The second task is to remove shrapnel from a tissue phantom autonomously. In some emergency situations, shrapnel detection in the body is necessary for quick treatment. Furthermore, small or uneven shrapnel geometry may hinder location by typical ultrasound imaging methods. Vibrations and small displacements can be induced in ferromagnetic shrapnel by a variable electromagnet. We used real time 3D color Doppler to locate this motion for 2 mm long needle fragments and determined the 3D position of the fragment in the scanner coordinates. The rms error of the image guided robot for 5 trials was 1.06 mm for this task which was accomplished in 76 seconds.

Focused ultrasound treatment of abscesses induced by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Feasibility study in a mouse model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rieck, Birgit; Bates, David; Pichardo, Samuel, E-mail: spichard@lakeheadu.ca, E-mail: lcuriel@lakeheadu.ca

Purpose: To study the therapeutic effect of focused ultrasound on abscesses induced by methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA). MRSA is a major nosocomial pathogen where immunocompromised patients are prone to develop infections that are less and less responsive to regular treatments. Because of its capability to induce a rise of temperature at a very precise location, the use of focused ultrasound represents a considerable opportunity for therapy of localized MRSA-related infections. Methods: 50μl of MRSA strain USA400 bacteria suspension at a concentration of 1.32 ± 0.5 × 10{sup 5} colony forming units (cfu)/μl was injected subcutaneously in the left flank of BALB/cmore » mice. An abscess of 6 ± 2 mm in diameter formed after 48 h. A transducer operating at 3 MHz with a focal length of 50 mm and diameter of 32 mm was used to treat the abscess. The focal point was positioned 2 mm under the skin at the abscess center. Forty-eight hours after injection four ultrasound exposures of 9 s each were applied to each abscess under magnetic resonance imaging guidance. Each exposure was followed by a 1 min pause. These parameters were based on preliminary experiments to ensure repetitive accurate heating of the abscess. Real-time estimation of change of temperature was done using water-proton resonance frequency and a communication toolbox (matMRI) developed inhouse. Three experimental groups of animals each were tested: control, moderate temperature (MT), and high temperature (HT). MT and HT groups reached, respectively, 52.3 ± 5.1 and 63.8 ± 7.5 °C at the end of exposure. Effectiveness of the treatment was assessed by evaluating the bacteria amount of the treated abscess 1 and 4 days after treatment. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay evaluating the neutrophil amount was performed to assess the local neutrophil recruitment and the white blood cell count was used to evaluate the systemic inflammatory response after focused ultrasound treatment. Results: Macroscopic evaluation of treated abscess indicated a diminution of external size of abscess 1 day after treatment. Treatment did not cause open wounds. The median (lower to upper quartile) bacterial count 1 day after treatment was 6.18 × 10{sup 3} (0.76 × 10{sup 3}–11.18 × 10{sup 3}), 2.86 × 10{sup 3} (1.22 × 10{sup 3}–7.07 × 10{sup 3}), and 3.52 × 10{sup 3} (1.18 × 10{sup 3}–6.72 × 10{sup 3}) cfu/100 μl for control, MT and HT groups, respectively; for the 4-day end point, the count was 1.37 × 10{sup 3} (0.67 × 10{sup 3}–2.89 × 10{sup 3}), 1.35 × 10{sup 3} (0.09 × 10{sup 3}–2.96 × 10{sup 3}), and 0.07 × 10{sup 3} (0.03 × 10{sup 3}–0.36 × 10{sup 3}) cfu/100 μl for control, MT and HT, showing a significant reduction (p = 0.002) on the bacterial load four days after focused ultrasound treatment when treating at high temperature (HT). The MPO amount remained unchanged between groups and days, indicating no change on local neutrophil recruitment in the abscess caused by the treatment. The white blood cell count remained unchanged between groups and days indicating that no systemic inflammatory response was caused by the treatment. Conclusions: Focused ultrasound induces a therapeutic effect in abscesses induced by MRSA. This effect is observed as a reduction of the number bacteria without significantly altering the amount of MPO at the site of a MRSA-induced abscess. These initial results suggest that focused ultrasound is a viable option for the treatment of localized MRSA-related infections.« less

A new sensitizer DVDMS combined with multiple focused ultrasound treatments: an effective antitumor strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Wenli; Wang, Pan; Hu, Jianmin; Jia, Yali; Wu, Lijie; Chen, Xiyang; Liu, Quanhong; Wang, Xiaobing

2015-12-01

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) was developed as a promising noninvasive approach. The present study investigated the antitumor effect of a new sensitizer (sinoporphyrin sodium, referred to as DVDMS) combined with multiple ultrasound treatments on sarcoma 180 both in vitro and in vivo. The combined treatment significantly suppressed cell viability, potentiated apoptosis, and markedly inhibited angiogenesis in vivo. In vivo, the tumor weight inhibition ratio reached 89.82% fifteen days after three sonication treatments plus DVDMS. This effect was stronger than one ultrasound alone (32.56%) and than one round of sonication plus DVDMS (59.33%). DVDMS combined with multiple focused ultrasound treatments initiated tumor tissue destruction, induced cancer cell apoptosis, inhibited tumor angiogenesis, suppressed cancer cell proliferation, and decreased VEGF and PCNA expression levels. Moreover, the treatment did not show obvious signs of side effects or induce a drop in body weight. These results indicated that DVDMS combined with multiple focused ultrasounds may be a promising strategy against solid tumor.

Synergetic effects of ultrasound and slightly acidic electrolyzed water against Staphylococcus aureus evaluated by flow cytometry and electron microscopy.

PubMed

Li, Jiao; Ding, Tian; Liao, Xinyu; Chen, Shiguo; Ye, Xingqian; Liu, Donghong

2017-09-01

This study evaluated the synergetic effects of ultrasound and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) on the inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus using flow cytometry and electron microscopy. The individual ultrasound treatment for 10min only resulted in 0.36logCFU/mL reductions of S. aureus, while the SAEW treatment alone for 10min resulted in 3.06logCFU/mL reductions. The log reductions caused by combined treatment were enhanced to 3.68logCFU/mL, which were greater than the sum of individual treatments. This phenomenon was referred to as synergistic effects. FCM analysis distinguished live and dead cells as well as revealed dynamic changes in the physiological states of S. aureus after different treatments. The combined treatment greatly reduced the number of viable but nonculturable (VBNC) bacteria to 0.07%; in contrast, a single ultrasound treatment for 10min induced the formation of VBNC cells to 45.75%. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that greater damage to the appearance and ultrastructure of S. aureus were achieved after combined ultrasound-SAEW treatment compared to either treatment alone. These results indicated that combining ultrasound with SAEW is a promising sterilization technology with potential uses for environmental remediation and food preservation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A review of randomised controlled trials comparing ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy with endothermal ablation for the treatment of great saphenous varicose veins.

PubMed

Davies, Huw Ob; Popplewell, Matthew; Darvall, Katy; Bate, Gareth; Bradbury, Andrew W

2016-05-01

The last 10 years have seen the introduction into everyday clinical practice of a wide range of novel non-surgical treatments for varicose veins. In July 2013, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended the following treatment hierarchy for varicose veins: endothermal ablation, ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, surgery and compression hosiery. The aim of this paper is to review the randomised controlled trials that have compared endothermal ablation and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy to determine if the level 1 evidence base still supports an "endothermal ablation first" strategy for the treatment of varicose veins. A PubMed and OVID literature search (until 31 January 2015) was performed and randomised controlled trials comparing endothermal ablation and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy were obtained. Although anatomical success appeared higher with endothermal ablation than ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, clinical success and patient-reported outcomes measures were similar. Morbidity and complication rates were very low and not significantly different between endothermal ablation and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy. Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy was consistently less expensive that endothermal ablation. All endovenous modalities appear to be successful and have a role in modern day practice. Although further work is required to optimise ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy technique to maximise anatomical success and minimise retreatment, the present level 1 evidence base shows there is no significant difference in clinical important outcomes between ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy and endothermal ablation. As ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is less expensive, it is likely to be a more cost-effective option in most patients in most healthcare settings. Strict adherence to the treatment hierarchy recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence seems unjustified. © The Author(s) 2015.

MO-DE-210-03: Ultrasound imaging is an attractive method for image guided radiation treatment (IGRT), by itself or to complement other imaging modalities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding, K.

Ultrasound imaging is an attractive method for image guided radiation treatment (IGRT), by itself or to complement other imaging modalities. It is inexpensive, portable and provides good soft tissue contrast. For challenging soft tissue targets such as pancreatic cancer, ultrasound imaging can be used in combination with pre-treatment MRI and/or CT to transfer important anatomical features for target localization at time of treatment. The non-invasive and non-ionizing nature of ultrasound imaging is particularly powerful for intra-fraction localization and monitoring. Recognizing these advantages, efforts are being made to incorporate novel robotic approaches to position and manipulate the ultrasound probe during irradiation.more » These recent enabling developments hold potential to bring ultrasound imaging to a new level of IGRT applications. However, many challenges, not limited to image registration, robotic deployment, probe interference and image acquisition rate, need to be addressed to realize the full potential of IGRT with ultrasound imaging. Learning Objectives: Understand the benefits and limitations in using ultrasound to augment MRI and/or CT for motion monitoring during radiation therapy delivery. Understanding passive and active robotic approaches to implement ultrasound imaging for intra-fraction monitoring. Understand issues of probe interference with radiotherapy treatment. Understand the critical clinical workflow for effective and reproducible IGRT using ultrasound guidance. The work of X.L. is supported in part by Elekta; J.W. and K.D. is supported in part by a NIH grant R01 CA161613 and by Elekta; D.H. is support in part by a NIH grant R41 CA174089.« less

Multi-Channel RF System for MRI-Guided Transurethral Ultrasound Thermal Therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yak, Nicolas; Asselin, Matthew; Chopra, Rajiv; Bronskill, Michael

2009-04-01

MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound thermal therapy is an approach to treating localized prostate cancer which targets precise deposition of thermal energy within a confined region of the gland. This treatment requires a system incorporating a heating applicator with multiple planar ultrasound transducers and associated RF electronics to control individual elements independently in order to achieve accurate 3D treatment. We report the design, construction, and characterization of a prototype multi-channel system capable of controlling 16 independent RF signals for a 16-element heating applicator. The main components are a control computer, microcontroller, and a 16-channel signal generator with 16 amplifiers, each incorporating a low-pass filter and transmitted/reflected power detection circuit. Each channel can deliver from 0.5 to 10 W of electrical power and good linearity from 3 to 12 MHz. Harmonic RF signals near the Larmor frequency of a 1.5 T MRI were measured to be below -30 dBm and heating experiments within the 1.5 T MR system showed no significant decrease in SNR of the temperature images. The frequency and power for all 16 channels could be changed in less than 250 ms, which was sufficiently rapid for proper performance of the control algorithms. A common backplane design was chosen which enabled an inexpensive, modular approach for each channel resulting in an overall system with minimal footprint.

Ultrasound effects on the degradation kinetics, structure, and antioxidant activity of sea cucumber fucoidan.

PubMed

Guo, Xin; Ye, Xingqian; Sun, Yujing; Wu, Dan; Wu, Nian; Hu, Yaqin; Chen, Shiguo

2014-02-05

The effects of ultrasound on the molecular weight, structure, and antioxidant potential of a fucoidan found in Isostichopus badionotus were investigated. The results showed the molecular weight (Mw) of fucoidan decreased obviously after ultrasound treatment. Higher ultrasonic intensity, lower temperature, and lower fucoidan concentrations led to a more effective sonochemical effect. The kinetic model for fucoidan degradation fitted to 1/M(wt)-1/M(w0) = kt at the tested temperature. The optimized degradation conditions by response surface methodology (RSM) were temperature, 12 °C, and intensity, 508 W/cm². Structural analysis by FTIR and NMR indicated the fucoidan kept the linear tetrasaccharide repeating units as the original polysaccharides after the ultrasound treatment, with only slight destruction of the middle nonsulfated fucose units. Antioxidant activity assay showed the antioxidant activity was slightly improved by the ultrasound treatment. The results suggested that ultrasound treatment is an effective approach to decrease the M(w) of fucoidan with only minor structural destruction.

Role of H2O2 in the fluctuating patterns of COD (chemical oxygen demand) during the treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME) using pilot scale triple frequency ultrasound cavitation reactor.

PubMed

Manickam, Sivakumar; Abidin, Norhaida binti Zainal; Parthasarathy, Shridharan; Alzorqi, Ibrahim; Ng, Ern Huay; Tiong, Timm Joyce; Gomes, Rachel L; Ali, Asgar

2014-07-01

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a highly contaminating wastewater due to its high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Conventional treatment methods require longer residence time (10-15 days) and higher operating cost. Owing to this, finding a suitable and efficient method for the treatment of POME is crucial. In this investigation, ultrasound cavitation technology has been used as an alternative technique to treat POME. Cavitation is the phenomenon of formation, growth and collapse of bubbles in a liquid. The end process of collapse leads to intense conditions of temperature and pressure and shock waves which assist various physical and chemical transformations. Two different ultrasound systems i.e. ultrasonic bath (37 kHz) and a hexagonal triple frequency ultrasonic reactor (28, 40 and 70 kHz) of 15 L have been used. The results showed a fluctuating COD pattern (in between 45,000 and 60,000 mg/L) while using ultrasound bath alone, whereas a non-fluctuating COD pattern with a final COD of 27,000 mg/L was achieved when hydrogen peroxide was introduced. Similarly for the triple frequency ultrasound reactor, coupling all the three frequencies resulted into a final COD of 41,300 mg/L compared to any other individual or combination of two frequencies. With the possibility of larger and continuous ultrasonic cavitational reactors, it is believed that this could be a promising and a fruitful green process engineering technique for the treatment of POME. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extraction mechanism of ultrasound assisted extraction and its effect on higher yielding and purity of artemisinin crystals from Artemisia annua L. leaves.

PubMed

Chemat, Smain; Aissa, Abdallah; Boumechhour, Abdenour; Arous, Omar; Ait-Amar, Hamid

2017-01-01

This study proposes an ultrasound-horn system for the extraction of a natural active compound "artemisinin" from Artemisia annua L. leaves as an alternative to hot maceration technique. Ultrasound leaching improves artemisinin recovery at all temperatures where only ten minutes is required to recover 70% (4.42mgg -1 ) compared to 60min of conventional hot leaching for the same yield. For instance, ultrasound treatment at 30°C produced a higher yield than the one obtained by conventional maceration at 40°C. Kinetic study suggests that the extraction pattern can be assimilated, during the first ten minutes, to a first order steady state, from which activation energy calculations revealed that each gram of artemisinin required 7.38kJ in ultrasound versus 10.3kJ in the conventional system. Modeling results indicate the presence of two extraction stages, a faster stage with a diffusion coefficient of 19×10 -5 cm 2 min -1 for ultrasound technique at 40°C, seven times higher than the conventional one; and a second deceleration stage similar for both techniques with diffusion coefficient ranging from 1.7 to 3.1×10 -5 cm 2 min -1 . It is noted that the efficient ultrasound extraction potential implies extraction of higher amount of co-metabolites so low artemisinin crystal purity is engendered but a combination with a purification step using activated charcoal and celite adsorbents produced crystals with comparable purity for conventional and ultrasound samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound as visual feedback in speech habilitation: exploring consultative use in rural British Columbia, Canada.

PubMed

Bernhardt, May B; Bacsfalvi, Penelope; Adler-Bock, Marcy; Shimizu, Reiko; Cheney, Audrey; Giesbrecht, Nathan; O'connell, Maureen; Sirianni, Jason; Radanov, Bosko

2008-02-01

Ultrasound has shown promise as a visual feedback tool in speech therapy. Rural clients, however, often have minimal access to new technologies. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate consultative treatment using ultrasound in rural communities. Two speech-language pathologists (SLPs) trained in ultrasound use provided consultation with ultrasound in rural British Columbia to 13 school-aged children with residual speech impairments. Local SLPs provided treatment without ultrasound before and after the consultation. Speech samples were transcribed phonetically by independent trained listeners. Eleven children showed greater gains in production of the principal target /[image omitted]/ after the ultrasound consultation. Four of the seven participants who received more consultation time with ultrasound showed greatest improvement. Individual client factors also affected outcomes. The current study was a quasi-experimental clinic-based study. Larger, controlled experimental studies are needed to provide ultimate evaluation of the consultative use of ultrasound in speech therapy.

Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation for treating uterine arteriovenous malformation.

PubMed

Yan, X; Zhao, C; Tian, C; Wen, S; He, X; Zhou, Y

2017-08-01

To explore HIFU treatment for uterine arteriovenous malformation. A case report. Gynaecological department in a university teaching hospital of China. A patient with uterine arteriovenous malformation. The diagnosis of uterine arteriovenous malformation was made through MRI. Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) ablation was performed. HIFU is effective in treating uterine arteriovenous malformation. The patient had reduction of the lesion volume and obvious symptom relief, without significant adverse effects. HIFU can be used as a new treatment option for uterine arteriovenous malformation. Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation is effective in treating uterine arteriovenous malformation. © 2017 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Current status and future perspectives of sonodynamic therapy in glioma treatment.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaobing; Jia, Yali; Wang, Pan; Liu, Quanhon; Zheng, Hairong

2017-07-01

Malignant glioma is one of the most challenging central nervous system diseases to treat, and has high rates of recurrence and mortality. The current therapies include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, although these approaches often failed to control tumor progression or improve patient survival. Sonodynamic therapy is a developing cancer treatment that uses ultrasound combined with a sonosensitizer to synergistically kill tumor cells, and has provided impressive results in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The ultrasound waves can penetrate deep tissues and reversibly open the blood-brain barrier to enhance drug delivery to the brain. Thus, sonodynamic therapy has a promising potential in glioma treatment. In this review, we summarize the studies that have confirmed the pre-clinical efficacy of sonodynamic therapy for glioma treatment, and discuss the future directions for this emerging treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dual-modal photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging of dental implants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Donghyun; Park, Sungjo; Kim, Chulhong

2018-02-01

Dental implants are common method to replace decayed or broken tooth. As the implant treatment procedures varies according to the patients' jawbone, bone ridge, and sinus structure, appropriate examinations are necessary for successful treatment. Currently, radiographic examinations including periapical radiology, panoramic X-ray, and computed tomography are commonly used for diagnosing and monitoring. However, these radiographic examinations have limitations in that patients and operators are exposed to radioactivity and multiple examinations are performed during the treatment. In this study, we demonstrated photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasound (US) combined imaging of dental implant that can lower the total amount of absorbed radiation dose in dental implant treatment. An acoustic resolution PA macroscopy and a clinical PA/US system was used for dental implant imaging. The acquired dual modal PA/US imaging results support that the proposed photoacoustic imaging strategy can reduce the radiation dose rate during dental implant treatment.

Non-Invasive Targeted Peripheral Nerve Ablation Using 3D MR Neurography and MRI-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MR-HIFU): Pilot Study in a Swine Model

PubMed Central

Huisman, Merel; Staruch, Robert M.; Ladouceur-Wodzak, Michelle; van den Bosch, Maurice A.; Burns, Dennis K.; Chhabra, Avneesh; Chopra, Rajiv

2015-01-01

Purpose Ultrasound (US)-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been proposed for noninvasive treatment of neuropathic pain and has been investigated in in-vivo studies. However, ultrasound has important limitations regarding treatment guidance and temperature monitoring. Magnetic resonance (MR)-imaging guidance may overcome these limitations and MR-guided HIFU (MR-HIFU) has been used successfully for other clinical indications. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing 3D MR neurography to identify and guide ablation of peripheral nerves using a clinical MR-HIFU system. Methods Volumetric MR-HIFU was used to induce lesions in the peripheral nerves of the lower limbs in three pigs. Diffusion-prep MR neurography and T1-weighted images were utilized to identify the target, plan treatment and immediate post-treatment evaluation. For each treatment, one 8 or 12 mm diameter treatment cell was used (sonication duration 20 s and 36 s, power 160–300 W). Peripheral nerves were extracted < 3 hours after treatment. Ablation dimensions were calculated from thermal maps, post-contrast MRI and macroscopy. Histological analysis included standard H&E staining, Masson’s trichrome and toluidine blue staining. Results All targeted peripheral nerves were identifiable on MR neurography and T1-weighted images and could be accurately ablated with a single exposure of focused ultrasound, with peak temperatures of 60.3 to 85.7°C. The lesion dimensions as measured on MR neurography were similar to the lesion dimensions as measured on CE-T1, thermal dose maps, and macroscopy. Histology indicated major hyperacute peripheral nerve damage, mostly confined to the location targeted for ablation. Conclusion Our preliminary results indicate that targeted peripheral nerve ablation is feasible with MR-HIFU. Diffusion-prep 3D MR neurography has potential for guiding therapy procedures where either nerve targeting or avoidance is desired, and may also have potential for post-treatment verification of thermal lesions without contrast injection. PMID:26659073

Effect of ultrasonic pre-treatment of thermomechanical pulp on hydrogen peroxide bleaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loranger, E.; Charles, A.; Daneault, C.

2012-12-01

Ultrasound pre-treatments of softwood TMP had been carried to evaluate its impact on the efficiency of hydrogen peroxide bleaching. The trials were performed after a factorial design of experiment using frequency, power and time as variables. The experiments were conducted in an ultrasonic bath and then bleached with hydrogen peroxide. Measurements such as brightness, L*A*B* color system coordinate, residual hydrogen peroxide and metal content were evaluated on bleached pulp. The results indicate that the effect of ultrasonic treatment on brightness was dependent on the ultrasound frequency used; the brightness increased slightly at 68 kHz and decreased at 40 and 170 kHz. These results were correlated to the ultrasound effect on the generation of transition metals (copper, iron and manganese) which are responsible for catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The influence of metal interference was minimized by using a chelating agent such as diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA). With the results obtained in this study we have identified a set of option conditions, e.g. 1000 W, 40 kHz, 1.5 % consistency and 0.2% addition of DTPA prior to the bleaching stage (after ultrasonic pre-treatment) who improve brightness by 2.5 %ISO.

Prostate histotripsy for BPH: initial canine results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, William W.; Hall, Timothy L.; Hempel, Christopher R.; Cain, Charles A.

2009-02-01

Histotripsy is an extracorporeal ablative technology that utilizes microsecond pulses of intense ultrasound (< 1% duty cycle) to produce nonthermal, mechanical fractionation of targeted tissue. We have previously demonstrated the feasibility of histotripsy prostate ablation. In this study we sought to assess the chronic tissue response, tolerability and safety of histotripsy in a chronic in vivo canine model. Five acute and thirteen chronic canine subjects were anesthetized and treated with histotripsy targeting the prostate. Pulses consisted of 3 cycle bursts of 750 kHz ultrasound at a repetition rate of 300 Hz delivered transabdominally from a highly focused 15 cm aperture array. Transrectal ultrasound imaging provided accurate targeting and real-time monitoring of histotripsy treatment. Prostates were harvested at 0, 7, 28, or 56 days after treatment. Consistent mechanical tissue fractionation and debulking of prostate tissue was seen acutely and at delayed time points without collateral injury. Urothelialization of the treatment cavity was apparent 28 days after treatment. Canine subjects tolerated histotripsy with minimal hematuria or discomfort. Only mild transient lab abnormalities were noted. Histotripsy is a promising non-invasive therapy for prostate tissue fractionation and debulking that appears safe and well tolerated without systemic side effects in the canine model.

Ultrasound Imaging in Radiation Therapy: From Interfractional to Intrafractional Guidance

PubMed Central

Western, Craig; Hristov, Dimitre

2015-01-01

External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is included in the treatment regimen of the majority of cancer patients. With the proliferation of hypofractionated radiotherapy treatment regimens, such as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), interfractional and intrafractional imaging technologies are becoming increasingly critical to ensure safe and effective treatment delivery. Ultrasound (US)-based image guidance systems offer real-time, markerless, volumetric imaging with excellent soft tissue contrast, overcoming the limitations of traditional X-ray or computed tomography (CT)-based guidance for abdominal and pelvic cancer sites, such as the liver and prostate. Interfractional US guidance systems have been commercially adopted for patient positioning but suffer from systematic positioning errors induced by probe pressure. More recently, several research groups have introduced concepts for intrafractional US guidance systems leveraging robotic probe placement technology and real-time soft tissue tracking software. This paper reviews various commercial and research-level US guidance systems used in radiation therapy, with an emphasis on hardware and software technologies that enable the deployment of US imaging within the radiotherapy environment and workflow. Previously unpublished material on tissue tracking systems and robotic probe manipulators under development by our group is also included. PMID:26180704

MO-DE-210-07: Investigation of Treatment Interferences of a Novel Robotic Ultrasound Radiotherapy Guidance System with Clinical VMAT Plans for Liver SBRT Patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gong, R; Bruder, R; Schweikard, A

Purpose: To evaluate the proportion of liver SBRT cases in which robotic ultrasound image guidance concurrent with beam delivery can be deployed without interfering with clinically used VMAT beam configurations. Methods: A simulation environment incorporating LINAC, couch, planning CT, and robotic ultrasound guidance hardware was developed. Virtual placement of the robotic ultrasound hardware was guided by a target visibility map rendered on the CT surface. The map was computed on GPU by using the planning CT to simulate ultrasound propagation and attenuation along rays connecting skin surface points to a rasterized imaging target. The visibility map was validated in amore » prostate phantom experiment by capturing live ultrasound images of the prostate from different phantom locations. In 20 liver SBRT patients treated with VMAT, the simulation environment was used to place the robotic hardware and ultrasound probe at imaging locations indicated on the visibility map. Imaging targets were either entire PTV (range 5.9–679.5 ml) or entire GTV (range 0.9–343.4 ml). Presence or absence of mechanical collisions with LINAC, couch, and patient body as well as interferences with treated beams were recorded. Results: For PTV targets, robotic ultrasound guidance without mechanical collision was possible in 80% of the cases and guidance without beam interference was possible in 60% of the cases. For the smaller GTV targets, these proportions were 95% and 85% correspondingly. GTV size (1/20), elongated shape (1/20), and depth (1/20) were the main factors limiting the availability of non-interfering imaging positions. Conclusion: This study indicates that for VMAT liver SBRT, robotic ultrasound tracking of a relevant internal target would be possible in 85% of cases while using treatment plans currently deployed in the clinic. With beam re-planning in accordance with the presence of robotic ultrasound guidance, intra-fractional ultrasound guidance may be an option for 95% of the liver SBRT cases. This project was funded by NIH Grant R41CA174089.« less

SU-E-J-114: Towards Integrated CT and Ultrasound Guided Radiation Therapy Using A Robotic Arm with Virtual Springs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding, K; Zhang, Y; Sen, H

Purpose: Currently there is an urgent need in Radiation Therapy for noninvasive and nonionizing soft tissue target guidance such as localization before treatment and continuous monitoring during treatment. Ultrasound is a portable, low cost option that can be easily integrated with the LINAC room. We are developing a cooperatively controlled robot arm that has high intrafraction reproducibility with repositioning of the ultrasound probe. In this study, we introduce virtual springs (VS) to assist with interfraction probe repositioning and we compare the soft tissue deformation introduced by VS to the deformation that would exist without them. Methods: Three metal markers weremore » surgically implanted in the kidney of one dog. The dog was anesthetized and immobilized supine in an alpha cradle. The reference ultrasound probe position and force to ideally visualize the kidney was defined by an experienced ultrasonographer using the Clarity ultrasound system and robot sensor. For each interfraction study, the dog was removed from the cradle and re-setup based on CBCT with bony anatomy alignment to mimic regular patient setup. The ultrasound probe was automatically returned to the reference position using the robot. To accommodate the soft tissue anatomy changes between each setup the operator used the VS feature to adjust the probe and obtain an ultrasound image that matched the reference image. CBCT images were acquired and each interfraction marker location was compared with the first interfraction Result. Results: Analysis of the marker positions revealed that the kidney was displaced by 18.8 ± 6.4 mm without VS and 19.9 ± 10.5 mm with VS. No statistically significant differences were found between two procedures. Conclusion: The VS feature is necessary to obtain matching ultrasound images, and they do not introduce further changes to the tissue deformation. Future work will focus on automatic VS based on ultrasound feedback. Supported in part by: NCI R01 CA161613; Elekta Sponsored Research.« less

Ultrasound treatment on phenolic metabolism and antioxidant capacity of fresh-cut pineapple during cold storage.

PubMed

Yeoh, Wei Keat; Ali, Asgar

2017-02-01

Ultrasound treatment at different power output (0, 25 and 29W) and exposure time (10 and 15min) was used to investigate its effect on the phenolic metabolism enzymes, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of fresh-cut pineapple. Following ultrasound treatment at 25 and 29W, the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) was increased significantly (P<0.05) by 2.0 and 1.9-fold, when compared to control. Meanwhile, both the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and polyphenol peroxidase (POD) in fresh-cut pineapple was significantly (P<0.05) lower than control upon subjected to ultrasound treatment. In the present study, induction of PAL was found to significantly (P<0.001) correlate with higher total phenolic content and thus higher antioxidant capacity in fresh-cut pineapple. Results suggest that hormetic dosage of ultrasound treatment can enhance the activity of PAL and total phenolic content and hence the total antioxidant capacity to encounter with oxidative stress. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of controlled offset of focal position in cavitation-enhanced high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goto, Kota; Takagi, Ryo; Miyashita, Takuya; Jimbo, Hayato; Yoshizawa, Shin; Umemura, Shin-ichiro

2015-07-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a noninvasive treatment for tumors such as cancer. In this method, ultrasound is generated outside the body and focused to the target tissue. Therefore, physical and mental stresses on the patient are minimal. A drawback of the HIFU treatment is a long treatment time for a large tumor due to the small therapeutic volume by a single exposure. Enhancing the heating effect of ultrasound by cavitation bubbles may solve this problem. However, this is rather difficult because cavitation clouds tend to be formed backward from the focal point while ultrasonic intensity for heating is centered at the focal point. In this study, the focal points of the trigger pulses to generate cavitation were offset forward from those of the heating ultrasound to match the cavitation clouds with the heating patterns. Results suggest that the controlled offset of focal points makes the thermal coagulation more predictable.

[Evolution of nodular scleritis with ultrasound biomicroscopy: case report].

PubMed

Martinez, Andrea Alejandra Gonzalez; Matos, Kimble Teixeira Fonseca; Trevisani, Virgínia; Hirai, Alcides; Allemann, Norma

2013-01-01

To establish evolutionary pattern of a case of nodular scleritis with high frequency ultrasound during treatment. Twenty-seven year old female, initial manifestation of intermediate uveitis, bilateral macular edema after clinical treatment with topical and oral steroids. After four months, we observed the formation of a scleral nodule in the right eye when patient underwent high frequency ultrasound (Paradigm, 50 MHz transducer, immersion technique). The lesion in right eye was characterized at high frequency ultrasound as a nodular lesion located at the anterior inferior temporal wall associated with localized reduction of scleral thickness. After intravitreal injection of triamcinolone for treatment of macular edema, clinical regression of the scleral nodule was observed in right eye, maintaining reduced scleral thickness. High frequency ultrasound assisted in the diagnosis of nodular scleritis during the phases of treatment and in the identify its characteristic sequel feature, the scleral thinning.

Technical Note: Millimeter precision in ultrasound based patient positioning: Experimental quantification of inherent technical limitations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ballhausen, Hendrik, E-mail: hendrik.ballhausen@med.uni-muenchen.de; Hieber, Sheila; Li, Minglun

2014-08-15

Purpose: To identify the relevant technical sources of error of a system based on three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) for patient positioning in external beam radiotherapy. To quantify these sources of error in a controlled laboratory setting. To estimate the resulting end-to-end geometric precision of the intramodality protocol. Methods: Two identical free-hand 3D US systems at both the planning-CT and the treatment room were calibrated to the laboratory frame of reference. Every step of the calibration chain was repeated multiple times to estimate its contribution to overall systematic and random error. Optimal margins were computed given the identified and quantified systematicmore » and random errors. Results: In descending order of magnitude, the identified and quantified sources of error were: alignment of calibration phantom to laser marks 0.78 mm, alignment of lasers in treatment vs planning room 0.51 mm, calibration and tracking of 3D US probe 0.49 mm, alignment of stereoscopic infrared camera to calibration phantom 0.03 mm. Under ideal laboratory conditions, these errors are expected to limit ultrasound-based positioning to an accuracy of 1.05 mm radially. Conclusions: The investigated 3D ultrasound system achieves an intramodal accuracy of about 1 mm radially in a controlled laboratory setting. The identified systematic and random errors require an optimal clinical tumor volume to planning target volume margin of about 3 mm. These inherent technical limitations do not prevent clinical use, including hypofractionation or stereotactic body radiation therapy.« less

Imaging of implant needles for real-time HDR-brachytherapy prostate treatment using biplane ultrasound transducers.

PubMed

Siebert, Frank-André; Hirt, Markus; Niehoff, Peter; Kovács, György

2009-08-01

Ultrasound imaging is becoming increasingly important in prostate brachytherapy. In high-dose-rate (HDR) real-time planning procedures the definition of the implant needles is often performed by transrectal ultrasound. This article describes absolute measurements of the visibility and accuracy of manual detection of implant needle tips and compares measurement results of different biplane ultrasound systems in transversal and longitudinal (i.e., sagittal) ultrasound modes. To obtain a fixed coordinate system and stable conditions the measurements were carried out in a water tank using a dedicated marker system. Needles were manually placed in the phantom until the observer decided by the real-time ultrasound image that the zero position was reached. A comparison of three different ultrasound systems yielded an offset between 0.8 and 3.1 mm for manual detection of the needle tip in ultrasound images by one observer. The direction of the offset was discovered to be in the proximal direction, i.e., the actual needle position was located more distally compared to the ultrasound-based definition. In the second part of the study, the ultrasound anisotropy of trocar implant needles is reported. It was shown that the integrated optical density in a region of interest around the needle tip changes with needle rotation. Three peaks were observed with a phase angle of 120 degrees. Peaks appear not only in transversal but also in longitudinal ultrasound images, with a phase shift of 60 degrees. The third section of this study shows results of observer dependent influences on needle tip detection in sagittal ultrasound images considering needle rotation. These experiments were carried out using the marker system in a water tank. The needle tip was placed exactly at the position z=0 mm. It was found that different users tend to differently interpret the same ultrasound images. The needle tip was manually detected five times in the ultrasound images by three experienced observers at positions (+/- standard deviation) -0.53 +/- 0.16, -0.16 +/- 0.14, and -0.30 +/- 0.16 mm using a gain of 15 dB. The minus sign indicates that the needle tips were detected more proximally than the actual position of the needle tip. When using a gain of -15 dB the mean values of two observers resulted in -0.62 +/- 0.08 and -0.51 +/- 0.12 mm. Additionally an alternative approach to the direct needle tip definition was investigated. Two observers detected the solid part of the needle tip in sagittal images. This solid part, often named as "dead space end," is the distance between the needle tip and the beginning of the hollow part of the implant needle. The dead space end is 6.2 mm for the investigated needle type. Two users found mean values of -6.70 +/- 0.16 and -7.00 +/- 0.06 mm, respectively, for 15 dB gain and -6.90 +/- 0.09 and -7.02 +/- 0.06 mm using the -15 dB gain setting. The results show that ultrasound-based needle tip definition in sagittal viewing mode is accurate. The inter- and intraobserver errors should, however, be taken into account. A lower gain setting of the ultrasound system reduces the intraobserver error.

Measurement of ultrasound power using a calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgado, G.; Miqueleti, S.; Costa-Felix, R. P. B.

2018-03-01

This paper presents a comparison between the ultrasound power of a 1 MHz therapy equipment on the water using a calorimeter and a radiation force balance. For a range of 5 to 10 W, the results presented a normalized error less than 1, disclosing compatibility of the results from the developed system and the radiation force balance. The calorimetric method might be used as a faster and cheaper means for the verification of the ultrasonic power emitted by an equipment for physiotherapeutic treatment.

Magnetic Resonance-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation of Osteoid Osteoma: A Case Series Report.

PubMed

Rovella, Marcello S; Martins, Guilherme L P; Cavalcanti, Conrado F A; Bor-Seng-Shu, Edson; Camargo, Olavo P; Cerri, Giovanni G; Menezes, Marcos R

2016-04-01

Osteoid osteoma is painful benign tumor. The aim of this study was to report our initial experience using magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound to treat osteoid osteomas. This retrospective single-center study included four patients treated with magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound. They presented with severe pain with reduced quality of life and a poor response to clinical treatment. The pre- and post-treatment evaluation comprised computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging and focused on quality of life and the impact of pain on daily activities. After treatment, three patients had complete pain resolution with no recurrence. One patient had a recurrence of symptoms after 2 wk and underwent a new successful treatment with increased energy levels. On average, 13 sonications were administered (8-18 sonications/treatment) with an average energy of 2,003 J (range: 1,063-3,522 J). Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound appears to be a feasible, tolerable and effective treatment in selected patients with osteoid osteomas. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gestrinone combined with ultrasound-guided aspiration and ethanol injection for treatment of chocolate cyst of ovary.

PubMed

Wu, Xiaoyun; Xu, Yun

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine clinical performance of gestrinone combined with ultrasound-guided aspiration and ethanol injection in treating chocolate cyst of ovary. Sixty-eight patients enrolled in this study were randomly divided into two groups: control group and combination treatment group. In the control group, 34 patients were treated with ultrasound-guided aspiration and ethanol injection. In the combination treatment group, 34 patients received gestrinone p.o. following ultrasound-guided aspiration and ethanol injection. The recurrence rate of chocolate cyst was 10-fold lower in the combination treatment group (2.94%, 1/34) than in the control group (29.4%, 10/34) at 12 months. The effective rate for reduction of chocolate cyst was significantly higher in the combination treatment group (94.12%, 32/34) than in the control group (64.71%, 22/34) (P = 0.009). Gestrinone combined with ultrasound-guided aspiration and ethanol injection therapy is an effective treatment for ovarian chocolate cyst with low recurrence rate. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2014 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Design of an ultrasonic physiotherapy system with pulse wave feedback control.

PubMed

Peng, Ran; Luo, Yang; Li, Zhangyong; Wang, Wei; Pang, Yu

2017-07-20

Due to different physical and biological mechanisms behind ultrasound hyperthermia and phonophoresis, the requirement for ultrasound power, frequency and control modes varies. This paper introduces an adaptive ultrasonic physiotherapy system based on real-time surveillance over physiological characteristics of the patients, which in turn assists the individual treatment and dose limitation in auxiliary rehabilitation. The method essentially takes advantage of distinctive characteristics of two different phases (systole and diastole) of the human cardiac cycle as a medium for modulation. The abundance of blood flow during systole enables energy exchange for hyperthermia while blood flow insufficiency caused by diastole assists in drug penetration. Said method could improve the adjuvant therapy as it provides partial drug penetration and therapeutic dosage control. By adjusting time window and intensity of multi-frequency ultrasound, it is possible to reduce the irradiation dosage to around 22% of that during continuous irradiation at 1 MHz. The method shows high potential in clinical practice. Frequency-tuning ultrasound therapy would be more efficient regarding drug penetration and improve the therapeutic efficacy of hyperthermia.

Selective intracellular vaporisation of antibody-conjugated phase-change nano-droplets in vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishijima, A.; Minamihata, K.; Yamaguchi, S.; Yamahira, S.; Ichikawa, R.; Kobayashi, E.; Iijima, M.; Shibasaki, Y.; Azuma, T.; Nagamune, T.; Sakuma, I.

2017-03-01

While chemotherapy is a major mode of cancer therapeutics, its efficacy is limited by systemic toxicities and drug resistance. Recent advances in nanomedicine provide the opportunity to reduce systemic toxicities. However, drug resistance remains a major challenge in cancer treatment research. Here we developed a nanomedicine composed of a phase-change nano-droplet (PCND) and an anti-cancer antibody (9E5), proposing the concept of ultrasound cancer therapy with intracellular vaporisation. PCND is a liquid perfluorocarbon nanoparticle with a liquid-gas phase that is transformable upon exposure to ultrasound. 9E5 is a monoclonal antibody targeting epiregulin (EREG). We found that 9E5-conjugated PCNDs are selectively internalised into targeted cancer cells and kill the cells dynamically by ultrasound-induced intracellular vaporisation. In vitro experiments show that 9E5-conjugated PCND targets 97.8% of high-EREG-expressing cancer cells and kills 57% of those targeted upon exposure to ultrasound. Furthermore, direct observation of the intracellular vaporisation process revealed the significant morphological alterations of cells and the release of intracellular contents.

Impact of Focused Ultrasound-enhanced Drug Delivery on Survival in Rats with Glioma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treat, Lisa Hsu; Zhang, Yongzhi; McDannold, Nathan; Hynynen, Kullervo

2009-04-01

Malignancies of the brain remain difficult to treat with chemotherapy because the selective permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) blocks many potent agents from reaching their target. Previous studies have illustrated the feasibility of drug and antibody delivery across the BBB using MRI-guided focused ultrasound. In this study, we investigated the impact of focused ultrasound-enhanced delivery of doxorubicin on survival in rats with aggressive glioma. Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with 9 L gliosarcoma cells in the brain. Eight days after implantation, each rat received one of the following: (1) no treatment (control), (2) a single treatment with microbubble-enhanced MRI-guided focused ultrasound (FUS only), (3) a single treatment with i.v. liposomal doxorubicin (DOX only), or (4) a single treatment with microbubble-enhanced MRI-guided focused ultrasound and concurrent i.v. injections of liposomal doxorubicin (FUS+DOX). The survival time from implantation to death or euthanasia was recorded. We observed a modest but significant increase in median survival time in rats treated with combined MRI-guided focused ultrasound chemotherapy, compared to chemotherapy alone (p<0.001). There was no significant improvement in survival between those who received stand-alone chemotherapy and those who did not receive any treatment (p>0.10). Our study demonstrates for the first time a therapeutic benefit achieved with ultrasound-enhanced drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier. This confirmation of efficacy in an in vivo tumor model indicates that targeted drug delivery using MRI-guided focused ultrasound has the potential to have a major impact on the treatment of patients with brain tumors and other neurological disorders.

SU-G-JeP3-08: Robotic System for Ultrasound Tracking in Radiation Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuhlemann, I; Graduate School for Computing in Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Luebeck; Jauer, P

Purpose: For safe and accurate real-time tracking of tumors for IGRT using 4D ultrasound, it is necessary to make use of novel, high-end force-sensitive lightweight robots designed for human-machine interaction. Such a robot will be integrated into an existing robotized ultrasound system for non-invasive 4D live tracking, using a newly developed real-time control and communication framework. Methods: The new KUKA LWR iiwa robot is used for robotized ultrasound real-time tumor tracking. Besides more precise probe contact pressure detection, this robot provides an additional 7th link, enhancing the dexterity of the kinematic and the mounted transducer. Several integrated, certified safety featuresmore » create a safe environment for the patients during treatment. However, to remotely control the robot for the ultrasound application, a real-time control and communication framework has to be developed. Based on a client/server concept, client-side control commands are received and processed by a central server unit and are implemented by a client module running directly on the robot’s controller. Several special functionalities for robotized ultrasound applications are integrated and the robot can now be used for real-time control of the image quality by adjusting the transducer position, and contact pressure. The framework was evaluated looking at overall real-time capability for communication and processing of three different standard commands. Results: Due to inherent, certified safety modules, the new robot ensures a safe environment for patients during tumor tracking. Furthermore, the developed framework shows overall real-time capability with a maximum average latency of 3.6 ms (Minimum 2.5 ms; 5000 trials). Conclusion: The novel KUKA LBR iiwa robot will advance the current robotized ultrasound tracking system with important features. With the developed framework, it is now possible to remotely control this robot and use it for robotized ultrasound tracking applications, including image quality control and target tracking.« less

The spectroscopy analyses of PpIX by ultrasound irradiation and its sonotoxicity in vitro.

PubMed

Wang, Pan; Wang, Xiaobing; Zhang, Kun; Gao, Kaili; Song, Ming; Liu, Quanhong

2013-07-01

Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) has been used as a sensitizer in photodynamic therapy (PDT) as well as in sonodynamic therapy (SDT). The photo-bleaching of PpIX has been well investigated in many experimental systems and some photo-products have also been identified in PDT. But until now, little information has been reported about the sono-damage of PpIX in SDT. So, the present study was to investigate changes of PpIX properties before and after different ultrasound treatment, and the potential interactions between PpIX, ultrasound and the irradiated cells. In cell-free system, the absorption and fluorescence spectra of PpIX in different solutions were measured by ultraviolet spectrometer and fluorescence spectrophotometer, respectively. The terephthalic acid dosimetry was applied to evaluate the efficiency of ultrasound cavitation by monitoring hydroxyl radical (OH) production on the thermolysis of H2O in the ultrasound field. In in vitro study, confocal microscopy was applied to detect the sub-cellular localization of PpIX in S180 cells before and after ultrasound exposure. Flow cytometry was used to detect the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation during PpIX-SDT. MTT assay was performed to evaluate the cell viability of S180 cells after SDT treatment with or without ROS scavengers. The results show that PpIX displayed different spectral patterns in different solutions. PpIX was decomposed by ultrasound exposure as measured by the decreased absorption and fluorescence peak values in RPMI-1640 medium. In addition, the decomposition of PpIX was found to be simultaneously accompanied by OH production with increasing output power from ultrasound generator. PpIX at 1μg/ml significantly enhanced the ultrasound induced cavitation as measured by OH generation, and which was greatly eliminated by NaN3, histidine, mannitol, EDTA and catalase, but not by SOD. The in vitro study indicates more PpIX entered into S180 cells after ultrasound exposure. And, the extra-cellular PpIX play an important role in the enhanced cell killing of PpIX-SDT. SDT induced obvious ROS generation in S180 cells, which could be mostly inhibited by the general ROS scavenge NAC (N-acetylcysteine). Other scavengers such as NaN3, histidine, mannitol all partially prevented the SDT induced cell viability loss of S180 cells, suggesting OH, (1)O2 might be involved during the process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound image-guided therapy enhances antitumor effect of cisplatin.

PubMed

Sasaki, Noboru; Kudo, Nobuki; Nakamura, Kensuke; Lim, Sue Yee; Murakami, Masahiro; Kumara, W R Bandula; Tamura, Yu; Ohta, Hiroshi; Yamasaki, Masahiro; Takiguchi, Mitsuyoshi

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to clarify whether ultrasound image-guided cisplatin delivery with an intratumor microbubble injection enhances the antitumor effect in a xenograft mouse model. Canine thyroid adenocarcinoma cells were used for all experiments. Before in vivo experiments, the cisplatin and microbubble concentration and ultrasound exposure time were optimized in vitro. For in vivo experiments, cells were implanted into the back of nude mice. Observed by a diagnostic ultrasound machine, a mixture of cisplatin and ultrasound contrast agent, Sonazoid, microbubbles was injected directly into tumors. The amount of injected cisplatin and microbubbles was 1 μg/tumor and 1.2 × 10(7) microbubbles/tumor, respectively, with a total injected volume of 20 μl. Using the same diagnostic machine, tumors were exposed to ultrasound for 15 s. The treatment was repeated four times. The combination of cisplatin, microbubbles, and ultrasound significantly delayed tumor growth as compared with no treatment (after 18 days, 157 ± 55 vs. 398 ± 49 mm(3), P = 0.049). Neither cisplatin alone nor the combination of cisplatin and ultrasound delayed tumor growth. The treatment did not decrease the body weight of mice. Ultrasound image-guided anticancer drug delivery may enhance the antitumor effects of drugs without obvious side effects.

Passive microlesion detection and mapping for treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yiying I.; Miller, Douglas L.; Dou, Chunyan; Kripfgans, Oliver D.

2017-03-01

Intermittent high intensity ultrasound pulses with circulating contrast agent microbubbles can induce scattered microlesions of potential value for myocardial reduction therapy. This paper presents an in vitro setup imitating the treatment for monitoring development. A preclinical imaging system with a single element transducer, synchronization and receive-only imaging transducer array has been implemented on a research platform. Contrast agent microbubbles pumped in a dialysis tubing setup were exposed to high intensity focused ultrasound at 1.0/3.5 MHz center frequencies. Polystyrene spheres were employed as linear scatterers compared to contrast agents for system transfer function equalization. A cavitation mapping technique was employed to spatially locate and depict microbubble activity during treatment. For high acoustic pressure amplitudes a 5 dB difference between contrast agent and solid spheres was observed and spatially mapped. The in-plane resolution was 4.5 mm for axial and 1.5 mm laterally. In the future, this cavitation detection scheme will be applied to monitor in vivo microlesioning in real-time.

Temperature dependence of acoustic harmonics generated by nonlinear ultrasound beam propagation in ex vivo tissue and tissue-mimicking phantoms.

PubMed

Maraghechi, Borna; Kolios, Michael C; Tavakkoli, Jahan

2015-01-01

Hyperthermia is a cancer treatment technique that could be delivered as a stand-alone modality or in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Noninvasive and real-time temperature monitoring of the heated tissue improves the efficacy and safety of the treatment. A temperature-sensitive acoustic parameter is required for ultrasound-based thermometry. In this paper the amplitude and the energy of the acoustic harmonics of the ultrasound backscattered signal are proposed as suitable parameters for noninvasive ultrasound thermometry. A commercial high frequency ultrasound imaging system was used to generate and detect acoustic harmonics in tissue-mimicking gel phantoms and ex vivo bovine muscle tissues. The pressure amplitude and the energy content of the backscattered fundamental frequency (p1 and E1), the second (p2 and E2) and the third (p3 and E3) harmonics were detected in pulse-echo mode. Temperature was increased from 26° to 46 °C uniformly through both samples. The amplitude and the energy content of the harmonics and their ratio were measured and analysed as a function of temperature. The average p1, p2 and p3 increased by 69%, 100% and 283%, respectively as the temperature was elevated from 26° to 46 °C in tissue samples. In the same experiment the average E1, E2 and E3 increased by 163%, 281% and 2257%, respectively. A similar trend was observed in tissue-mimicking gel phantoms. The findings suggest that the harmonics generated due to nonlinear ultrasound beam propagation are highly sensitive to temperature and could potentially be used for noninvasive ultrasound tissue thermometry.

Hyperemia in plantar fasciitis determined by power Doppler ultrasound.

PubMed

McMillan, Andrew M; Landorf, Karl B; Gregg, Julie M; De Luca, Jason; Cotchett, Matthew P; Menz, Hylton B

2013-12-01

Cross-sectional observational study. To investigate the presence of soft tissue hyperemia in plantar fasciitis with power Doppler ultrasound. Localized hyperemia is an established feature of tendinopathy, suggesting that neurovascular in-growth may contribute to tendon-associated pain in some patients. The presence of abnormal soft tissue vascularity can be assessed with Doppler ultrasound, and a positive finding can assist with targeted treatment plans. However, very little is known regarding the presence of hyperemia in plantar fasciitis and the ability of routine Doppler ultrasound to identify vascular in-growth in the plantar fascia near its proximal insertion. This observational study included 30 participants with plantar fasciitis unrelated to systemic disease and 30 age- and sex-matched controls. Ultrasound examination was performed with a 13- to 5-MHz linear transducer, and power Doppler images were assessed by 2 blinded investigators. Hyperemia of the plantar fascia was present in 8 of 30 participants with plantar fasciitis and in 2 of 30 controls. The between-group difference for hyperemia, using a 4-point scale, was statistically significant, with participants with plantar fasciitis showing increased Doppler ultrasound signal compared to controls (Mann-Whitney U, P = .03). However, the majority of participants with plantar fasciitis with evidence of hyperemia demonstrated very mild color changes, and only 3 were found to have moderate or marked hyperemia. Mild hyperemia can occur with plantar fasciitis, but most individuals will not exhibit greater soft tissue vascularity when assessed with routine Doppler ultrasound. Clinicians treating plantar fasciitis should not consider a positive Doppler signal as essential for diagnosis of the condition but, rather, as a feature that may help to refine the treatment plan for an individual patient.

Maintaining functional properties of shell eggs by ultrasound treatment.

PubMed

Caner, Cengiz; Yuceer, Muhammed

2015-11-01

Ultrasonic treatment is an emerging technique that could be an alternative to existing thermal processing techniques in foods. Ultrasonic treatments may also be used to extend the shelf life of egg during storage period in ambient temperature. The effectiveness of ultrasound treatment with different power levels (200 W, 300 W, 450 W) and treatment times (2 min and 5 min) was evaluated for enhancing the functional properties of eggs during storage at 24 ° C for 6 weeks. Ultrasound treatment power and treatment time had significant effects on Haugh unit, yolk index, albumen pH, dry matter, relative whipping capacity, and albumen viscosity resulting in extended shelf life. Attributes such as yolk index, Haugh unit, pH, whipping capacity, dry matter for 300 W and 450 W treatments were better than control and 200 W treatments. Longer treatment time and power showed a significant influence on functional properties. Power levels of 300 W and 450 W of ultrasound treatments had improved internal quality of fresh eggs during storage, but negative effect on shell strength. The study showed that ultrasound treatment could be an alternative and effective technique for maintaining the internal qualities of fresh eggs during long-term storage while Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy could be used as a new tool for the assessment of freshness. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Facilitation of Drug Transport across the Blood-Brain Barrier with Ultrasound and Microbubbles.

PubMed

Meairs, Stephen

2015-08-31

Medical treatment options for central nervous system (CNS) diseases are limited due to the inability of most therapeutic agents to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Although a variety of approaches have been investigated to open the BBB for facilitation of drug delivery, none has achieved clinical applicability. Mounting evidence suggests that ultrasound in combination with microbubbles might be useful for delivery of drugs to the brain through transient opening of the BBB. This technique offers a unique non-invasive avenue to deliver a wide range of drugs to the brain and promises to provide treatments for CNS disorders with the advantage of being able to target specific brain regions without unnecessary drug exposure. If this method could be applied for a range of different drugs, new CNS therapeutic strategies could emerge at an accelerated pace that is not currently possible in the field of drug discovery and development. This article reviews both the merits and potential risks of this new approach. It assesses methods used to verify disruption of the BBB with MRI and examines the results of studies aimed at elucidating the mechanisms of opening the BBB with ultrasound and microbubbles. Possible interactions of this novel delivery method with brain disease, as well as safety aspects of BBB disruption with ultrasound and microbubbles are addressed. Initial translational research for treatment of brain tumors and Alzheimer's disease is presented.

21 CFR 878.4590 - Focused ultrasound stimulator system for aesthetic use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Focused ultrasound stimulator system for aesthetic....4590 Focused ultrasound stimulator system for aesthetic use. (a) Identification. A Focused Ultrasound Stimulator System for Aesthetic Use is a device using focused ultrasound to produce localized, mechanical...

21 CFR 878.4590 - Focused ultrasound stimulator system for aesthetic use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Focused ultrasound stimulator system for aesthetic....4590 Focused ultrasound stimulator system for aesthetic use. (a) Identification. A Focused Ultrasound Stimulator System for Aesthetic Use is a device using focused ultrasound to produce localized, mechanical...

21 CFR 878.4590 - Focused ultrasound stimulator system for aesthetic use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Focused ultrasound stimulator system for aesthetic....4590 Focused ultrasound stimulator system for aesthetic use. (a) Identification. A Focused Ultrasound Stimulator System for Aesthetic Use is a device using focused ultrasound to produce localized, mechanical...

Microalgae as feedstock for biodiesel production under ultrasound treatment - A review.

PubMed

Sivaramakrishnan, Ramachandran; Incharoensakdi, Aran

2018-02-01

The application of ultrasound in biodiesel production has recently emerged as a novel technology. Ultrasound treatment enhances the mass transfer characteristics leading to the increased reaction rate with short reaction time and potentially reduces the production cost. In this review, application of ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production using acid, base and enzyme catalysts is presented. A critical assessment of the current status of ultrasound in biodiesel production was discussed with the emphasis on using ultrasound for efficient microalgae biodiesel production. The ultrasound in the biodiesel production enhances the emulsification of immiscible liquid reactant by microturbulence generated by cavitation bubbles. The major benefit of the ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production is a reduction in reaction time. Several different methods have been discussed to improve the biodiesel production. Overall, this review focuses on the current understanding of the application of ultrasound in biodiesel production from microalgae and to provide insights into future developments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Renal hemodynamic in hydronephrosis concurrent with hepatobiliary system disorders, its dynamics in the course of treatment].

PubMed

Mambetov, Zh S; Salimov, B G

2016-02-01

This article examines measurements of renal vascular ultrasound in 85 patients with hydronephrosis concurrent with disorders of the gallbladder and biliary tract, depending on severity and dynamics during treatment. The estimation of blood flow changes depending on applied renoprotective and hepatoprotective therapy is provided.

Diagnostic ultrasound at MACH 20: retroperitoneal and pelvic imaging in space.

PubMed

Jones, J A; Sargsyan, A E; Barr, Y R; Melton, S; Hamilton, D R; Dulchavsky, S A; Whitson, P A

2009-07-01

An operationally available diagnostic imaging capability augments spaceflight medical support by facilitating the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of medical or surgical conditions, by improving medical outcomes and, thereby, by lowering medical mission impacts and the probability of crew evacuation due to medical causes. Microgravity-related physiological changes occurring during spaceflight can affect the genitourinary system and potentially cause conditions such as urinary retention or nephrolithiasis for which ultrasonography (U/S) would be a useful diagnostic tool. This study describes the first genitourinary ultrasound examination conducted in space, and evaluates image quality, frame rate, resolution requirements, real-time remote guidance of nonphysician crew medical officers and evaluation of on-orbit tools that can augment image acquisition. A nonphysician crew medical officer (CMO) astronaut, with minimal training in U/S, performed a self-examination of the genitourinary system onboard the International Space Station, using a Philips/ATL Model HDI-5000 ultrasound imaging unit located in the International Space Station Human Research Facility. The CMO was remotely guided by voice commands from experienced, earth-based sonographers stationed in Mission Control Center in Houston. The crewmember, with guidance, was able to acquire all of the target images. Real-time and still U/S images received at Mission Control Center in Houston were of sufficient quality for the images to be diagnostic for multiple potential genitourinary applications. Microgravity-based ultrasound imaging can provide diagnostic quality images of the retroperitoneum and pelvis, offering improved diagnosis and treatment for onboard medical contingencies. Successful completion of complex sonographic examinations can be obtained even with minimally trained nonphysician ultrasound operators, with the assistance of ground-based real-time guidance.

Classification and management of gynecomastia: defining the role of ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

PubMed

Rohrich, Rod J; Ha, Richard Y; Kenkel, Jeffrey M; Adams, William P

2003-02-01

Gynecomastia, or excessive male breast development, has an incidence of 32 to 65 percent in the male population. This condition has important physical and psychological impacts. Advances in elucidating the pathophysiology of gynecomastia have been made, though understanding remains limited. Recommendations for evaluation and workup have varied and are often arbitrary. A diagnostic algorithm is suggested, with emphasis on a comprehensive history, physical examination, and minimizing unnecessary diagnostic testing. Medical management has had limited success; surgical therapy, primarily through excisional techniques, has been the accepted standard. Although effective, excisional techniques subject patients to large, visible scars. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction has recently emerged as a safe and effective method for the treatment of gynecomastia. It is particularly efficient in the removal of the dense, fibrous male breast tissue while offering advantages in minimal external scarring. A new system of classification and graduated treatment is proposed, based on glandular versus fibrous hypertrophy and degree of breast ptosis (skin excess). The authors' series of 61 patients with gynecomastia from 1987 to 2000 at the University of Texas Southwestern Department of Plastic Surgery demonstrated an overall success rate of 86.9 percent using suction-assisted lipectomy (1987 to 1997) and ultrasound-assisted liposuction (1997 to 2000). The authors have found ultrasound-assisted liposuction to be effective in treating most grades of gynecomastia. Excisional techniques are reserved for severe gynecomastia with significant skin excess after attempted ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

Computer-Aided Characterization and Diagnosis of Diffuse Liver Diseases Based on Ultrasound Imaging: A Review.

PubMed

Bharti, Puja; Mittal, Deepti; Ananthasivan, Rupa

2016-04-19

Diffuse liver diseases, such as hepatitis, fatty liver, and cirrhosis, are becoming a leading cause of fatality and disability all over the world. Early detection and diagnosis of these diseases is extremely important to save lives and improve effectiveness of treatment. Ultrasound imaging, a noninvasive diagnostic technique, is the most commonly used modality for examining liver abnormalities. However, the accuracy of ultrasound-based diagnosis depends highly on expertise of radiologists. Computer-aided diagnosis systems based on ultrasound imaging assist in fast diagnosis, provide a reliable "second opinion" for experts, and act as an effective tool to measure response of treatment on patients undergoing clinical trials. In this review, we first describe appearance of liver abnormalities in ultrasound images and state the practical issues encountered in characterization of diffuse liver diseases that can be addressed by software algorithms. We then discuss computer-aided diagnosis in general with features and classifiers relevant to diffuse liver diseases. In later sections of this paper, we review the published studies and describe the key findings of those studies. A concise tabular summary comparing image database, features extraction, feature selection, and classification algorithms presented in the published studies is also exhibited. Finally, we conclude with a summary of key findings and directions for further improvements in the areas of accuracy and objectiveness of computer-aided diagnosis. © The Author(s) 2016.

Evaluation of a biological wastewater treatment system combining an OSA process with ultrasound for sludge reduction.

PubMed

Romero-Pareja, P M; Aragon, C A; Quiroga, J M; Coello, M D

2017-05-01

Sludge production is an undesirable by-product of biological wastewater treatment. The oxic-settling-anaerobic (OSA) process constitutes one of the most promising techniques for reducing the sludge produced at the treatment plant without negative consequences for its overall performance. In the present study, the OSA process is applied in combination with ultrasound treatment, a lysis technique, in a lab-scale wastewater treatment plant to assess whether sludge reduction is enhanced as a result of mechanical treatment. Reported sludge reductions of 45.72% and 78.56% were obtained for the two regimes of combined treatment tested in this study during two respective stages: UO1 and UO2. During the UO1 stage, the general performance and nutrient removal improved, obtaining 47.28% TN removal versus 21.95% in the conventional stage. However, the performance of the system was seriously damaged during the UO2 stage. Increases in dehydrogenase and protease activities were observed during both stages. The advantages of the combined process are not necessarily economic, but operational, as US treatment acts as contributing factor in the OSA process, inducing mechanisms that lead to sludge reduction in the OSA process and improving performance parameters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low-frequency quantitative ultrasound imaging of cell death in vivo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sadeghi-Naini, Ali; Falou, Omar; Czarnota, Gregory J.

Purpose: Currently, no clinical imaging modality is used routinely to assess tumor response to cancer therapies within hours to days of the delivery of treatment. Here, the authors demonstrate the efficacy of ultrasound at a clinically relevant frequency to quantitatively detect changes in tumors in response to cancer therapies using preclinical mouse models.Methods: Conventional low-frequency and corresponding high-frequency ultrasound (ranging from 4 to 28 MHz) were used along with quantitative spectroscopic and signal envelope statistical analyses on data obtained from xenograft tumors treated with chemotherapy, x-ray radiation, as well as a novel vascular targeting microbubble therapy.Results: Ultrasound-based spectroscopic biomarkers indicatedmore » significant changes in cell-death associated parameters in responsive tumors. Specifically changes in the midband fit, spectral slope, and 0-MHz intercept biomarkers were investigated for different types of treatment and demonstrated cell-death related changes. The midband fit and 0-MHz intercept biomarker derived from low-frequency data demonstrated increases ranging approximately from 0 to 6 dBr and 0 to 8 dBr, respectively, depending on treatments administrated. These data paralleled results observed for high-frequency ultrasound data. Statistical analysis of ultrasound signal envelope was performed as an alternative method to obtain histogram-based biomarkers and provided confirmatory results. Histological analysis of tumor specimens indicated up to 61% cell death present in the tumors depending on treatments administered, consistent with quantitative ultrasound findings indicating cell death. Ultrasound-based spectroscopic biomarkers demonstrated a good correlation with histological morphological findings indicative of cell death (r{sup 2}= 0.71, 0.82; p < 0.001).Conclusions: In summary, the results provide preclinical evidence, for the first time, that quantitative ultrasound used at a clinically relevant frequency, in addition to high-frequency ultrasound, can detect tissue changes associated with cell death in vivo in response to cancer treatments.« less

High-intensity focused ultrasound combined with hysteroscopic resection to treat retained placenta accreta.

PubMed

Lee, Jae-Seong; Hong, Gi-Youn; Park, Byung-Joon; Hwang, Hyejin; Kim, Rayon; Kim, Tae-Eung

2016-09-01

We present a case of retained placenta accreta treated by high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation followed by hysteroscopic resection. The patient was diagnosed as submucosal myoma based on ultrasonography in local clinic. Pathologic examination of several pieces of tumor mass from the hysteroscopic procedure revealed necrotic chorionic villi with calcification. HIFU was performed using an ultrasound-guided HIFU tumor therapeutic system. The ultrasound machine had been used for real-time monitoring of the HIFU procedure. After HIFU treatment, no additional vaginal bleeding or complications were observed. A hysteroscopic resection was performed to remove ablated placental tissue 7 days later. No abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge was seen after the procedure. The patient was stable postoperatively. We proposed HIFU and applied additional hysteroscopic resection for a safe and effective method for treating retained placenta accreta to prevent complications from the remaining placental tissue and to improve fertility options.

Ultrasound-responsive nanobubbles contained with peptide-camptothecin conjugates for targeted drug delivery.

PubMed

Xie, Xiangyang; Lin, Wen; Liu, Hui; Deng, Jianping; Chen, Ying; Liu, Hong; Fu, Xudong; Yang, Yang

2016-10-01

To improve the targeting delivery efficiency of anticancer drug to tumor sites, a new strategy combining cell-permeable peptide (CPP) and ultrasound was reported in this article. In this study, we devised and tested a strategy for functional payload delivery to cells by loading CPP-camptothecin conjugate (CPP-CPT) into nanobubble (CPP-CPT NB). Here, CPP existing in the conjugation form of CPP and CPT was hidden in nanobubble to cloak the penetration activity of CPP. Meanwhile, local tumor ultrasound was utilized to achieve specific targeting of CPP-CPT to the tumor cells. The mean particle size of the prepared CPP-CPT NB was ∼200 nm, and the drug entrapment efficiency was >80%. Stimulated by ultrasound, over 90% of the entrapped CPP-CPTs would release from the nanobubbles. Subsequent research demonstrated that the CPP-CPT NB showed effective cellular uptake and significant cytotoxic activity in HeLa cells in vitro. Additionally, after systemic administration in mice, CPP-CPT NB with ultrasound showed a higher tumor inhibition effect in nude mice xenografted HeLa cells tumors and excellent body safety when compared with normal CPT injection group. In conclusion, the carrier constructed in this study would be a safe and efficiently drug delivery system for specific cancer treatment.

Degradation of lignin in birch sawdust treated by a novel Myrothecium verrucaria coupled with ultrasound assistance.

PubMed

Wang, Qing-Fang; Niu, Li-Li; Jiao, Jiao; Guo, Na; Zang, Yu-Ping; Gai, Qing-Yan; Fu, Yu-Jie

2017-11-01

Combined treatment of a novel fungal endophyte Myrothecium verrucaria coupled with ultrasound assistance was conducted to enhance lignin degradation in birch sawdust. The optimum treatment conditions were confirmed as the materials to liquid ratio 1:20, temperature 30°C, time 4days and pH 7, respectively. The results showed that the combined treatment led to the lignin degradation reaching 67.95±2.14%, while the lignin degradation were 45.50±2.12% and 13.75±0.66% with separate fungal treatment and ultrasound treatment, respectively. Moreover, SEM and FTIR analysis indicated that combined treatment significantly altered surface morphology and chemical structure of birch sawdust. The combined treatment greatly increased lignin removal during short time in mild environment. Therefore, these results demonstrated that the combined treatment of fungal endophyte coupled with ultrasound assistance has the high potential for the removal lignin in lignocellulose. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and hypersplenism: preliminary study.

PubMed

Zhu, Jing; Zhu, Hui; Mei, Zhechuan; Jin, Chengbing; Ran, Lifeng; Zhou, Kun; Yang, Wei; Zhang, Lian; She, Chaokun

2013-10-01

The purpose of this work was to preliminarily investigate the efficacy and safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and hypersplenism. Nine patients with hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by hypersplenism (5 male and 4 female; median age, 56 years; range, 51-66 years) were treated with ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound. Complications were recorded. Laboratory examination and magnetic resonance imaging were used to evaluate the efficacy. After high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment, mean spleen ablation ± SD of 28.76% ± 6.1% was discovered; meanwhile, the white blood cell count, platelet count, and liver function of the patients were substantially improved during the follow-up period. In addition, symptoms such as epistaxis and gingival bleeding were ameliorated or even eliminated, and the quality of life was improved. Follow-up imaging showed a nonperfused volume in the spleen and an absence of a tumor blood supply at the treated lesions in the liver. For the first time to our knowledge, high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation was used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by hypersplenism. High-intensity focused ultrasound may be an effective and safe alternative for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by hypersplenism, but further studies are necessary to clarify the mechanisms.

Ultrasound-guided greater occipital nerve blocks and pulsed radiofrequency ablation for diagnosis and treatment of occipital neuralgia.

PubMed

Vanderhoek, Matthew David; Hoang, Hieu T; Goff, Brandon

2013-09-01

Occipital neuralgia is a condition manifested by chronic occipital headaches and is thought to be caused by irritation or trauma to the greater occipital nerve (GON). Treatment for occipital neuralgia includes medications, nerve blocks, and pulsed radiofrequency ablation (PRFA). Landmark-guided GON blocks are the mainstay in both the diagnosis and treatment of occipital neuralgia. Ultrasound is being utilized more and more in the chronic pain clinic to guide needle advancement when performing procedures; however, there are no reports of ultrasound used to guide a diagnostic block or PRFA of the GON. We report two cases in which ultrasound was used to guide diagnostic greater occipital nerve blocks and greater occipital nerve pulsed radiofrequency ablation for treatment of occipital neuralgia. Two patients with occipital headaches are presented. In Case 1, ultrasound was used to guide diagnostic blocks of the greater occipital nerves. In Case 2, ultrasound was utilized to guide placement of radiofrequency probes for pulsed radiofrequency ablation of the greater occipital nerves. Both patients reported immediate, significant pain relief, with continued pain relief for several months. Further study is needed to examine any difference in outcomes or morbidity between the traditional landmark method versus ultrasound-guided blocks and pulsed radiofrequency ablation of the greater occipital nerves.

Ultrasound-Guided Greater Occipital Nerve Blocks and Pulsed Radiofrequency Ablation for Diagnosis and Treatment of Occipital Neuralgia

PubMed Central

VanderHoek, Matthew David; Hoang, Hieu T; Goff, Brandon

2013-01-01

Occipital neuralgia is a condition manifested by chronic occipital headaches and is thought to be caused by irritation or trauma to the greater occipital nerve (GON). Treatment for occipital neuralgia includes medications, nerve blocks, and pulsed radiofrequency ablation (PRFA). Landmark-guided GON blocks are the mainstay in both the diagnosis and treatment of occipital neuralgia. Ultrasound is being utilized more and more in the chronic pain clinic to guide needle advancement when performing procedures; however, there are no reports of ultrasound used to guide a diagnostic block or PRFA of the GON. We report two cases in which ultrasound was used to guide diagnostic greater occipital nerve blocks and greater occipital nerve pulsed radiofrequency ablation for treatment of occipital neuralgia. Two patients with occipital headaches are presented. In Case 1, ultrasound was used to guide diagnostic blocks of the greater occipital nerves. In Case 2, ultrasound was utilized to guide placement of radiofrequency probes for pulsed radiofrequency ablation of the greater occipital nerves. Both patients reported immediate, significant pain relief, with continued pain relief for several months. Further study is needed to examine any difference in outcomes or morbidity between the traditional landmark method versus ultrasound-guided blocks and pulsed radiofrequency ablation of the greater occipital nerves. PMID:24282778

Remotely supported prehospital ultrasound: A feasibility study of real-time image transmission and expert guidance to aid diagnosis in remote and rural communities.

PubMed

Eadie, Leila; Mulhern, John; Regan, Luke; Mort, Alasdair; Shannon, Helen; Macaden, Ashish; Wilson, Philip

2017-01-01

Introduction Our aim is to expedite prehospital assessment of remote and rural patients using remotely-supported ultrasound and satellite/cellular communications. In this paradigm, paramedics are remotely-supported ultrasound operators, guided by hospital-based specialists, to record images before receiving diagnostic advice. Technology can support users in areas with little access to medical imaging and suboptimal communications coverage by connecting to multiple cellular networks and/or satellites to stream live ultrasound and audio-video. Methods An ambulance-based demonstrator system captured standard trauma and novel transcranial ultrasound scans from 10 healthy volunteers at 16 locations across the Scottish Highlands. Volunteers underwent brief scanning training before receiving expert guidance via the communications link. Ultrasound images were streamed with an audio/video feed to reviewers for interpretation. Two sessions were transmitted via satellite and 21 used cellular networks. Reviewers rated image and communication quality, and their utility for diagnosis. Transmission latency and bandwidth were recorded, and effects of scanner and reviewer experience were assessed. Results Appropriate views were provided in 94% of the simulated trauma scans. The mean upload rate was 835/150 kbps and mean latency was 114/2072 ms for cellular and satellite networks, respectively. Scanning experience had a significant impact on time to achieve a diagnostic image, and review of offline scans required significantly less time than live-streamed scans. Discussion This prehospital ultrasound system could facilitate early diagnosis and streamlining of treatment pathways for remote emergency patients, being particularly applicable in rural areas worldwide with poor communications infrastructure and extensive transport times.

Simulation study of the effects of near- and far-field heating during focused ultrasound uterine fibroid ablation using an electronically focused phased array: A theoretical analysis of patient safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ellens, Nicholas, E-mail: nicholas.ellens@utoronto.ca; Hynynen, Kullervo

2014-07-15

Purpose: Assess the feasibility of using large-aperture, flat ultrasonic transducer arrays with 6500 small elements operating at 500 kHz without the use of any mechanical components for the thermal coagulation of uterine fibroids. This study examines the benefits and detriments of using a frequency that is significantly lower than that used in clinical systems (1–1.5 MHz). Methods: Ultrasound simulations were performed using the anatomies of five fibroid patients derived from 3D MRI. Using electronic steering solely, the ultrasound focus from a flat, 6500-element phased array was translated around the volume of the fibroids in various patterns to assess the feasibilitymore » of completing full treatments from fixed physical locations. Successive temperature maps were generated by numerically solving the bioheat equation. Using a thermal dose model, the bioeffects of these simulations were quantified and analyzed. Results: The simulations indicate that such an array could be used to perform fibroid treatments to 18 EM{sub 43} at an average rate of 90 ± 20 cm{sup 3}/h without physically moving the transducer array. On average, the maximum near-field thermal dose for each patient was below 4 EM{sub 43}. Fibroid tissue could be treated as close as 40 mm to the spine without reaching temperatures expected to cause pain or damage. Conclusions: Fibroids were successfully targeted and treated from a single transducer position to acceptable extents and without causing damage in the near- or far-field. Compared to clinical systems, treatment rates were good. The proposed treatment paradigm is a promising alternative to existing systems and warrants further investigation.« less

Assessment of the SonixGPS system for its application in real-time ultrasonography navigation-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy for the treatment of complex kidney stones.

PubMed

Li, Xiang; Long, Qingzhi; Chen, Xingfa; He, Dalin; He, Hui

2017-04-01

SonixGPS is a novel real-time ultrasonography navigation technology, which has been demonstrated to promote accuracy of puncture in surgical operations. The aim of this study is to evaluate its application in guiding the puncture during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). We retrospectively reviewed our experience in treating a total of 74 patients with complex kidney stones with PCNL, in which puncture in 37 cases were guided by SonixGPS system, while the other 37 by conventional ultrasound. The effectiveness of operation was evaluated in terms of stone clearance rate, operation time, time to successful puncture, number of attempts for successful puncture and hospital stay. The safety of operation was examined by evaluating postoperative complications. Our retrospective review showed that although there were no significant differences in stone clearance rates between the groups, SonixGPS guidance resulted in more puncture accuracy with shorter puncture time and higher successful puncture rate. Under the help of SonixGPS, most patients (92 %) had no or just mild complications, compared to that (73 %) in conventional ultrasound group. Post-operative decrease of hemoglobin in SonixGPS group was 13.79 (7-33) mg/dl, significantly lower than that 20.97 (8-41) mg/dl in conventional ultrasound group. Our experience demonstrates that SonixGPS is superior to conventional ultrasound in guiding the puncture in PCNL for the treatment of complex kidney stone.

Hemocoagulase Combined with Microbubble-Enhanced Ultrasound Cavitation for Augmented Ablation of Microvasculature in Rabbit VX2 Liver Tumors.

PubMed

Yang, Qian; Tang, Peng; He, Guangbin; Ge, Shuping; Liu, Liwen; Zhou, Xiaodong

2017-08-01

We investigated a new method for combining microbubble-enhanced ultrasound cavitation (MEUC) with hemocoagulase (HC) atrox. Our goal was to induce embolic effects in the vasculature and combine these with an anti-angiogenic treatment strategy. Fourteen days after being implanted with a single slice of the liver VX2 tumor, rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: (i) a control group injected intra-venously with saline using a micropump; (ii) a group given only an injection of HC; (iii) a group treated only with ultrasound cavitation; (iv) a group treated with MEUC; (v) a group treated with MEUC + HC. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was performed before treatment and 1 h and 7 d post-treatment to measure tumor size, enhancement and necrosis range. QontraXt software was used to determine the time-intensity curve of tumor blood perfusion and microvascular changes. At 1 h and 7 d after treatment with MEUC + HC, the parameters of the time-intensity curve, which included peak value, regional blood volume, regional blood flow and area under the curve value and which were measured using contrast-enhanced ultrasound, were significantly lower than those of the other treatment groups. The MEUC + HC treatment group exhibited significant growth inhibition relative to the ultrasound cavitation only, HC and MEUC treatment groups. No damage was observed in the surrounding normal tissues. These results support the feasibility of reducing the blood perfusion of rabbit VX2 liver tumors using a new method that combines MEUC and HC. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. All rights reserved.

The use of 5-fluorouracil-loaded nanobubbles combined with low-frequency ultrasound to treat hepatocellular carcinoma in nude mice.

PubMed

Li, Qiaoya; Li, Hongyang; He, Chengjun; Jing, Zhouhong; Liu, Changan; Xie, Juan; Ma, Wenwen; Deng, Huisheng

2017-11-21

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-loaded nanobubbles irradiated with low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasound in nude mice with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A transplanted tumor model of HCC in nude mice was established in 40 mice, which were then randomly divided equally into four groups: group A (saline), group B (5-FU-loaded nanobubbles), group C (5-FU-loaded nanobubbles with non-low-frequency ultrasound), and group D (5-FU-loaded nanobubbles with low-frequency ultrasound). The tumor size in each mouse was observed via ultrasound before and after the treatments. Inhibition of the tumor growth in each group was compared, and survival curves were generated. Tumor tissues were removed to determine the apoptotic index using the TUNEL method and quantitative analysis. Tumor tissues with CD34-positive microvessels were observed by immunohistochemistry, and the tumor microvessel densities were calculated. The growth rate of the tumor volumes in group D was significantly slower than that in the other groups, while the tumor inhibition rates and apoptotic index in group D were significantly higher than those of the other groups. The number of microvessels staining positive for CD34 was decreased in group D. Therefore, group D presented the most significant inhibitory effects. Therefore, 5-FU-loaded nanobubbles subjected to irradiation with low-frequency ultrasound could further improve drug targeting and effectively inhibit the growth of transplanted tumors, which is expected to become an ideal drug carrier and targeted drug delivery system for the treatment of HCC in the future.

Consideration on suppression of cancer cell proliferation by ultrasound exposure using sonochemical and biological measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, A.; Nishimura, H.; Kawashima, N.; Takeuchi, S.

2004-01-01

The suppression methods of cancer cells proliferation using ultrasound exposure are investigated to develop a new minimally invasive cancer treatment method. A stainless steel vibrating plate with a Langevin type transducer is attached to the bottom of a water tank of the ultrasound exposure system used in this study. Ultrasound was irradiated to cancer cells of mouse T lymphoma (EL-4) in a flask. A decreasing tendency of the number of viable cancer cells exposed to ultrasound of 150 kHz and acoustic intensity ISPTP of 750 mW/cm2 was confirmed in the culturing process. Then, the suppression mechanism of cancer cell proliferation by ultrasound exposure was considered through confirmation of apoptosis and necrosis with the exposed cancer cells by electrophoresis and enzyme activity measurements. It was found that the apoptosis was induced on the cancer cells after ultrasound exposure. We confirmed the generation of hydroxyl radical in water in the water tank by ESR device. When the hydroxyl radicals were scavenged by adding ethanol to the culture medium for cancer cells, the apoptosis was not induced and proliferation was not suppressed. Therefore, we found that generation of activated oxygen in the culturing medium by ultrasound exposure was caused to apoptosis induction and suppression of cancer cell proliferation. We will present the results of above consideration in this conference.

Advances in ultrasound-targeted microbubble-mediated gene therapy for liver fibrosis.

PubMed

Huang, Cuiyuan; Zhang, Hong; Bai, Ruidan

2017-07-01

Hepatic fibrosis develops as a wound-healing scar in response to acute and chronic liver inflammation and can lead to cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C. The condition arises due to increased synthesis and reduced degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and is a common pathological sequela of chronic liver disease. Excessive deposition of ECM in the liver causes liver dysfunction, ascites, and eventually upper gastrointestinal bleeding as well as a series of complications. However, fibrosis can be reversed before developing into cirrhosis and has thus been the subject of extensive researches particularly at the gene level. Currently, therapeutic genes are imported into the damaged liver to delay or prevent the development of liver fibrosis by regulating the expression of exogenous genes. One technique of gene delivery uses ultrasound targeting of microbubbles combined with therapeutic genes where the time and intensity of the ultrasound can control the release process. Ultrasound irradiation of microbubbles in the vicinity of cells changes the permeability of the cell membrane by its cavitation effect and enhances gene transfection. In this paper, recent progress in the field is reviewed with emphasis on the following aspects: the types of ultrasound microbubbles, the construction of an ultrasound-mediated gene delivery system, the mechanism of ultrasound microbubble-mediated gene transfer and the application of ultrasound microbubbles in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

The effect of ultrasound on particle size, color, viscosity and polyphenol oxidase activity of diluted avocado puree.

PubMed

Bi, Xiufang; Hemar, Yacine; Balaban, Murat O; Liao, Xiaojun

2015-11-01

The effect of ultrasound treatment on particle size, color, viscosity, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and microstructure in diluted avocado puree was investigated. The treatments were carried out at 20 kHz (375 W/cm(2)) for 0-10 min. The surface mean diameter (D[3,2]) was reduced to 13.44 μm from an original value of 52.31 μm by ultrasound after 1 min. A higher L(∗) value, ΔE value and lower a(∗) value was observed in ultrasound treated samples. The avocado puree dilution followed pseudoplastic flow behavior, and the viscosity of diluted avocado puree (at 100 s(-1)) after ultrasound treatment for 1 min was 6.0 and 74.4 times higher than the control samples for dilution levels of 1:2 and 1:9, respectively. PPO activity greatly increased under all treatment conditions. A maximum increase of 25.1%, 36.9% and 187.8% in PPO activity was found in samples with dilution ratios of 1:2, 1:5 and 1:9, respectively. The increase in viscosity and measured PPO activity might be related to the decrease in particle size. The microscopy images further confirmed that ultrasound treatment induced disruption of avocado puree structure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-mediated microbubble enhancement of radiation therapy studied using three-dimensional high-frequency power Doppler ultrasound.

PubMed

Kwok, Sheldon J J; El Kaffas, Ahmed; Lai, Priscilla; Al Mahrouki, Azza; Lee, Justin; Iradji, Sara; Tran, William Tyler; Giles, Anoja; Czarnota, Gregory J

2013-11-01

Tumor responses to high-dose (>8 Gy) radiation therapy are tightly connected to endothelial cell death. In the study described here, we investigated whether ultrasound-activated microbubbles can locally enhance tumor response to radiation treatments of 2 and 8 Gy by mechanically perturbing the endothelial lining of tumors. We evaluated vascular changes resulting from combined microbubble and radiation treatments using high-frequency 3-D power Doppler ultrasound in a breast cancer xenograft model. We compared treatment effects and monitored vasculature damage 3 hours, 24 hours and 7 days after treatment delivery. Mice treated with 2 Gy radiation and ultrasound-activated microbubbles exhibited a decrease in vascular index to 48 ± 10% at 24 hours, whereas vascular indices of mice treated with 2 Gy radiation alone or microbubbles alone were relatively unchanged at 95 ± 14% and 78 ± 14%, respectively. These results suggest that ultrasound-activated microbubbles enhance the effects of 2 Gy radiation through a synergistic mechanism, resulting in alterations of tumor blood flow. This novel therapy may potentiate lower radiation doses to preferentially target endothelial cells, thus reducing effects on neighboring normal tissue and increasing the efficacy of cancer treatments. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The feasibility of the auto tuning respiratory compensation system with ultrasonic image tracking technique.

PubMed

Chuang, Ho-Chiao; Hsu, Hsiao-Yu; Nieh, Shu-Kan; Tien, Der-Chi

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of using the analytical technique of ultrasound images in combination with an auto tumor localization system. During respiration, the activity of breathing in and out causes organs displacement at the lower lobe of the lung, and the maximum displacement range happens in the Superior-Inferior (SI) direction. Therefore, in this study all the tumor positioning is in SI direction under respiratory compensation, in which the compensations are carried out to the organs at the lower lobe and adjacent to the lower lobe of lung.In this research, due to the processes of ultrasound imaging generation, image analysis and signal transmission, when the captured respiratory signals are sent to auto tumor localization system, there was a signal time delay. The total delay time of the entire signal transmission process was 0.254 ± 0.023 seconds (with the lowest standard deviation) after implementing a series of analyses. To compensate for this signal delay time (0.254 ± 0.023 sec), a phase lead compensator (PLC) was designed and built into the auto tumor localization system. By analyzing the impact of the delay time and the respiratory waveforms under different frequencies on the phase lead compensator, an overall system delay time can be configured. Results showed as the respiratory frequency increased, variable value ``a'' and the subsequent gain ``k'' in the controller becomes larger. Moreover, value ``a'' and ``k'' increased as the system delay time increased when the respiratory frequency was fixed. The relationship of value ``a'' and ``k'' to the respiratory frequency can be obtained by using the curve fitting method to compensate for the respiratory motion for tumor localization. Through the comparison of the uncompensated signal and the compensated signal performed by the auto tumor localization system on the simulated respiratory signal, the feasibility of using ultrasound image analysis technology combined with the developed auto tumor localization system can be evaluated. The results show that the simulated respiratory signals under different frequencies of 0.5, 0.333, 0.25, 0.2 and 0.167 Hz with phase lead compensators were improved and stabilized. The compensation rate increased to the range of 7.04$∼ $18.82%, and the final compensation rate is about 97%. Therefore the auto tumor localization system combined with the ultrasound image analysis techniques is feasible.In this study, the developed ultrasound image analysis techniques combined into the auto tumor localization system has the following four advantages: (1) It is a non-invasive way (ultrasonic images) to monitor the entire compensating process of the active respiration instead of using a C-arm (invasive) to observe the organs motion. (2) During radiation therapy, the whole treatment process can be continuous, which can save the overall treatment time. (3) It is an independent system, which can be mounted onto any treatment couch. (4) Users can operate this system easily without the need of prior complicated training process.

Effect of ultrasound pre-treatment of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed on supercritical CO2 extraction of oil.

PubMed

Da Porto, C; Natolino, A; Decorti, D

2015-03-01

Ultrasound pre-treatment of intact hemp seeds without any solvent assistance was carried out for 10, 20 and 40 min prior to SCCO2 extraction at 40 °C, 300 bar and 45 kg CO2/kg feed. Sonication time effect on SC-CO2 extraction was investigated by the extraction kinetics. The maximum extraction yield was estimated to be 24.03 (% w/w) after 10 min of ultrasonic pre-treatment. The fatty acid compositions of the oils extracted by SC-CO2 without and with ultrasound pre-treatments was analyzed using gas chromatography. It was shown that the content of linoleic, α-linolenic and oleic acids (the most abundant unsaturated fatty acids) of the hemp seed oils were not affected significantly by the application of ultrasound. UV spectroscopy indices (K232 and K268) and antiradical capacity were used to follow the quality of oils. Significant were the changes in their antiradical capacity due to ultrasound treatment. A comparison with the oil extracted by Soxhlet was also given.

Subsurface PpIX imaging in vivo with ultrasound-guided tomographic spectroscopy: reconstruction vs. born-normalized data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flynn, Brendan P.; D'Souza, Alisha V.; Kanick, Stephen C.; Maytin, Edward; Hasan, Tayyaba; Pogue, Brian W.

2013-03-01

Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX)-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective treatment for skin cancers including basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Topically applied ALA promotes PpIX production preferentially in tumors, and many strategies have been developed to increase PpIX distribution and PDT treatment efficacy at depths > 1mm is not fully understood. While surface imaging techniques provide useful diagnosis, dosimetry, and efficacy information for superficial tumors, these methods cannot interrogate deeper tumors to provide in situ insight into spatial PpIX distributions. We have developed an ultrasound-guided, white-light-informed, tomographics spectroscopy system for the spatial measurement of subsurface PpIX. Detailed imaging system specifications, methodology, and optical-phantom-based characterization will be presented separately. Here we evaluate preliminary in vivo results using both full tomographic reconstruction and by plotting individual tomographic source-detector pair data against US images.

Ultrasound-guided interventional procedures around the shoulder.

PubMed

Messina, Carmelo; Banfi, Giuseppe; Orlandi, Davide; Lacelli, Francesca; Serafini, Giovanni; Mauri, Giovanni; Secchi, Francesco; Silvestri, Enzo; Sconfienza, Luca Maria

2016-01-01

Ultrasound is an established modality for shoulder evaluation, being accurate, low cost and radiation free. Different pathological conditions can be diagnosed using ultrasound and can be treated using ultrasound guidance, such as degenerative, traumatic or inflammatory diseases. Subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis is the most common finding on ultrasound evaluation for painful shoulder. Therapeutic injections of corticosteroids are helpful to reduce inflammation and pain. Calcific tendinopathy of rotator cuff affects up to 20% of painful shoulders. Ultrasound-guided treatment may be performed with both single- and double-needle approach. Calcific enthesopathy, a peculiar form of degenerative tendinopathy, is a common and mostly asymptomatic ultrasound finding; dry needling has been proposed in symptomatic patients. An alternative is represented by autologous platelet-rich plasma injections. Intra-articular injections of the shoulder can be performed in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory and degenerative diseases with corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid respectively. Steroid injections around the long head of the biceps brachii tendon are indicated in patients with biceps tendinopathy, reducing pain and humeral tenderness. The most common indication for acromion-clavicular joint injection is degenerative osteoarthritis, with ultrasound representing a useful tool in localizing the joint space and properly injecting various types of drugs (steroids, lidocaine or hyaluronic acid). Suprascapular nerve block is an approved treatment for chronic shoulder pain non-responsive to conventional treatments as well as candidate patients for shoulder arthroscopy. This review provides an overview of these different ultrasonography-guided procedures that can be performed around the shoulder.

Liver haemostasis using microbubble-enhanced ultrasound at a low acoustic intensity.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaochen; Li, Lu; Zhao, Hongzhi; Li, Tao; Wu, Shengzheng; Zhong, Yu; Zhao, Yang; Liu, Zheng

2012-02-01

To explore the haemostatic effects of microbubble-enhanced ultrasound (MEUS) at a very low acoustic intensity on the bleeding liver of rabbits. Liver incisions made on 20 rabbits were treated with a pulsed therapeutic ultrasound transducer. The transducer was operated at 831 KHz with an acoustic intensity of 0.4 W/cm(2). The treatment was coordinated with intravenous injection of microbubbles. Ultrasound only and sham treatment served as the controls. Visual bleeding score and 10-min bleeding volume were evaluated for haemostatic efficacy. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was performed to assess the liver perfusion. Nine treated livers were harvested for acute histological examination. Regarding the bleeding incisions made on rabbit livers, the haemorrhage stopped immediately after 2 min of MEUS treatment but bleeding continued in the controls treated by ultrasound or microbubble injection alone. The bleeding scores and the 10-min haemorrhagic volumes dropped significantly in the MEUS group compared with those of the controls (p < 0.01). The mechanism of MEUS haemostasis appears to involve the extensive swelling of hepatocytes and the haemorrhage of the portal area, which formed a joint compression on the regional liver circulation. Low acoustic intensity MEUS might provide a novel method for liver haemostasis. • This animal experiment demonstrates a novel method of controlling hepatic haemorrhage • The treatment uses therapeutic ultrasound during enhancement with intravenous microbubbles • This combined therapy was more effective than ultrasound or intravenous microbubbles alone • More work is required with larger animals before potential human trials.

Spatial and temporal profile of cisplatin delivery by ultrasound-assisted intravesical chemotherapy in a bladder cancer model.

PubMed

Sasaki, Noboru; Ishi, Kazuhiro; Kudo, Nobuki; Nakayama, Shouta M M; Nakamura, Kensuke; Morishita, Keitaro; Ohta, Hiroshi; Ishizuka, Mayumi; Takiguchi, Mitsuyoshi

2017-01-01

Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is one of the most common tumors of the urinary tract. Despite the current multimodal therapy, recurrence and progression of disease have been challenging problems. We hereby introduced a new approach, ultrasound-assisted intravesical chemotherapy, intravesical instillation of chemotherapeutic agents and microbubbles followed by ultrasound exposure. We investigated the feasibility of the treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. In order to evaluate intracellular delivery and cytotoxic effect as a function to the thickness, we performed all experiments using a bladder cancer mimicking 3D culture model. Ultrasound-triggered microbubble cavitation increased both the intracellular platinum concentration and the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin at the thickness of 70 and 122 μm of the culture model. The duration of enhanced cytotoxic effect of cisplatin by ultrasound-triggered microbubble cavitation was approximately 1 hr. Based on the distance and duration of delivery, we further tested the feasibility of repetition of the treatment. Triple treatment increased the effective distance by 1.6-fold. Our results clearly showed spatial and temporal profile of delivery by ultrasound-triggered microbubble cavitation in a tumor-mimicking structure. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the increase in intracellular concentration results in the enhancement of the cytotoxic effect in a structure with the certain thickness. Repetition of ultrasound exposure would be treatment of choice in future clinical application. Our results suggest ultrasound-triggered microbubble cavitation can be repeatable and is promising for the local control of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Comparison possibilities of ultrasound and its combination with laser in surgery and therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zharov, Vladimir P.; Menyaev, Yulian A.; Kabisov, Ruslan K.; Alkov, Sergey V.; Nesterov, A. V.; Loshchilov, Vladimir I.; Suen, James Y.

2000-05-01

This article presents the further developments of combined laser-ultrasound medical technologies with paying attention the possibility ultrasound in surgery and therapy. The analyses of main effects at the low frequency ultrasonic treatment of biotissues including cavitation, acoustic streams, acoustic pressure, mechanical influence etc are analyzed. The main promising areas of application of low frequency ultrasound are considered including bactericidal treatment of infections wounds, spray treatment of wounds in head and neck surgery, tumor treatment etc. In particular the clinical result of using ultrasonic devices based on imposing ultrasonic oscillations in a range of 22-66 kHz on a cutting instrument with a special form, radiation intensity up to 10 W/cm2 and oscillation amplitude up to 40-60 micrometers with respect to oncology for halt bleeding from a tumor, liquidating pain, acoustic denervation are presented. Some limitation of medical application of ultrasound are discussed and perspective combination with laser for increasing efficiency of new combined technologies are found. Among them: combination photodynamic therapy and ultrasonic treatment of tumors, laser-ultrasonic treatment of infections wounds including using spray, laser-ultrasonic drug delivery. The preliminary result of experimental study of some of above-mentioned technologies are presented.

Sonodynamic therapy combined with novel anti-cancer agents, sanguinarine and ginger root extract: Synergistic increase in toxicity in the presence of PANC-1 cells in vitro.

PubMed

Prescott, Matthew; Mitchell, James; Totti, Stella; Lee, Judy; Velliou, Eirini; Bussemaker, Madeleine

2018-01-01

The presence of ultrasound-induced cavitation in sonodynamic therapy (SDT) treatments has previously enhanced the activity and delivery of certain sonosensitisers in biological systems. The purpose of this work was to investigate the potential for two novel anti-cancer agents from natural derivatives, sanguinarine and ginger root extract (GRE), as sonosensitisers in an SDT treatment with in vitro PANC-1 cells. Both anti-cancer compounds had a dose-dependent cytotoxicity in the presence of PANC-1 cells. A range of six discreet ultrasound power-frequency configurations were tested and it was found that the cell death caused directly by ultrasound was likely due to the sonomechanical effects of cavitation. Combined treatment used dosages of 100μM sanguinarine or 1mM of GRE with 15s sonication at 500kHz and 10W. The sanguinarine-SDT and GRE-SDT treatments showed a 6% and 17% synergistic increase in observed cell death, respectively. Therefore both sanguinarine and GRE were found to be effective sonosensitisers and warrant further development for SDT, with a view to maximising the magnitude of synergistic increase in toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The safety and feasibility of extracorporeal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the treatment of liver and kidney tumours in a Western population

PubMed Central

Illing, R O; Kennedy, J E; Wu, F; ter Haar, G R; Protheroe, A S; Friend, P J; Gleeson, F V; Cranston, D W; Phillips, R R; Middleton, M R

2005-01-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) provides a potential noninvasive alternative to conventional therapies. We report our preliminary experience from clinical trials designed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a novel, extracorporeal HIFU device for the treatment of liver and kidney tumours in a Western population. The extracorporeal, ultrasound-guided Model-JC Tumor Therapy System (HAIFU™ Technology Company, China) has been used to treat 30 patients according to four trial protocols. Patients with hepatic or renal tumours underwent a single therapeutic HIFU session under general anaesthesia. Magnetic resonance imaging 12 days after treatment provided assessment of response. The patients were subdivided into those followed up with further imaging alone or those undergoing surgical resection of their tumours, which enabled both radiological and histological assessment. HIFU exposure resulted in discrete zones of ablation in 25 of 27 evaluable patients (93%). Ablation of liver tumours was achieved more consistently than for kidney tumours (100 vs 67%, assessed radiologically). The adverse event profile was favourable when compared to more invasive techniques. HIFU treatment of liver and kidney tumours in a Western population is both safe and feasible. These findings have significant implications for future noninvasive image-guided tumour ablation. PMID:16189519

Integration of Real-Time Intraoperative Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound and Color Doppler Ultrasound in the Surgical Treatment of Spinal Cord Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas.

PubMed

Della Pepa, Giuseppe Maria; Sabatino, Giovanni; Sturiale, Carmelo Lucio; Marchese, Enrico; Puca, Alfredo; Olivi, Alessandro; Albanese, Alessio

2018-04-01

In the surgical treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs), intraoperative definition of anatomic characteristics of the DAVF and identification of the fistulous point is mandatory to effectively exclude the DAVF. Intraoperative ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound integrated with color Doppler ultrasound was applied in the surgical setting for a cervical DAVF to identify the fistulous point and evaluate correct occlusion of the fistula. Integration of intraoperative ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound is a simple, cost-effective technique that provides an opportunity for real-time dynamic visualization of DAVF vascular patterns, identification of the fistulous point, and assessment of correct exclusion. Compared with other intraoperative tools, such as indocyanine green videoangiography, it allows the surgeon to visualize hidden anatomic and vascular structures, minimizing surgical manipulation and guiding the surgeon during resection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plantar fasciitis (fasciosis) treatment outcome study: plantar fascia thickness measured by ultrasound and correlated with patient self-reported improvement.

PubMed

Fabrikant, Jerry M; Park, Tae Soon

2011-06-01

Ultrasound, well recognized as an effective diagnostic tool, reveals a thickening of the plantar fascia in patients with plantar fasciitis/fasciosis disease. The authors hypothesized that ultrasound would also reveal a decrease in the plantar fascia thickness for patients undergoing treatment for the disease, a hypothesis that, heretofore, had been only tested on a limited number of subjects. They conducted a more statistically significant study that found that clinical treatment with injection and biomechanical correction does indeed diminish plantar fascia thickness as shown on ultrasound. The study also revealed that patients experience the most heightened plantar fascia tenderness toward the end of the day, and improvement in their symptomatic complaints were associated with a reduction in plantar fascia thickness. As a result, the authors conclude that office-based ultrasound can help diagnose and confirm plantar fasciitis/fasciosis through the measurement of the plantar fascia thickness. Because of the advantages of ultrasound--that it is non-invasive with greater patient acceptance, cost effective and radiation-free--the imaging tool should be considered and implemented early in the diagnosis and treatment of plantar fasciitis/fasciosis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual-Modality PET/Ultrasound imaging of the Prostate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huber, Jennifer S.; Moses, William W.; Pouliot, Jean

2005-11-11

Functional imaging with positron emission tomography (PET)will detect malignant tumors in the prostate and/or prostate bed, as well as possibly help determine tumor ''aggressiveness''. However, the relative uptake in a prostate tumor can be so great that few other anatomical landmarks are visible in a PET image. Ultrasound imaging with a transrectal probe provides anatomical detail in the prostate region that can be co-registered with the sensitive functional information from the PET imaging. Imaging the prostate with both PET and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) will help determine the location of any cancer within the prostate region. This dual-modality imaging should helpmore » provide better detection and treatment of prostate cancer. LBNL has built a high performance positron emission tomograph optimized to image the prostate.Compared to a standard whole-body PET camera, our prostate-optimized PET camera has the same sensitivity and resolution, less backgrounds and lower cost. We plan to develop the hardware and software tools needed for a validated dual PET/TRUS prostate imaging system. We also plan to develop dual prostate imaging with PET and external transabdominal ultrasound, in case the TRUS system is too uncomfortable for some patients. We present the design and intended clinical uses for these dual imaging systems.« less

Externally Delivered Focused Ultrasound for Renal Denervation.

PubMed

Neuzil, Petr; Ormiston, John; Brinton, Todd J; Starek, Zdenek; Esler, Murray; Dawood, Omar; Anderson, Thomas L; Gertner, Michael; Whitbourne, Rob; Schmieder, Roland E

2016-06-27

The aim of this study was to assess clinical safety and efficacy outcomes of renal denervation executed by an externally delivered, completely noninvasive focused therapeutic ultrasound device. Renal denervation has emerged as a potential treatment approach for resistant hypertension. Sixty-nine subjects received renal denervation with externally delivered focused ultrasound via the Kona Medical Surround Sound System. This approach was investigated across 3 consecutive studies to optimize targeting, tracking, and dosing. In the third study, treatments were performed in a completely noninvasive way using duplex ultrasound image guidance to target the therapy. Short- and long-term safety and efficacy were evaluated through use of clinical assessments, magnetic resonance imaging scans prior to and 3 and 24 weeks after renal denervation, and, in cases in which a targeting catheter was used to facilitate targeting, fluoroscopic angiography with contrast. All patients tolerated renal denervation using externally delivered focused ultrasound. Office blood pressure (BP) decreased by 24.6 ± 27.6/9.0 ± 15.0 mm Hg (from baseline BP of 180.0 ± 18.5/97.7 ± 13.7 mm Hg) in 69 patients after 6 months and 23.8 ± 24.1/10.3 ± 13.1 mm Hg in 64 patients with complete 1-year follow-up. The response rate (BP decrease >10 mm Hg) was 75% after 6 months and 77% after 1 year. The most common adverse event was post-treatment back pain, which was reported in 32 of 69 patients and resolved within 72 h in most cases. No intervention-related adverse events involving motor or sensory deficits were reported. Renal function was not altered, and vascular safety was established by magnetic resonance imaging (all patients), fluoroscopic angiography (n = 48), and optical coherence tomography (n = 5). Using externally delivered focused ultrasound and noninvasive duplex ultrasound, image-guided targeting was associated with substantial BP reduction without any major safety signals. Further randomized, sham-controlled trials will be needed to validate this unique approach. Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Needle path planning and steering in a three-dimensional non-static environment using two-dimensional ultrasound images

PubMed Central

Vrooijink, Gustaaf J.; Abayazid, Momen; Patil, Sachin; Alterovitz, Ron; Misra, Sarthak

2015-01-01

Needle insertion is commonly performed in minimally invasive medical procedures such as biopsy and radiation cancer treatment. During such procedures, accurate needle tip placement is critical for correct diagnosis or successful treatment. Accurate placement of the needle tip inside tissue is challenging, especially when the target moves and anatomical obstacles must be avoided. We develop a needle steering system capable of autonomously and accurately guiding a steerable needle using two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound images. The needle is steered to a moving target while avoiding moving obstacles in a three-dimensional (3D) non-static environment. Using a 2D ultrasound imaging device, our system accurately tracks the needle tip motion in 3D space in order to estimate the tip pose. The needle tip pose is used by a rapidly exploring random tree-based motion planner to compute a feasible needle path to the target. The motion planner is sufficiently fast such that replanning can be performed repeatedly in a closed-loop manner. This enables the system to correct for perturbations in needle motion, and movement in obstacle and target locations. Our needle steering experiments in a soft-tissue phantom achieves maximum targeting errors of 0.86 ± 0.35 mm (without obstacles) and 2.16 ± 0.88 mm (with a moving obstacle). PMID:26279600

Cavitation-enhanced delivery of a replicating oncolytic adenovirus to tumors using focused ultrasound.

PubMed

Bazan-Peregrino, Miriam; Rifai, Bassel; Carlisle, Robert C; Choi, James; Arvanitis, Costas D; Seymour, Leonard W; Coussios, Constantin C

2013-07-10

Oncolytic viruses (OV) and ultrasound-enhanced drug delivery are powerful novel technologies. OV selectively self-amplify and kill cancer cells but their clinical use has been restricted by limited delivery from the bloodstream into the tumor. Ultrasound has been previously exploited for targeted release of OV in vivo, but its use to induce cavitation, microbubble oscillations, for enhanced OV tumor extravasation and delivery has not been previously reported. By identifying and optimizing the underlying physical mechanism, this work demonstrates that focused ultrasound significantly enhances the delivery and biodistribution of systemically administered OV co-injected with microbubbles. Up to a fiftyfold increase in tumor transgene expression was achieved, without any observable tissue damage. Ultrasound exposure parameters were optimized as a function of tumor reperfusion time to sustain inertial cavitation, a type of microbubble activity, throughout the exposure. Passive detection of acoustic emissions during treatment confirmed inertial cavitation as the mechanism responsible for enhanced delivery and enabled real-time monitoring of successful viral delivery. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic ultrasound for acute ankle sprains.

PubMed

van den Bekerom, Michel Pj; van der Windt, Daniëlle Awm; Ter Riet, Gerben; van der Heijden, Geert J; Bouter, Lex M

2011-06-15

Ultrasound is used in the treatment of a wide variety of musculoskeletal disorders, which include acute ankle sprains. This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 1999, and previously updated in 2004. To evaluate the effects of ultrasound therapy in the treatment of acute ankle sprains. We searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register (September 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library 2010, Issue 3), MEDLINE (1966 to September 2010), EMBASE (1983 to September 2010), CINAHL (1982 to 2004), and PEDro - the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (accessed 01/06/09). We also searched the Cochrane Rehabilitation and Related Therapies Field database, reference lists of articles, and contacted colleagues.The WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform was searched for ongoing trials. Randomised or quasi-randomised trials were included if the following conditions were met: at least one study group was treated with therapeutic ultrasound; participants had acute lateral ankle sprains; and outcome measures included general improvement, pain, swelling, functional disability, or range of motion. Two authors independently performed study selection, and assessed the risk of bias and extracted data. Risk ratios and risk differences together with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences together with 95% confidence intervals for continuous outcome measures. Limited pooling of data was undertaken where there was clinical homogeneity in terms of participants, treatments, outcomes, and follow-up time points. Six trials were included, involving 606 participants. Five trials included comparisons of ultrasound therapy with sham ultrasound; and three trials included single comparisons of ultrasound with three other treatments. The assessment of risk of bias was hampered by poor reporting of trial methods and results. None of the five placebo-controlled trials (sham ultrasound) demonstrated statistically significant differences between true and sham ultrasound therapy for any outcome measure at one to four weeks of follow-up. The pooled risk ratio for general improvement at one week was 1.04 (random-effects model, 95% confidence interval 0.92 to 1.17) for active versus sham ultrasound. The differences between intervention groups were generally small, between zero and six per cent, for most dichotomous outcomes. The evidence from the five small placebo-controlled trials included in this review does not support the use of ultrasound in the treatment of acute ankle sprains. The potential treatment effects of ultrasound appear to be generally small and of probably of limited clinical importance, especially in the context of the usually short-term recovery period for these injuries. However, the available evidence is insufficient to rule out the possibility that there is an optimal dosage schedule for ultrasound therapy that may be of benefit.

Integrated phenotypic-genotypic approach to understand the influence of ultrasound on metabolic response of Lactobacillus sakei.

PubMed

Ojha, K Shikha; Burgess, Catherine M; Duffy, Geraldine; Kerry, Joseph P; Tiwari, Brijesh K

2018-01-01

The lethal effects of soundwaves on a range of microorganisms have been known for almost a century whereas, the use of ultrasound to promote or control their activity is much more recent. Moreover, the fundamental molecular mechanism influencing the behaviour of microorganisms subjected to ultrasonic waves is not well established. In this study, we investigated the influence of ultrasonic frequencies of 20, 45, 130 and 950 kHz on growth kinetics of Lactobacillus sakei. A significant increase in the growth rate of L. sakei was observed following ultrasound treatment at 20 kHz despite the treatment yielding a significant reduction of ca. 3 log cfu/mL in cells count. Scanning electron microscopy showed that ultrasound caused significant changes on the cell surface of L. sakei culture with the formation of pores "sonoporation". Phenotypic microarrays showed that all ultrasound treated L. sakei after exposure to various carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur sources had significant variations in nutrient utilisation. Integration of this phenotypic data with the genome of L. sakei revealed that various metabolic pathways were being influenced by the ultrasound treatments. Results presented in this study showed that the physiological response of L. sakei in response to US is frequency dependent and that it can influence metabolic pathways. Hence, ultrasound treatments can be employed to modulate microbial activity for specialised applications.

Integrated phenotypic-genotypic approach to understand the influence of ultrasound on metabolic response of Lactobacillus sakei

PubMed Central

Ojha, K. Shikha; Burgess, Catherine M.; Duffy, Geraldine; Kerry, Joseph P.

2018-01-01

The lethal effects of soundwaves on a range of microorganisms have been known for almost a century whereas, the use of ultrasound to promote or control their activity is much more recent. Moreover, the fundamental molecular mechanism influencing the behaviour of microorganisms subjected to ultrasonic waves is not well established. In this study, we investigated the influence of ultrasonic frequencies of 20, 45, 130 and 950 kHz on growth kinetics of Lactobacillus sakei. A significant increase in the growth rate of L. sakei was observed following ultrasound treatment at 20 kHz despite the treatment yielding a significant reduction of ca. 3 log cfu/mL in cells count. Scanning electron microscopy showed that ultrasound caused significant changes on the cell surface of L. sakei culture with the formation of pores “sonoporation”. Phenotypic microarrays showed that all ultrasound treated L. sakei after exposure to various carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur sources had significant variations in nutrient utilisation. Integration of this phenotypic data with the genome of L. sakei revealed that various metabolic pathways were being influenced by the ultrasound treatments. Results presented in this study showed that the physiological response of L. sakei in response to US is frequency dependent and that it can influence metabolic pathways. Hence, ultrasound treatments can be employed to modulate microbial activity for specialised applications. PMID:29370210

Ultrasonic disintegration of biosolids for improved biodegradation.

PubMed

Nickel, Klaus; Neis, Uwe

2007-04-01

Biological cell lysis is known to be the rate-limiting step of anaerobic biosolids degradation. Shear forces generated by low frequency ultrasound can be used to disintegrate bacterial cells in sewage sludge. Thus, the quantity of dissolved organic substrate is increased. Consequently, the degradation rate and the biodegradability of organic biosolids mass are improved. Fundamental pilot-studies showed a significantly accelerated biosolids degradation with less digested sludge being produced and increased biogas production being attained. A full-scale ultrasound reactor system was developed for continuous operation under real life conditions on sewage treatment plants (STP).

Response monitoring using quantitative ultrasound methods and supervised dictionary learning in locally advanced breast cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gangeh, Mehrdad J.; Fung, Brandon; Tadayyon, Hadi; Tran, William T.; Czarnota, Gregory J.

2016-03-01

A non-invasive computer-aided-theragnosis (CAT) system was developed for the early assessment of responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. The CAT system was based on quantitative ultrasound spectroscopy methods comprising several modules including feature extraction, a metric to measure the dissimilarity between "pre-" and "mid-treatment" scans, and a supervised learning algorithm for the classification of patients to responders/non-responders. One major requirement for the successful design of a high-performance CAT system is to accurately measure the changes in parametric maps before treatment onset and during the course of treatment. To this end, a unified framework based on Hilbert-Schmidt independence criterion (HSIC) was used for the design of feature extraction from parametric maps and the dissimilarity measure between the "pre-" and "mid-treatment" scans. For the feature extraction, HSIC was used to design a supervised dictionary learning (SDL) method by maximizing the dependency between the scans taken from "pre-" and "mid-treatment" with "dummy labels" given to the scans. For the dissimilarity measure, an HSIC-based metric was employed to effectively measure the changes in parametric maps as an indication of treatment effectiveness. The HSIC-based feature extraction and dissimilarity measure used a kernel function to nonlinearly transform input vectors into a higher dimensional feature space and computed the population means in the new space, where enhanced group separability was ideally obtained. The results of the classification using the developed CAT system indicated an improvement of performance compared to a CAT system with basic features using histogram of intensity.

SU-E-J-93: Parametrisation of Dose to the Mucosa of the Anterior Rectal Wall in Transrectal Ultrasound Guided High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy of the Prostate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aitkenhead, A; Hamlett, L; Wood, D

2014-06-01

Purpose: In high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy of the prostate, radiation is delivered from a number of radioactive sources which are inserted via catheter into the target volume. The rectal mucosa also receives dose during the treatment, which may lead to late toxicity effects. To allow possible links between rectal dose and toxicity to be investigated, suitable methods of parametrising the rectal dose are needed. Methods: During treatment of a series of 95 patients, anatomy and catheter locations were monitored by transrectal ultrasound, and target volume positions were contoured on the ultrasound scan by the therapist. The anterior rectal mucosal wall wasmore » identified by contouring the transrectal ultrasound balloon within the ultrasound scan. Source positions and dwell times, along with the dose delivered to the patient were computed using the Oncentra Prostate treatment planning system (TPS). Data for the series of patients were exported from the TPS in Dicom format, and a series of parametrisation methods were developed in a Matlab environment to assess the rectal dose. Results: Contours of the anterior rectal mucosa were voxelised within Matlab to allow the dose to the rectal mucosa to be analysed directly from the 3D dose grid. Dose parametrisations based on dose-surface (DSH) and dose-line (DLH) histograms were obtained. Both lateral and longitudinal extents of the mucosal dose were parametrised using dose-line histograms in the relevant directions. Conclusion: We have developed a series of dose parametrisations for quantifying the dose to the rectal mucosa during HDR prostate brachytherapy which are suitable for future studies investigating potential associations between mucosal dose and late toxicity effects. The geometry of the transrectal probe standardises the rectal anatomy, making this treatment technique particularly suited to studies of this nature.« less

A Pilot Study of Catheter-Based Ultrasound Hyperthermia with HDR Brachytherapy for Treatment of Locally Advanced Cancer of the Prostate and Cervix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diederich, Chris J.; Wootton, Jeff; Prakash, Punit; Salgaonkar, Vasant; Juang, Titania; Scott, Serena; Chen, Xin; Cunha, Adam; Pouliot, Jean; Hsu, I. C.

2011-09-01

Interstitial and endocavity ultrasound devices have been developed specifically for applying hyperthermia within temporary HDR brachytherapy implants during radiation therapy. Catheter-based ultrasound applicators are capable of 3D spatial control of heating in both angle and length of the devices, with enhanced radial penetration of heating compared to other hyperthermia technologies. A pilot study of the combination of catheter based ultrasound with HDR brachytherapy for locally advanced prostate and cervical cancer has been initiated, and preliminary results of the performance and heating distributions are reported herein. The treatment delivery platform consists of a 32 channel RF amplifier and a 48 channel thermocouple monitoring system. Controlling software can monitor and regulate frequency and power to each transducer section as required during the procedure. Interstitial applicators consist of multiple transducer sections of 2-4 cm length×180 deg and 3-4 cm×360 deg. heating patterns to be inserted in specific placed 13g implant catheters. The endocavity device, designed to be inserted within a 6 mm OD plastic tandem catheter within the cervix, consists of 2-3 transducers x dual 180 or 360 deg sectors. 3D temperature based treatment planning and optimization is dovetailed to the HDR optimization based planning to best configure and position the applicators within the catheters, and to determine optimal base power levels to each transducer section. To date we have treated eight cervix implants and four prostate implants. 100% of treatments achieved a goal of >60 min duration, with therapeutic temperatures achieved in all cases. Thermal dosimetry within the hyperthermia target volume (HTV) and clinical target volume (CTV) are reported. Catheter-based ultrasound hyperthermia with HDR appears feasible with therapeutic temperature coverage of the target volume within the prostate or cervix while sparing surrounding more sensitive regions.

Navigated Breast Tumor Excision Using Electromagnetically Tracked Ultrasound and Surgical Instruments.

PubMed

Ungi, Tamas; Gauvin, Gabrielle; Lasso, Andras; Yeo, Caitlin T; Pezeshki, Padina; Vaughan, Thomas; Carter, Kaci; Rudan, John; Engel, C Jay; Fichtinger, Gabor

2016-03-01

Lumpectomy, breast conserving tumor excision, is the standard surgical treatment in early stage breast cancer. A common problem with lumpectomy is that the tumor may not be completely excised, and additional surgery becomes necessary. We investigated if a surgical navigation system using intraoperative ultrasound improves the outcomes of lumpectomy and if such a system can be implemented in the clinical environment. Position sensors were applied on the tumor localization needle, the ultrasound probe, and the cautery, and 3-D navigation views were generated using real-time tracking information. The system was tested against standard wire-localization procedures on phantom breast models by eight surgical residents. Clinical safety and feasibility was tested in six palpable tumor patients undergoing lumpectomy by two experienced surgical oncologists. Navigation resulted in significantly less tissue excised compared to control procedures (10.3 ± 4.4 versus 18.6 ± 8.7 g, p = 0.01) and lower number of tumor-positive margins (1/8 versus 4/8) in the phantom experiments. Excision-tumor distance was also more consistently outside the tumor margins with navigation in phantoms. The navigation system has been successfully integrated in an operating room, and user experience was rated positively by surgical oncologists. Electromagnetic navigation may improve the outcomes of lumpectomy by making the tumor excision more accurate. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and lumpectomy is its first choice treatment. Therefore, the improvement of lumpectomy outcomes has a significant impact on a large patient population.

Efficient Blood-Brain Barrier Opening in Primates with Neuronavigation-Guided Ultrasound and Real-Time Acoustic Mapping.

PubMed

Wu, Shih-Ying; Aurup, Christian; Sanchez, Carlos Sierra; Grondin, Julien; Zheng, Wenlan; Kamimura, Hermes; Ferrera, Vincent P; Konofagou, Elisa E

2018-05-22

Brain diseases including neurological disorders and tumors remain under treated due to the challenge to access the brain, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricting drug delivery which, also profoundly limits the development of pharmacological treatment. Focused ultrasound (FUS) with microbubbles is the sole method to open the BBB noninvasively, locally, and transiently and facilitate drug delivery, while translation to the clinic is challenging due to long procedure, targeting limitations, or invasiveness of current systems. In order to provide rapid, flexible yet precise applications, we have designed a noninvasive FUS and monitoring system with the protocol tested in monkeys (from in silico preplanning and simulation, real-time targeting and acoustic mapping, to post-treatment assessment). With a short procedure (30 min) similar to current clinical imaging duration or radiation therapy, the achieved targeting (both cerebral cortex and subcortical structures) and monitoring accuracy was close to the predicted 2-mm lower limit. This system would enable rapid clinical transcranial FUS applications outside of the MRI system without a stereotactic frame, thereby benefiting patients especially in the elderly population.

Treatment of Breast Tumors using Pulsed HIFU for Delivery and Activation of Sonosensitizers

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

ABSTRACT High intensity focused ultrasound ( HIFU ) has been combined with a Rose Bengal derivative (RB2) to provide a synergistic cytotoxicity requiring the...by high intensity focused ultrasound ( HIFU ). Applying HIFU in pulsed mode (to avoid overheating) has shown promise in improving the penetration of...ablation for breast cancer treatment. 15. SUBJECT TERMS high intensity focused ultrasound , sonodynamic, cavitation, free radicals, chemotherapy

Evaluation of Ultrasound-Induced Damage to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by Flow Cytometry and Transmission Electron Microscopy

PubMed Central

Li, Jiao; Ahn, Juhee; Liu, Donghong; Chen, Shiguo; Ye, Xingqian

2016-01-01

As a nonthermal sterilization technique, ultrasound has attracted great interest in the field of food preservation. In this study, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy were employed to investigate ultrasound-induced damage to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. For flow cytometry studies, single staining with propidium iodide (PI) or carboxyfluorescein diacetate (cFDA) revealed that ultrasound treatment caused cell death by compromising membrane integrity, inactivating intracellular esterases, and inhibiting metabolic performance. The results showed that ultrasound damage was independent of initial bacterial concentrations, while the mechanism of cellular damage differed according to the bacterial species. For the Gram-negative bacterium E. coli, ultrasound worked first on the outer membrane rather than the cytoplasmic membrane. Based on the double-staining results, we inferred that ultrasound treatment might be an all-or-nothing process: cells ruptured and disintegrated by ultrasound cannot be revived, which can be considered an advantage of ultrasound over other nonthermal techniques. Transmission electron microscopy studies revealed that the mechanism of ultrasound-induced damage was multitarget inactivation, involving the cell wall, cytoplasmic membrane, and inner structure. Understanding of the irreversible antibacterial action of ultrasound has great significance for its further utilization in the food industry. PMID:26746712

Singular value decomposition of received ultrasound signal to separate tissue, blood flow, and cavitation signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, Hayato; Nagaoka, Ryo; Lafond, Maxime; Yoshizawa, Shin; Iwasaki, Ryosuke; Maeda, Moe; Umemura, Shin-ichiro; Saijo, Yoshifumi

2018-07-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound is a noninvasive treatment applied by externally irradiating ultrasound to the body to coagulate the target tissue thermally. Recently, it has been proposed as a noninvasive treatment for vascular occlusion to replace conventional invasive treatments. Cavitation bubbles generated by the focused ultrasound can accelerate the effect of thermal coagulation. However, the tissues surrounding the target may be damaged by cavitation bubbles generated outside the treatment area. Conventional methods based on Doppler analysis only in the time domain are not suitable for monitoring blood flow in the presence of cavitation. In this study, we proposed a novel filtering method based on the differences in spatiotemporal characteristics, to separate tissue, blood flow, and cavitation by employing singular value decomposition. Signals from cavitation and blood flow were extracted automatically using spatial and temporal covariance matrices.

Bypassing multidrug resistant ovarian cancer using ultrasound responsive doxorubicin/curcumin co-deliver alginate nanodroplets.

PubMed

Baghbani, Fatemeh; Moztarzadeh, Fathollah

2017-05-01

Ultrasound-responsive perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions are a class of new multifunctional smart nanocarriers which combine diagnostic properties with therapeutic properties and release their drug payload in a controlled manner in response to ultrasound. Therefore, combination therapy using chemotherapeutic and chemosensitizing agents co-entrapped in these nanocarriers seems beneficial for cancer treatment. In the present study, multifunctional smart alginate/perfluorohexane nanodroplets were developed for co-delivery of doxorubicin and curcumin (a strong chemosensitizer). The nanodroplets with the average particle size of 55.1nm were synthesized via nanoemulsion process. The entrapment efficiency of doxorubicin was 92.3%. To improve curcumin entrapment into the alginate shell, Span 60 was added to the formulation as a co-surfactant and finally curcumin entrapment of about 40% was achieved. Ultrasound-mediated drug release kinetic was evaluated at two different frequencies of 28kHz (low frequency) and 1MHz (high frequency). Low frequency ultrasound resulted in higher triggered drug release from nanodroplets. The nanodroplets showed strong ultrasound contrast via droplet to bubble transition as confirmed via B-mode ultrasound imaging. Enhanced cytotoxicity in adriamycin-resistant A2780 ovarian cancer cells was observed for Dox-Cur-NDs compared to Dox-NDs because of the synergistic effects of doxorubicin and curcumin. However, ultrasound irradiation significantly increased the cytotoxicity of Dox-Cur-NDs. Finally, in vivo ovarian cancer treatment using Dox/Cur-NDs combined with ultrasound irradiation resulted in efficient tumor regression. According to the present study, nanotherapy of multidrug resistant human ovarian cancer using ultrasound responsive doxorubicin/curcumin co-loaded alginate-shelled nanodroplets combined with ultrasound irradiation could be a promising modality for the future of cancer treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NOTE: The feasibility of an infrared system for real-time visualization and mapping of ultrasound fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Adam; Nunn, John

2010-06-01

In treatment planning for ultrasound therapy, it is desirable to know the 3D structure of the ultrasound field. However, mapping an ultrasound field in 3D is very slow, with even a single planar raster scan taking typically several hours. Additionally, hydrophones that are used for field mapping are expensive and can be damaged in some therapy fields. So there is value in rapid methods which enable visualization and mapping of the ultrasound field in about 1 min. In this note we explore the feasibility of mapping the intensity distribution by measuring the temperature distribution produced in a thin sheet of absorbing material. A 0.2 mm thick acetate sheet forms a window in the wall of a water tank containing the transducer. The window is oriented at 45° to the beam axis, and the distance from the transducer to the window can be varied. The temperature distribution is measured with an infrared camera; thermal images of the inclined plane could be viewed in real time or images could be captured for later analysis and 3D field reconstruction. We conclude that infrared thermography can be used to gain qualitative information about ultrasound fields. Thermal images are easily visualized with good spatial and thermal resolutions (0.044 mm and 0.05 °C in our system). The focus and field structure such as side lobes can be identified in real time from the direct video output. 3D maps and image planes at arbitrary orientations to the beam axis can be obtained and reconstructed within a few minutes. In this note we are primarily interested in the technique for characterization of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) fields, but other applications such as physiotherapy fields are also possible.

The feasibility of an infrared system for real-time visualization and mapping of ultrasound fields.

PubMed

Shaw, Adam; Nunn, John

2010-06-07

In treatment planning for ultrasound therapy, it is desirable to know the 3D structure of the ultrasound field. However, mapping an ultrasound field in 3D is very slow, with even a single planar raster scan taking typically several hours. Additionally, hydrophones that are used for field mapping are expensive and can be damaged in some therapy fields. So there is value in rapid methods which enable visualization and mapping of the ultrasound field in about 1 min. In this note we explore the feasibility of mapping the intensity distribution by measuring the temperature distribution produced in a thin sheet of absorbing material. A 0.2 mm thick acetate sheet forms a window in the wall of a water tank containing the transducer. The window is oriented at 45 degrees to the beam axis, and the distance from the transducer to the window can be varied. The temperature distribution is measured with an infrared camera; thermal images of the inclined plane could be viewed in real time or images could be captured for later analysis and 3D field reconstruction. We conclude that infrared thermography can be used to gain qualitative information about ultrasound fields. Thermal images are easily visualized with good spatial and thermal resolutions (0.044 mm and 0.05 degrees C in our system). The focus and field structure such as side lobes can be identified in real time from the direct video output. 3D maps and image planes at arbitrary orientations to the beam axis can be obtained and reconstructed within a few minutes. In this note we are primarily interested in the technique for characterization of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) fields, but other applications such as physiotherapy fields are also possible.

Improved extraction of avocado oil by application of sono-physical processes.

PubMed

Martínez-Padilla, Laura Patricia; Franke, Lisa; Xu, Xin-Qing; Juliano, Pablo

2018-01-01

Ultrasound treatment is known to increase the oil extractability in olive and palm oil processes. This work examined the effect of ultrasound conditioning of avocado puree on oil extractability and quality, at low (18+40kHz) and high (2MHz) frequencies, at litre-scale. Other ultrasound parameters evaluated included high frequency effect (0.4, 0.6, and 2MHz; 5min; 90kJ/kg) and sonication time (2.5-10min at 2MHz), without malaxation. Finally, a megasonic post-malaxation intervention was assessed at selected malaxation times (15, 30, and 60min). Both low and high frequency ultrasound treatments of the non-malaxed avocado puree improved extractability by 15-24% additional oil recovery, with the highest extractability achieved after 2MHz treatments, depending on the fruit maturity and oil content. There was no preferential improvement on oil extractability observed across high frequencies, even though extractability increased with sonication time. Ultrasound treatment also showed a positive effect after puree malaxation. Oils obtained from sonicated purees showed peroxide and free fatty acid values below the industrial specification levels and an increase in total phenolic compounds after 2MHz treatment. High frequency ultrasound conditioning of avocado puree can enhance oil separation and potentially decrease the malaxation time in industrial processes without impacting on oil quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ULTRASOUND-ENHANCED rt-PA THROMBOLYSIS IN AN EX VIVO PORCINE CAROTID ARTERY MODEL

PubMed Central

Hitchcock, Kathryn E.; Ivancevich, Nikolas M.; Haworth, Kevin J.; Caudell Stamper, Danielle N.; Vela, Deborah C.; Sutton, Jonathan T.; Pyne-Geithman, Gail J.; Holland, Christy K.

2014-01-01

Ultrasound is known to enhance recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) thrombolysis. In this study, occlusive porcine whole blood clots were placed in flowing plasma within living porcine carotid arteries. Ultrasonically induced stable cavitation was investigated as an adjuvant to rt-PA thrombolysis. Aged, retracted clots were exposed to plasma alone, plasma containing rt-PA (7.1 ± 3.8 μg/mL) or plasma with rt-PA and Definity® ultrasound contrast agent (0.79 ± 0.47 μL/mL) with and without 120-kHz continuous wave ultrasound at a peak-to-peak pressure amplitude of 0.44 MPa. An insonation scheme was formulated to promote and maximize stable cavitation activity by incorporating ultrasound quiescent periods that allowed for the inflow of Definity®-rich plasma. Cavitation was measured with a passive acoustic detector throughout thrombolytic treatment. Thrombolytic efficacy was measured by comparing clot mass before and after treatment. Average mass loss for clots exposed to rt-PA and Definity® without ultrasound (n = 7) was 34%, and with ultrasound (n = 6) was 83%, which constituted a significant difference (p < 0.0001). Without Definity® there was no thrombolytic enhancement by ultrasound exposure alone at this pressure amplitude (n = 5, p < 0.0001). In the low-oxygen environment of the ischemic artery, significant loss of endothelium occurred but no correlation was observed between arterial tissue damage and treatment type. Acoustic stable cavitation nucleated by an infusion of Definity® enhances rt-PA thrombolysis without apparent treatment-related damage in this ex vivo porcine carotid artery model. PMID:21723448

Dual-frequency ultrasound focal therapy for MRI-guided transurethral treatment of the prostate: Study in gel phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

N'Djin, W. Apoutou; Mougenot, Charles; Kobelevskiy, Ilya; Ramsay, Elizabeth; Bronskill, Michael; Chopra, Rajiv

2012-11-01

Ultrasound thermal therapy of localized prostate cancer offers a minimally-invasive non-ionizing alternative [1-3] to surgery and radiotherapy. MRI-controlled transurethral ultrasound prostate therapy [4-6] has previously been investigated in a pilot human feasibility study [7], by treating a small sub-volume of prostate tissue. In this study, the feasibility of transurethral dual-frequency ultrasound focal therapy has been investigated in gel phantom. A database of pelvic anatomical models of human prostate cancer patients have been created using MR clinical images. The largest prostate boundary (47 cm3) was used to fabricate an anatomical gel phantom which included various MR characteristics to mimic prostate tissues, 4 localized tumors and surrounding prostate tissues. A 9-element transurethral ultrasound applicator working in dual-frequency mode (f = 4.6/14.5 MHz) was evaluated to heat: (i) the entire prostate volume (Full prostate treatment strategy), (ii) a prostate region restricted to tumors (Focal therapy). Acoustic power of each element and rotation rate of the device were adjusted in realtime based on MR-thermometry feedback control (nine thermal slices updated every 6.2s). Experiments have been performed using dual-frequency ultrasound exposures (surface Pmax: 20W.cm-2). (i) For full prostate heating, 7 elements of the device were used to cover the entire prostate length. The heating process was completed within 35 min. Ultrasound exposures at the fundamental frequency allowed full heating of the largest prostate radii (>18 mm), while exposures at the 3rd harmonic ensured homogeneous treatment of the smallest radii. Undertreated and overtreated regions represented respectively 2% and 17% of the prostate volume. (ii) For focal therapy, the target region was optimized to maintain safe regions in the prostate and to cover all tumor-mimics. Only 5 ultrasound elements were used to treat successfully all tumor-mimics within 26 min. Undertreated and overtreated regions each represented 7% of the prostate volume. MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound procedure enables full treatment and focal therapy in human prostate geometry. Prostate volume heating was fast compared to standard HIFU prostate treatments. Dual-frequency ultrasound exposures allowed optimal heat deposition in all prostate regions. The focal therapy strategy is promising as regard to safety and could contribute to enhance the post-treatment autonomy of the patient.

Ultrasound phonophoresis of panax notoginseng improves the strength of repairing ligament: a rat model.

PubMed

Ng, Gabriel Y F; Wong, Richard Y F

2008-12-01

This study examined the phonophoretic effect of a therapeutic ultrasound coupled with a Panax notoginseng (PN) gel and compared it with a therapeutic ultrasound alone for medial collateral ligament repair in rats. Twenty mature male Sprague-Dawley rats receiving surgical transection to the left medial collateral ligament (MCL) were divided randomly into three groups: ultrasound (US, n = 7), ultrasound with PN coupling gel (PNUS, n = 7) and control (n = 6). The treatments started on day 3 after surgery for six days per week over a two-week period. The US group received 4 min of pulsed ultrasound (1 MHz) at the intensity of 0.5W/cm(2) with a normal ultrasonic coupling gel. The PNUS group received the same ultrasound treatment, but with a coupling gel that contained PN extract. The control group received a placebo ultrasound treatment similar to the other two groups. On day 17, the ligaments were mechanically tested for load-relaxation, stiffness and ultimate tensile strength (UTS). Values of the left side were normalized against that of the right side of each animal for analysis. Results revealed significantly higher normalized stiffness (p = 0.009) and UTS (p = 0.022) in the PNUS group than the other two groups, but insignificant difference in load-relaxation among all groups. This study reveals a positive ultrasonic phonophoretic effect of Panax notoginseng extract for improving the strength of ligament repair than ultrasound therapy alone.

MRI-guided focused ultrasound surgery in musculoskeletal diseases: the hot topics

PubMed Central

Napoli, Alessandro; Sacconi, Beatrice; Battista, Giuseppe; Guglielmi, Giuseppe; Catalano, Carlo; Albisinni, Ugo

2016-01-01

MRI-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is a minimally invasive treatment guided by the most sophisticated imaging tool available in today's clinical practice. Both the imaging and therapeutic sides of the equipment are based on non-ionizing energy. This technique is a very promising option as potential treatment for several pathologies, including musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders. Apart from clinical applications, MRgFUS technology is the result of long, heavy and cumulative efforts exploring the effects of ultrasound on biological tissues and function, the generation of focused ultrasound and treatment monitoring by MRI. The aim of this article is to give an updated overview on a “new” interventional technique and on its applications for MSK and allied sciences. PMID:26607640

Distribution of temperature elevation caused by moving high-intensity focused ultrasound transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jungsoon; Jung, Jihee; Kim, Moojoon; Ha, Kanglyeol; Lee, Eunghwa; Lee, Ilkwon

2015-07-01

Ultrasonic thermal treatment for dermatology has been developed using a small high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer. The transducer moves horizontally at a constant while it emits focused ultrasound because the treatment needs a high-temperature area in skin tissue over a wide range of depths. In this paper, a tissue-mimicking phantom made of carrageenan and a thermochromic film were adopted to examine the temperature distribution in the phantom noninvasively when the focused ultrasound was irradiated from the moving transducer. The dependence of the high-temperature area on the irradiated acoustic energy and on the movement interval of the HIFU was analyzed experimentally. The results will be useful in ensuring safety and estimating the remedial value of the treatment.

A single FPGA-based portable ultrasound imaging system for point-of-care applications.

PubMed

Kim, Gi-Duck; Yoon, Changhan; Kye, Sang-Bum; Lee, Youngbae; Kang, Jeeun; Yoo, Yangmo; Song, Tai-kyong

2012-07-01

We present a cost-effective portable ultrasound system based on a single field-programmable gate array (FPGA) for point-of-care applications. In the portable ultrasound system developed, all the ultrasound signal and image processing modules, including an effective 32-channel receive beamformer with pseudo-dynamic focusing, are embedded in an FPGA chip. For overall system control, a mobile processor running Linux at 667 MHz is used. The scan-converted ultrasound image data from the FPGA are directly transferred to the system controller via external direct memory access without a video processing unit. The potable ultrasound system developed can provide real-time B-mode imaging with a maximum frame rate of 30, and it has a battery life of approximately 1.5 h. These results indicate that the single FPGA-based portable ultrasound system developed is able to meet the processing requirements in medical ultrasound imaging while providing improved flexibility for adapting to emerging POC applications.

Skin temperature increase mediated by wearable, long duration, low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, Matthew D.; Huang, Wenyi; Ghanem, Angi; Guo, Yuan; Lewis, George K.

2017-03-01

One of the safety concerns with the delivery of therapeutic ultrasound is overheating of the transducer-skin interface due to poor or improper coupling. The objective of this research was to define a model that could be used to calculate the heating in the skin as a result of a novel, wearable long-duration ultrasound device. This model was used to determine that the maximum heating in the skin remained below the minimum threshold necessary to cause thermal injury over multiple hours of use. In addition to this model data, a human clinical study used wire thermocouples on the skin surface to measure heating characteristics during treatment with the sustained ultrasound system. Parametric analysis of the model determined that the maximum temperature increase is at the surface of the skin ranged from 40-41.8° C when perfusion was taken into account. The clinical data agreed well with the model predictions. The average steady state temperature observed across all 44 subjects was 40°C. The maximum temperature observed was less than 44° C, which is clinically safe for over 5 hours of human skin contact. The resultant clinical temperature data paired well with the model data suggesting the model can be used for future transducer and ultrasound system design simulation. As a result, the device was validated for thermal safety for typical users and use conditions.

Total quality index of ultrasound-treated blueberry and cranberry juices and nectars.

PubMed

Režek Jambrak, Anet; Šimunek, Marina; Djekic, Ilija

2018-01-01

The influence of ultrasound in combination with elevated temperature (thermosonication) is important in inactivation effects on microorganisms. However, overall quality of these products can be deteriorated. The aim of this study was to examine the use of a single quality index in evaluating effects of ultrasound technology on quality characteristics of blueberry and cranberry juices and nectars. For the purpose of this study based on 10 quality parameters, two mathematical models for calculating a single total quality index have been introduced. Samples were treated according to the experimental design, with high power ultrasound frequency of 20 kHz under various conditions (treatment time: 3, 6 and 9 min, sample temperature: 20 ℃, for thermosonication: 40 and 60 ℃ and amplitude: 60, 90 and 120 µm). Mathematical index of total quality index in order to evaluate total quality of ultrasound-treated juices and nectars was established. For cranberry juices, treatments '11' (amplitude 120 µm) and '16' (amplitude 60 µm) both for 9 min and the temperature of 20 ℃ were best scored for both models. Treatment '6' (amplitude 120 µm, 3 min treatment time and the sample temperature of 20 ℃) for cranberry nectars was among the best for both models. Ultrasound treatments '6' of amplitude 120 µm, 3 min and the temperature of 20 ℃ and '11' same amplitude 120 µm and temperature, but 9 min were best scored blueberry juices for both models. Blueberry nectar had best total quality index for treatments '5' (amplitude 120 µm, 6 min treatment time and the sample temperature of 40 ℃) and '6' (amplitude 120 µm, 3 min treatment time and the sample temperature of 20 ℃).

Monitoring stimulated cycles during in vitro fertilization treatment with ultrasound only--preliminary results.

PubMed

Wiser, Amir; Gonen, Ofer; Ghetler, Yehudit; Shavit, Tal; Berkovitz, Arie; Shulman, Adrian

2012-06-01

To evaluate if monitoring patients by ultrasound (US) only during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment is safe. Randomized prospective study. Patients undergoing their first IVF treatment were randomized into two groups. The ultrasound only group (study group) was monitored by US for follicle size and endometrial thickness without blood tests. In this group, only one blood test was taken before human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection, to ensure a safe level of estradiol (E(2)) regarding ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) risk. The control group was monitored by ultrasound plus serum estradiol and progesterone concentration at each visit. Clinical pregnancy rate. No differences were found between the groups in the parameters of IVF treatment, induction days, number of ampoules, E(2) level of hCG, as well as embryo quality. The clinical pregnancy rate was not statistically different between the groups, 57.5% vs. 40.0%, respectively (p = 0.25). No OHSS cases were found among the study or control groups. Ultrasound as a single monitoring tool for IVF cycles is reliable, safe, patient friendly, and reduces treatment expenses. In an era of cost effectiveness awareness, this regimen should be considered for routine management in IVF programs.

Clinical factors analysis of curative effect of focused ultrasound treatment for non neoplastic epithelial disorders of vulva.

PubMed

Sun, Xin; Xue, Min; Deng, Xinliang; Wan, Yajun

2010-09-01

To explore the related factors to influence the curative effect of focused ultrasound treatment for non neoplastic epithelial disorders of vulva. A total of 382 patients with non neoplastic epithelial disorders of vulva were included in this study and treated by focused ultrasound. During and after the treatment, the symptoms and physical signs of the subjects were observed, and the efficacy was evaluated. We analyzed the relation between pathologic type, age, course, area, or itch degree and curative effect. Symptoms of all patients were relieved, and appearance and color of the vulva became normal after the ultrasound treatment, with a total effective rate of 99.74%. The cure ratios of patients with different pathologic types, ages, courses, areas, and itch degrees were significantly different (χ(2)=9.58, P<0.01; χ(2)=22.385, P<0.01; χ(2)=32.260, P<0.01; χ(2)=57.99,P<0.01; χ(2)=42.13,P<0.01, respectively). Focused ultrasound treatment is safe and effective for the nonneoplastic epithelial disorders of the vulva and the efficacy is associated with the pathologic type, age, course, area, and itch degree.

Evaluating the extent of cell death in 3D high frequency ultrasound by registration with whole-mount tumor histopathology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vlad, Roxana M.; Kolios, Michael C.; Moseley, Joanne L.

Purpose: High frequency ultrasound imaging, 10-30 MHz, has the capability to assess tumor response to radiotherapy in mouse tumors as early as 24 h after treatment administration. The advantage of this technique is that the image contrast is generated by changes in the physical properties of dying cells. Therefore, a subject can be imaged before and multiple times during the treatment without the requirement of injecting specialized contrast agents. This study is motivated by a need to provide metrics of comparison between the volume and localization of cell death, assessed from histology, with the volume and localization of cell deathmore » surrogate, assessed as regions with increased echogeneity from ultrasound images. Methods: The mice were exposed to radiation doses of 2, 4, and 8 Gy. Ultrasound images were collected from each tumor before and 24 h after exposure to radiation using a broadband 25 MHz center frequency transducer. After radiotherapy, tumors exhibited hyperechoic regions in ultrasound images that corresponded to areas of cell death in histology. The ultrasound and histological images were rigidly registered. The tumors and regions of cell death were manually outlined on histological images. Similarly, the tumors and hyperechoic regions were outlined on the ultrasound images. Each set of contours was converted to a volumetric mesh in order to compare the volumes and the localization of cell death in histological and ultrasound images. Results: A shrinkage factor of 17{+-}2% was calculated from the difference in the tumor volumes evaluated from histological and ultrasound images. This was used to correct the tumor and cell death volumes assessed from histology. After this correction, the average absolute difference between the volume of cell death assessed from ultrasound and histological images was 11{+-}14% and the volume overlap was 70{+-}12%. Conclusions: The method provided metrics of comparison between the volume of cell death assessed from histology and that assessed from ultrasound images. It was applied here to evaluate the capability of ultrasound imaging to assess early tumor response to radiotherapy in mouse tumors. Similarly, it can be applied in the future to evaluate the capability of ultrasound imaging to assess early tumor response to other modalities of cancer treatment. The study contributes to an understanding of the capabilities and limitation of ultrasound imaging at noninvasively detecting cell death. This provides a foundation for future developments regarding the use of ultrasound in preclinical and clinical applications to adapt treatments based on tumor response to cancer therapy.« less

Introducing universal ultrasound screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip doubled the treatment rate.

PubMed

Olsen, Stine F; Blom, Hans C; Rosendahl, Karen

2018-02-01

There is no evidence on the effect of universal ultrasound screening on developmental dysplasia of the hip. We examined the impact of adding an ultrasound examination to a one examiner clinical screening strategy on treatment, follow-up rates and the number of cases detected late in a low-prevalence population. All eligible babies born at Kongsberg Hospital, Norway, from 1998 to 2006 (n = 4245) underwent both clinical and ultrasound hip examinations within three days of life. Indications for immediate treatment were positive Barlow or Ortolani manoeuvres and, or, sonographic dysplasia. Sonographic immature hips were followed until normalisation. Treatment rates and rates from the 1989 to 1997 prestudy period (n = 3594), including late diagnoses, were collected from hospital records. Treatment was initiated in 90 (2.1%) infants (74 girls), 63 (70%) from birth, compared to 33 (0.9%) during the prestudy period. The follow-up rate did not change (11%). There were two (0.5/1000) and four (1.0/1000) cases detected late, respectively. No one underwent surgery during the first year of life and no avascular necrosis was seen. Adding universal ultrasound to clinical screening performed by the same, experienced paediatrician doubled the treatment rate, without influencing the already low numbers of late cases. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Multicenter Controlled Study to Evaluate Multiple Treatments With Nonthermal Focused Ultrasound for Noninvasive Fat Reduction.

PubMed

Coleman, William P; Coleman, William; Weiss, Robert A; Kenkel, Jeffrey M; Ad-El, Dean D; Amir, Ruthie

2017-01-01

Demand for nonsurgical esthetic body procedures has led to the development of noninvasive techniques for reducing localized subcutaneous adipose tissue. This study assessed multiple treatments with nonthermal focused ultrasound for noninvasive abdominal treatment of excess fat deposits. Subjects were randomly assigned to Group 1 for a 4-week control phase before undergoing 3 abdominal fat reduction treatments, at 2-week intervals, or to Group 2 for immediate treatment. Weight, abdominal circumference, tolerability to treatment, subject satisfaction, and adverse events were recorded. Weight remained stable in the 126 participants. Mean reduction in midline circumference was 2.5 ± 2.1 cm in the Group 1 and 3.5 ± 2.7 cm in the Group 2 at Week 22. The effect of multiple treatments was cumulative with a steady decrease in abdominal circumferences during the study. Erythema was observed in 28% of treatments but was mild and transient in nature. Subjects tolerated the treatments well and were satisfied with treatment outcome. The study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of multiple nonthermal focused ultrasound treatments of excess abdominal fat deposits. Although the remodeling effect is minor compared with traditional surgical procedures, successive focused ultrasound treatments significantly reduced treatment area circumference, while avoiding invasive techniques and their associated disadvantages.

A systematic review of ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis.

PubMed

Shi, Yadong; Shi, Wanyin; Chen, Liang; Gu, Jianping

2018-04-01

To review the clinical evidence for ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis (UACDT) using the EKOS system in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in terms of case selection, procedural outcomes, clinical outcomes and safety outcomes. A systematic literature search strategy was used to identify the use of the EKOS system in the treatment of DVT using the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane databases and the Web of Science. The references in the relevant literature were also screened. Our literature search identified a total of 16 unique clinical studies. Twelve of the sixteen studies were retrospective case series studies. To date, only one randomised controlled trial (RCT) is available. Overall, UACDT using the EKOS system was performed 548 times in 512 patients. Among all cases, 77-100% achieved substantial lysis (> 50%) based on the different definitions of the individual studies. This treatment modality appears to be safe, as there were no reported procedure-related pulmonary embolisms (PE) and only one procedure-related death was reported. Bleeding events were reported in 14 of the 16 studies, and 3.9% (20/512) of the cases of bleeding were considered major. During the follow-up, post-thrombotic syndrome was observed in 17.1% (20/117) of cases. UACDT using the EKOS system is an effective, safe and promising treatment modality for DVT, but the existing clinical evidence is inadequate to make UACDT using the EKOS system the first-line choice for DVT. Additional prospective large-sample RCTs with long-term follow-ups are warranted to define the role of UACDT using the EKOS system in the treatment of DVT.

Automated assessment of joint synovitis activity from medical ultrasound and power doppler examinations using image processing and machine learning methods.

PubMed

Cupek, Rafal; Ziębiński, Adam

2016-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common rheumatic disease with arthritis, and causes substantial functional disability in approximately 50% patients after 10 years. Accurate measurement of the disease activity is crucial to provide an adequate treatment and care to the patients. The aim of this study is focused on a computer aided diagnostic system that supports an assessment of synovitis severity. This paper focus on a computer aided diagnostic system that was developed within joint Polish-Norwegian research project related to the automated assessment of the severity of synovitis. Semiquantitative ultrasound with power Doppler is a reliable and widely used method of assessing synovitis. Synovitis is estimated by ultrasound examiner using the scoring system graded from 0 to 3. Activity score is estimated on the basis of the examiner's experience or standardized ultrasound atlases. The method needs trained medical personnel and the result can be affected by a human error. The porotype of a computer-aided diagnostic system and algorithms essential for an analysis of ultrasonic images of finger joints are main scientific output of the MEDUSA project. Medusa Evaluation System prototype uses bone, skin, joint and synovitis area detectors for mutual structural model based evaluation of synovitis. Finally, several algorithms that support the semi-automatic or automatic detection of the bone region were prepared as well as a system that uses the statistical data processing approach in order to automatically localize the regions of interest. Semiquantitative ultrasound with power Doppler is a reliable and widely used method of assessing synovitis. Activity score is estimated on the basis of the examiner's experience and the result can be affected by a human error. In this paper we presented the MEDUSA project which is focused on a computer aided diagnostic system that supports an assessment of synovitis severity.

Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horne, Devante; Jones, Peter; Salgaonkar, Vasant; Adams, Matt; Ozilgen, B. Arda; Zahos, Peter; Tang, Xinyan; Liebenberg, Ellen; Coughlin, Dezba; Lotz, Jeffrey; Diederich, Chris

2017-02-01

Discogenic back pain presents a major public health issue, with current therapeutic interventions limited to short-term symptom relief without providing regenerative remedies for diseased intervertebral discs (IVD). Many of these interventions are invasive and can diminish the biomechanical integrity of the IVDs. Low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is a potential treatment option that is both non-invasive and regenerative. LIPUS has been shown to be a clinically effective method for the enhancement of wound and fracture healing. Recent in vitro studies have shown that LIPUS stimulation induces an upregulation functional matrix proteins and downregulation of inflammatory factors in cultured IVD cells. However, we do not know the effects of LIPUS on an in vivo model for intervertebral disc degeneration. The objective of this study was to show technical feasibility of building a LIPUS system that can target the rat tail IVD and apply this setup to a model for acute IVD degeneration. A LIPUS exposimetry system was built using a 1.0 MHz planar transducer and custom housing. Ex vivo intensity measurements demonstrated LIPUS delivery to the center of the rat tail IVD. Using an established stab-incision model for disc degeneration, LIPUS was applied for 20 minutes daily for five days. For rats that displayed a significant injury response, LIPUS treatment caused significant upregulation of Collagen II and downregulation of Tumor Necrosis Factor - α gene expression. Our preliminary studies indicate technical feasibility of targeted delivery of ultrasound to a rat tail IVD for studies of LIPUS biological effects.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Pulmonary Concerns in Remote Spaceflight Triage Environments.

PubMed

Johansen, Benjamin D; Blue, Rebecca S; Castleberry, Tarah L; Antonsen, Erik L; Vanderploeg, James M

2018-02-01

With the development of the commercial space industry, growing numbers of spaceflight participants will engage in activities with a risk for pulmonary injuries, including pneumothorax, ebullism, and decompression sickness, as well as other concomitant trauma. Medical triage capabilities for mishaps involving pulmonary conditions have not been systematically reviewed. Recent studies have advocated the use of point-of-care ultrasound to screen for lung injury or illness. The operational utility of portable ultrasound systems in disaster relief and other austere settings may be relevant to commercial spaceflight. A systematic review of published literature was conducted concerning the use of point-of-care pulmonary ultrasound techniques in austere environments, including suggested examination protocols for triage and diagnosis. Recent studies support the utility of pulmonary ultrasound examinations when performed by skilled operators, and comparability of the results to computed tomography and chest radiography for certain conditions, with important implications for trauma management in austere environments. Pulmonary injury and illness are among the potential health risks facing spaceflight participants. Implementation of point-of-care ultrasound protocols could aid in the rapid diagnosis, triage, and treatment of such conditions. Though operator-dependent, ultrasound, with proper training, experience, and equipment, could be a valuable tool in the hands of a first responder supporting remote spaceflight operations.Johansen BD, Blue RS, Castleberry TL, Antonsen EL, Vanderploeg JM. Point-of-care ultrasound for pulmonary concerns in remote spaceflight triage environments. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(2):122-129.

The Role of Acoustic Cavitation in Ultrasound-triggered Drug Release from Echogenic Liposomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopechek, Jonathan A.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and globally. CVD-related mortality, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, or stroke, generally occurs due to atherosclerosis, a condition in which plaques build up within arterial walls, potentially causing blockage or rupture. Targeted therapies are needed to achieve more effective treatments. Echogenic liposomes (ELIP), which consist of a lipid membrane surrounding an aqueous core, have been developed to encapsulate a therapeutic agent and/or gas bubbles for targeted delivery and ultrasound image enhancement. Under certain conditions ultrasound can cause nonlinear bubble growth and collapse, known as "cavitation." Cavitation activity has been associated with enhanced drug delivery across cellular membranes. However, the mechanisms of ultrasound-mediated drug release from ELIP have not been previously investigated. Thus, the objective of this dissertation is to elucidate the role of acoustic cavitation in ultrasound-mediated drug release from ELIP. To determine the acoustic and physical properties of ELIP, the frequency-dependent attenuation and backscatter coefficients were measured between 3 and 30 MHz. The results were compared to a theoretical model by measuring the ELIP size distribution in order to determine properties of the lipid membrane. It was found that ELIP have a broad size distribution and can provide enhanced ultrasound image contrast across a broad range of clinically-relevant frequencies. Calcein, a hydrophilic fluorescent dye, and papaverine, a lipophilic vasodilator, were separately encapsulated in ELIP and exposed to color Doppler ultrasound pulses from a clinical diagnostic ultrasound scanner in a flow system. Spectrophotometric techniques (fluorescence and absorbance measurements) were used to detect calcein or papaverine release. As a positive control, Triton X-100 (a non-ionic detergent) was added to ELIP samples not exposed to ultrasound in order to release encapsulated agents completely. Also, sham samples without Triton X-100 or ultrasound exposure were used as negative controls. Color Doppler ultrasound did not release encapsulated calcein or papaverine from ELIP even though there was a complete loss of echogenicity. In subsequent experiments, calcein and rosiglitazone, a hydrophobic anti-diabetic drug, were separately encapsulated in ELIP and exposed to pulsed Doppler ultrasound in a flow system while monitoring cavitation. Samples were exposed to ultrasound pressures above and below cavitation thresholds. In addition, Triton X-100 was used for positive control samples and sham samples were also tested without ultrasound exposure. Adding Triton X-100 resulted in complete release of encapsulated calcein or rosiglitzone. However, Doppler ultrasound exposure did not induce calcein or rosiglitazone release from ELIP in the flow system even when there was persistent cavitation activity and a loss of echogenicity. The results of this dissertation indicate that cavitation of encapsulated bubbles in ELIP solutions is not sufficient to induce drug release. It is possible that ultrasoundmediated thermal processes may have a stronger effect on ELIP permeability than cavitation activity. Perhaps ultrasound-triggered drug release will be possible by improving the ELIP formulation or encapsulating a different gas instead of air. However, cavitation is not a reliable indicator of ultrasound-mediated drug release with the ELIP formulations used in this dissertation.

High-frequency ultrasound evaluation of cellulite treated with the 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser.

PubMed

Bousquet-Rouaud, Regine; Bazan, Marie; Chaintreuil, Jean; Echague, Agustina Vila

2009-03-01

To investigate non-invasive laser treatment for cellulite using the 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser and to correlate clinical results with high-frequency skin ultrasound images. Twelve individuals of normal weight were treated on either the left or right posterior side of the thigh with the following parameters: fluence 30 J/cm, 18 mm spot size and dynamic cooling device pulse duration of 30 ms. Three treatments were performed at intervals of 3-4 weeks, and followed-up 1 and 3 months after the last session. Photographs and ultrasound imaging were assessed before each session. The 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser resulted in a tightening of the skin and an improvement in cellulite. No side effects were reported. High-resolution ultrasound imaging showed a significant improvement in dermis density and a reduction of dermis thickness. The method is described in detail in Appendix 1. Infra-red lasers may constitute a safe and effective treatment for cellulite and high-frequency ultrasound imaging provides a quantitative and objective measurement of the treatment efficacy.

Monitoring of HIFU thermal damage using integrated photoacoustic imaging and high intensity focused ultrasound technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Huizhong; Yang, Xinmai

2011-03-01

In this study, we applied an integrated photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system to noninvasively monitor the thermal damage due to HIFU ablation in vivo. A single-element, spherically focused ultrasonic transducer, with a central frequency of 5MHz, was used to generate a HIFU area in soft tissue. Photoacoustic signals were detected by the same ultrasonic transducer before and after HIFU treatments using different wavelengths. The feasibility of combined contrast imaging and treatment of solid tumor in vivo by the integrated PAI and HIFU system was also studied. Gold nanorods were used to enhance PAI during the imaging of a CT26 tumor, which was subcutaneously inoculated on the hip of a BALB/c mouse. Subsequently, the CT26 tumor was ablated by HIFU with the guidance of photoacoustic images. Our results suggested that the tumor was clearly visible on photoacoustic images after the injection of gold nanorods and was ablated by HIFU. In conclusion, PAI may potentially be used for monitoring HIFU thermal lesions with possible diagnosis and treatment of solid tumors.

Mechanistic investigations in sono-hybrid techniques for rice straw pretreatment.

PubMed

Suresh, Kelothu; Ranjan, Amrita; Singh, Shuchi; Moholkar, Vijayanand S

2014-01-01

This paper reports comparative study of two chemical techniques (viz. dilute acid/alkali treatment) and two physical techniques (viz. hot water bath and autoclaving) coupled with sonication, termed as sono-hybrid techniques, for hydrolysis of rice straw. The efficacy of each sono-hybrid technique was assessed on the basis of total sugar and reducing sugar release. The system of biomass pretreatment is revealed to be mass transfer controlled. Higher sugar release is obtained during dilute acid treatment than dilute alkali treatment. Autoclaving alone was found to increase sugar release marginally as compared to hot water bath. Sonication of the biomass solution after autoclaving and stirring resulted in significant rise of sugar release, which is attributed to strong convection generated during sonication that assists effective transport of sugar molecules. Discrimination between individual contributions of ultrasound and cavitation to mass transfer enhancement reveals that contribution of ultrasound (through micro-streaming) is higher. Micro-turbulence as well as acoustic waves generated by cavitation did not contribute much to enhancing of mass transfer in the system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound mediated nanoparticle drug delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullin, Lee B.

Ultrasound is not only a powerful diagnostic tool, but also a promising therapeutic technology that can be used to improve localized drug delivery. Microbubble contrast agents are micron sized encapsulated gas filled bubbles that are administered intravenously. Originally developed to enhance ultrasound images, microbubbles are highly echogenic due to the gas core that provides a detectable impedance difference from the surrounding medium. The core also allows for controlled response of the microbubbles to ultrasound pulses. Microbubbles can be pushed using acoustic radiation force and ruptured using high pressures. Destruction of microbubbles can increase permeability at the cellular and vascular level, which can be advantageous for drug delivery. Advances in drug delivery methods have been seen with the introduction of nanoparticles, nanometer sized objects often carrying a drug payload. In chemotherapy, nanoparticles can deliver drugs to tumors while limiting systemic exposure due to abnormalities in tumor vasculature such large gaps between endothelial cells that allow nanoparticles to enter into the interstitial space; this is referred to as the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. However, this effect may be overestimated in many tumors. Additionally, only a small percentage of the injected dose accumulates in the tumor, which most the nanoparticles accumulating in the liver and spleen. It is hypothesized that combining the acoustic activity of an ultrasound contrast agent with the high payload and extravasation ability of a nanoparticle, localized delivery to the tumor with reduced systemic toxicity can be achieved. This method can be accomplished by either loading nanoparticles onto the shell of the microbubble or through a coadministration method of both nanoparticles and microbubbles. The work presented in this dissertation utilizes novel and commercial nanoparticle formulations, combined with microbubbles and a variety of ultrasound systems. Ultrasound parameters are optimized to achieve maximum cell internalization of molecules and increased nanoparticle delivery to a cell layer on a coverslip. In-vivo studies demonstrate the possibility of using a lower dose of paclitaxel to slow tumor growth rates, increase doxorubicin concentration in tumor tissue, and enhance tumor delivery of fluorescent molecules through treatments that combine nanoparticles with ultrasound and microbubbles.

Application of ultrasound treatment for improving the physicochemical, functional and rheological properties of myofibrillar proteins.

PubMed

Amiri, Amir; Sharifian, Parisa; Soltanizadeh, Nafiseh

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of duration (10, 20 and 30min) and power (100 and 300W) of high-intensity ultrasound (20kHz) on physicochemical properties of beef myofibrillar proteins in order to investigate novel process for modification of its functional characteristics. Results showed that augmentation of duration and power of ultrasound led to enhance pH. Also, the water holding capacity and gel strength were improved by increasing pH. The highest value in pH, reactive sulfhydryl content, water holding capacity and gel strength was obtained in sample subjected to 30min of ultrasound at 300W. The particle size distribution of the proteins was decreased after ultrasound treatment because of the cavitation force of ultrasound waves. In this circumstance, an improvement of emulsifying properties can be obtained. Ultrasonic waves had significant effects on the rheological properties of myofibrillar proteins. Treated samples were more elastic and stiffer than control, although the inverse trend was observed after 30min treatment at each power. Finally, a reducing trend in viscosity was observed by increasing time and power of sonication. Ultrasonic treatment could successfully improve functional properties with effect on physicochemical properties of myofibrillar proteins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gene delivery systems by the combination of lipid bubbles and ultrasound.

PubMed

Negishi, Yoichi; Endo-Takahashi, Yoko; Maruyama, Kazuo

2016-11-28

Gene therapy is promising for the treatment of many diseases including cancers and genetic diseases. From the viewpoint of safety, ultrasound (US)-mediated gene delivery with nano/ microbubbles was recently developed as a novel non-viral vector system. US-mediated gene delivery using nano/microbubbles are able to produce transient changes in the permeability of the cell membrane after US-induced cavitation while reducing cellular damage and enables the tissue-specific or the site-specific intracellular delivery of gene both in vitro and in vivo. We have recently developed novel lipid nanobubbles (Lipid Bubbles). These nanobubbles can also be used to enhance the efficacy of the US-mediated genes (plasmid DNA, siRNA, and miRNA etc.) delivery. In this review, we describe US-mediated delivery systems combined with nano/microbubbles and discuss their feasibility as non-viral vector systems.

Basic study on apoptosis induction into cancer cells U-937 and EL-4 by ultrasound exposure.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Shinichi; Udagawa, Yoshiko; Oku, Yumiko; Fujii, Takuma; Nishimura, Hiroyuki; Kawashima, Norimichi

2006-12-22

Recently, the low invasive cancer treatments with small aftereffects have been considered. We are studying on the suppression methods of cancer cell proliferation with ultrasound. Cancer cells of mouse T lymphoma (EL-4) have been used in our study. The human histitocytic lymphoma cells (U-937) was used in this time. The cancer cells were cultured in a culture medium of RPMI1640. The standing wave acoustic field was formed in a water tank of our ultrasound exposure system by a vibrating plate driven with a Langevine type transducer. The U-937 and EL-4 were exposed to ultrasound in the acoustic field with spatial average acoustic intensity of 350 mW/cm(2) at 150 kHz. The viable rate of EL-4 decreased with the lapse of culture time after ultrasound exposure. U-937 did not show the remarkable decrease tendency. The proliferation of U-937 which exposed to ultrasound with 700 mW/cm(2) was suppressed. It can be thought that apoptosis was induced in the cancer cells in this condition. We observed the morphological change on the U-937 exposed to ultrasound with this condition. The morphological changes by apoptosis like the shrink of cells, formation of apoptotic bodies etc. can be observed with an optical microscope and a phase contrast microscope.

Transverse vs torsional ultrasound: prospective randomized contralaterally controlled study comparing two phacoemulsification-system handpieces.

PubMed

Assil, Kerry K; Harris, Lindsay; Cecka, Jeannie

2015-01-01

To compare surgical efficiency and multiple early clinical outcome variables in eyes undergoing phacoemulsification using either transversal or torsional ultrasound systems. Assil Eye Institute, Beverly Hills, CA, USA. Prospective, randomized, clinician-masked, contralaterally controlled single-center evaluation. Patients seeking cataract removal in both eyes with implantation of multifocal intraocular lenses were randomly assigned to one of two treatment rooms for phacoemulsification with either a transverse ultrasound system or torsional handpiece system. The contralateral eye was treated at a later date with the alternate device. A total of 54 eyes of 27 patients having similar degrees of cataract, astigmatism, and visual potential were included. All operative data were collected for analysis, and patients were followed for 3 months after surgery. Similar visual acuity was reported at all postoperative visits between the two groups. Mean phacoemulsification time and total power required were both significantly lower with the transverse system than with the torsional technique (P<0.05 for both). Similarly, mean total balanced salt solution used was significantly less with the transverse system vs torsional (P<0.05). Postoperative safety demonstrated significantly lower endothelial cell loss at 1 day and 1 month (P<0.05) with transverse vs torsional. Macular swelling was less at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months with transverse vs torsional, although the difference did not achieve significance (P=0.1) at any single time point. Clinically detectable corneal edema was reported less frequently at all postoperative time points with the transverse system. The transverse ultrasound system was found to be possibly associated with less balanced salt-solution use, less phacoemulsification time, and less power required than the torsional phaco system. Postoperative data suggested that improved phaco efficiency may translate to a better overall safety profile for the patient.

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound: Current Status for Image-Guided Therapy

PubMed Central

Copelan, Alexander; Hartman, Jason; Chehab, Monzer; Venkatesan, Aradhana M.

2015-01-01

Image-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an innovative therapeutic technology, permitting extracorporeal or endocavitary delivery of targeted thermal ablation while minimizing injury to the surrounding structures. While ultrasound-guided HIFU was the original image-guided system, MR-guided HIFU has many inherent advantages, including superior depiction of anatomic detail and superb real-time thermometry during thermoablation sessions, and it has recently demonstrated promising results in the treatment of both benign and malignant tumors. HIFU has been employed in the management of prostate cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, uterine leiomyomas, and breast tumors, and has been associated with success in limited studies for palliative pain management in pancreatic cancer and bone tumors. Nonthermal HIFU bioeffects, including immune system modulation and targeted drug/gene therapy, are currently being explored in the preclinical realm, with an emphasis on leveraging these therapeutic effects in the care of the oncology patient. Although still in its early stages, the wide spectrum of therapeutic capabilities of HIFU offers great potential in the field of image-guided oncologic therapy. PMID:26622104

Open-source, small-animal magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound system.

PubMed

Poorman, Megan E; Chaplin, Vandiver L; Wilkens, Ken; Dockery, Mary D; Giorgio, Todd D; Grissom, William A; Caskey, Charles F

2016-01-01

MR-guided focused ultrasound or high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgFUS/MRgHIFU) is a non-invasive therapeutic modality with many potential applications in areas such as cancer therapy, drug delivery, and blood-brain barrier opening. However, the large financial costs involved in developing preclinical MRgFUS systems represent a barrier to research groups interested in developing new techniques and applications. We aim to mitigate these challenges by detailing a validated, open-source preclinical MRgFUS system capable of delivering thermal and mechanical FUS in a quantifiable and repeatable manner under real-time MRI guidance. A hardware and software package was developed that includes closed-loop feedback controlled thermometry code and CAD drawings for a therapy table designed for a preclinical MRI scanner. For thermal treatments, the modular software uses a proportional integral derivative controller to maintain a precise focal temperature rise in the target given input from MR phase images obtained concurrently. The software computes the required voltage output and transmits it to a FUS transducer that is embedded in the delivery table within the magnet bore. The delivery table holds the FUS transducer, a small animal and its monitoring equipment, and a transmit/receive RF coil. The transducer is coupled to the animal via a water bath and is translatable in two dimensions from outside the magnet. The transducer is driven by a waveform generator and amplifier controlled by real-time software in Matlab. MR acoustic radiation force imaging is also implemented to confirm the position of the focus for mechanical and thermal treatments. The system was validated in tissue-mimicking phantoms and in vivo during murine tumor hyperthermia treatments. Sonications were successfully controlled over a range of temperatures and thermal doses for up to 20 min with minimal temperature overshoot. MR thermometry was validated with an optical temperature probe, and focus visualization was achieved with acoustic radiation force imaging. We developed an MRgFUS platform for small-animal treatments that robustly delivers accurate, precise, and controllable sonications over extended time periods. This system is an open source and could increase the availability of low-cost small-animal systems to interdisciplinary researchers seeking to develop new MRgFUS applications and technology.

Active MRI tracking for robotic assisted FUS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xu; Huang, Zhihong; Melzer, Andreas

2017-03-01

MR guided FUS is a noninvasive method producing thermal necrosis at the position of tumors with high accuracy and temperature control. Because the typical size of the ultrasound focus is smaller than the area of interested treatment tissues, focus repositioning become necessary to achieve multiple sonications to cover the whole targeted area. Using MR compatible mechanical actuators could help the ultrasound beam to reach a wider treatment range than using electrical beam steering technique and more flexibility in position the transducer. An active MR tracking technique was combined into the MRgFUS system to help locating the position of the mechanical actuator and the FUS transducer. For this study, a precise agar reference model was designed and fabricated to test the performance of the active tracking technique when it was used on the MR-compatible robotics InnoMotion™ (IBSMM, Engineering spol. s r.o. / Ltd, Czech Republic). The precision, tracking range and positioning speed of the combined robotic FUS system were evaluated in this study. Compared to the existing MR guided HIFU systems, the combined robotic system with active tracking techniques provides a potential that allows the FUS treatment to operate in a larger spatial range and with a faster speed, which is one of the main challenges for organ motion tracking.

Ultrasound assisted intensification of enzyme activity and its properties: a mini-review.

PubMed

Nadar, Shamraja S; Rathod, Virendra K

2017-08-22

Over the last decade, ultrasound technique has emerged as the potential technology which shows large applications in food and biotechnology processes. Earlier, ultrasound has been employed as a method of enzyme inactivation but recently, it has been found that ultrasound does not inactivate all enzymes, particularly, under mild conditions. It has been shown that the use of ultrasonic treatment at appropriate frequencies and intensity levels can lead to enhanced enzyme activity due to favourable conformational changes in protein molecules without altering its structural integrity. The present review article gives an overview of influence of ultrasound irradiation parameters (intensity, duty cycle and frequency) and enzyme related factors (enzyme concentration, temperature and pH) on the catalytic activity of enzyme during ultrasound treatment. Also, it includes the effect of ultrasound on thermal kinetic parameters and Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters (k m and V max ) of enzymes. Further, in this review, the physical and chemical effects of ultrasound on enzyme have been correlated with thermodynamic parameters (enthalpy and entropy). Various techniques used for investigating the conformation changes in enzyme after sonication have been highlighted. At the end, different techniques of immobilization for ultrasound treated enzyme have been summarized.

The ultrasound-assisted aqueous extraction of rice bran oil.

PubMed

Khoei, Maryam; Chekin, Fereshteh

2016-03-01

In this work, aqueous extraction of rice bran oil was done without and with ultrasound pretreatment. Key factors controlling the extraction and optimal operating conditions were identified. The highest extraction efficiency was found at pH=12, temperature of 45°C, agitation speed of 800rpm and agitation time of 15min, ultrasound treatment time of 70min and ultrasound treatment temperature of 25°C. Moreover, extraction yields were compared to ultrasound-assisted aqueous extraction and Soxhlet extraction. The results showed that the yield of rice bran oil at ultrasound-assisted aqueous extraction was close to the yield of oil extracted by hexane Soxhlet extraction. This result implied that the yield of rice bran oil was significantly influenced by ultrasound. With regard to quality, the oil extracted by ultrasound-assisted aqueous process had a lower content of free fatty acid and lower color imparting components than the hexane-extracted oil. Also, effect of parboiling of paddy on hexane and ultrasound-assisted aqueous extraction was studied. Both extraction methods gives higher percentage of oil from par boiled rice bran compared with raw rice bran. This may be due to the fact that parboiling releases the oil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-mediated destruction of oxygen and paclitaxel loaded lipid microbubbles for combination therapy in hypoxic ovarian cancer cells.

PubMed

Sun, Jiangchuan; Yin, Mingyue; Zhu, Shenyin; Liu, Li; Zhu, Yi; Wang, Zhigang; Xu, Ronald X; Chang, Shufang

2016-01-01

We synthesized oxygen and paclitaxel (PTX) loaded lipid microbubbles (OPLMBs) for ultrasound mediated combination therapy in hypoxic ovarian cancer cells. Our experiments successfully demonstrated that ultrasound induced OPLMBs destruction significantly enhanced the local oxygen release. We also demonstrated that OPLMBs in combination with ultrasound (300 kHz, 0.5 W/cm(2), 15s) yielded anti-proliferative activities of 52.8 ± 2.75% and cell apoptosis ratio of 35.25 ± 0.17% in hypoxic cells at 24h after the treatment, superior to other treatment groups such as PTX only and PTX-loaded MBs (PLMBs) with or without ultrasound mediation. RT-PCR and Western blot tests further confirmed the reduced expression of HIF-1α and MDR-1/P-gp after ultrasound mediation of OPLMBs. Our experiment suggests that ultrasound mediation of oxygen and drug-loaded MBs may be a useful method to overcome chemoresistance in the hypoxic ovarian cancer cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using an ultrasound elasticity microscope to map three-dimensional strain in a porcine cornea.

PubMed

Hollman, Kyle W; Shtein, Roni M; Tripathy, Sakya; Kim, Kang

2013-08-01

An ultrasound elasticity microscope was used to map 3-D strain volume in an ex vivo porcine cornea to illustrate its ability to measure the mechanical properties of this tissue. Mechanical properties of the cornea play an important role in its function and, therefore, also in ophthalmic diseases such as kerataconus and corneal ectasia. The ultrasound elasticity microscope combines a tightly focused high-frequency transducer with confocal scanning to produce high-quality speckle over the entire volume of tissue. This system and the analysis were able to generate volume maps of compressional strain in all three directions for porcine corneal tissue, more information than any previous study has reported. Strain volume maps indicated features of the cornea and mechanical behavior as expected. These results constitute a step toward better understanding of corneal mechanics and better treatment of corneal diseases. Copyright © 2013 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous lavage of calcific bursitis of the medial collateral ligament of the knee: a case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Del Castillo-González, Federico; Ramos-Álvarez, Juan José; González-Pérez, José; Jiménez-Herranz, Elena; Rodríguez-Fabián, Guillermo

2016-10-01

Calcification of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knee is rare. The literature reports no positive outcomes when conservative treatment has been followed. This paper reports a case of such calcification and its treatment using ultrasound-guided percutaneous lavage (UGPL). A 66-year-old patient presented with medial knee pain. X-ray, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance (MR) examinations revealed calcific bursitis of the MCL, which was treated by UGPL. One month after treatment the patient was asymptomatic. X-ray, ultrasound, and MR examinations confirmed the almost complete disappearance of the calcification; only very tiny fragments remained. Calcific bursitis of the MCL of the knee is very uncommon, but should be taken into account in differential diagnoses for medial knee pain. UGPL is proposed as a treatment for this condition.

Robot-assisted ultrasound imaging: overview and development of a parallel telerobotic system.

PubMed

Monfaredi, Reza; Wilson, Emmanuel; Azizi Koutenaei, Bamshad; Labrecque, Brendan; Leroy, Kristen; Goldie, James; Louis, Eric; Swerdlow, Daniel; Cleary, Kevin

2015-02-01

Ultrasound imaging is frequently used in medicine. The quality of ultrasound images is often dependent on the skill of the sonographer. Several researchers have proposed robotic systems to aid in ultrasound image acquisition. In this paper we first provide a short overview of robot-assisted ultrasound imaging (US). We categorize robot-assisted US imaging systems into three approaches: autonomous US imaging, teleoperated US imaging, and human-robot cooperation. For each approach several systems are introduced and briefly discussed. We then describe a compact six degree of freedom parallel mechanism telerobotic system for ultrasound imaging developed by our research team. The long-term goal of this work is to enable remote ultrasound scanning through teleoperation. This parallel mechanism allows for both translation and rotation of an ultrasound probe mounted on the top plate along with force control. Our experimental results confirmed good mechanical system performance with a positioning error of < 1 mm. Phantom experiments by a radiologist showed promising results with good image quality.

Evaluation of the ultrasound effect on treated municipal wastewater.

PubMed

Vázquez-López, Monserrat; Amabilis-Sosa, Leonel Ernesto; Moeller-Chávez, Gabriela Eleonora; Roé-Sosa, Adriana; Neumann, Patricio; Vidal, Gladys

2018-06-18

In this research, ultrasound (US; 26 kHz) application was evaluated as tertiary treatment of treated municipal wastewater coming from conventional activated sludge (AS) and constructed wetland (CW) systems. The degree of disinfection was evaluated through the total (TC) and faecal (FC) coliforms and by somatic coliphages (SCs) determinations. The experiments were carried out without temperature control at times of 200, 400 and 600 s and with temperature control (298.1 K) at 600, 1200 and 1800 s. Changes in the concentrations of C, N and P were also studied. The results shown that treatment without temperature control allowed 100% inactivation for TC, FC and SC at 600 s, while maximum with temperature was achieved at 1800 s. Temperature was an important factor influencing pathogens inactivation. In both cases, microorganism concentrations complied with different international guidelines for the reuse of treated wastewater. At 1800 s sonication concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand and total phosphorus were reduced 39.5, 39.4, 50.0 and 37.3% TN in the AS-treated water and 24.0, 49.8, 20.2 and 7.7% in the CW-treated water, respectively. In both cases, the formation of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] radicals is most likely related to the observed pollutants removal. While energy consumption of ultrasound was higher than other advanced treatments such as electrocoagulation, its implementation allows the simultaneous removal of pathogens and organic pollutants without the generation of toxic by-products. In conclusion, ultrasound can be implemented as tertiary treatment of municipal wastewater for the removal of biological and organic pollution, according to reuse guidelines in terms of pathogens presence.

Short- and long-term efficacy of focused ultrasound therapy for non-neoplastic epithelial disorders of the vulva.

PubMed

Wu, C; Zou, M; Xiong, Y; Wang, L; Chen, H; Fan, Y; Li, C

2017-08-01

To investigate the short- and long-term efficacy and influential factors of focused ultrasound for the treatment of non-neoplastic epithelial disorders of the vulva (NNEDV). A retrospective observational study. A gynaecologic department in a single centre in China. Patients with NNEDV were included in this study: 85 patients were diagnosed with lichen simplex chronicus (LSC), 44 patients with vulva lichen sclerosus (VLS), and seven patients with lichen planus (LP). A total of 136 eligible patients with NNEDV were treated with focused ultrasound. After the treatment, based on changes in the degree of symptom severity and local skin signs (lesion size, skin colour and elasticity) before and after treatment, the treatment effectiveness for each patient was assessed. We further analysed the relations among pathologic type, age, course and curative rate. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square (McNemar) test. Improvement in the symptoms and physical signs and the predictive factors. Symptom relief was observed in all patients. The appearance and colour of the vulva returned to normal after the ultrasound treatment. Complete remission (CR) occurred in 68 of 136 (50%) patients (41 patients with LSC and 12 patients with VLS). The response rate was 93.38% (127/136). Seven patients who had a poor response to the first session of treatment were treated again with ultrasound therapy and a good response was observed. No severe complications were observed. There was no significant difference in treatment results among the different pathological types (P > 0.05). However, the course of the disease and the age of the patients were related to the treatment results (P < 0.05). NNEDV can be treated with focused ultrasound effectively and safely. The course of the disease and the age of the patients may be predictive factors. Patients with non-neoplastic epithelial disorders of the vulva can be safely and effectively treated with focused ultrasound. No significant difference in treatment results was observed between the different types of non-neoplastic epithelial disorders of the vulva. © 2017 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided injections combined with shoulder exercises in the treatment of subacromial adhesive bursitis.

PubMed

Gasparre, Giuseppe; Fusaro, Isabella; Galletti, Stefano; Volini, Silvia; Benedetti, Maria Grazia

2012-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the association of exercises for the shoulder with ultrasound-guided injection into the bursa significantly improves the treatment outcome in adhesive bursitis. Two groups of 35 patients, one treated with ultrasound-guided injection (UGI) and the other one with ultrasound-guided injection and home exercise program (UGI-exercise) for 1 month, were assessed for pain and shoulder function before treatment, 1 and 3 months post-treatment. Fourteen patients in UGI group and 23 patients in the UGI-exercises group were completely free of pain after 1 month (p = 0.031). At 3 months' follow-up, patients in the UGI-exercise group showed a significant improvement with respect to the other group (p = 0.005). No differences were found in function assessment. The UGI combined with shoulder exercises in the treatment of subacromial adhesive bursitis is effective to ensure a more frequent complete pain relief in the medium term.

Influence of Ultrasound Treatment on Cavitation Erosion Resistance of AlSi7 Alloy

PubMed Central

Pola, Annalisa; Montesano, Lorenzo; Tocci, Marialaura; La Vecchia, Giovina Marina

2017-01-01

Ultrasound treatment of liquid aluminum alloys is known to improve mechanical properties of castings. Aluminum foundry alloys are frequently used for production of parts that undergo severe cavitation erosion phenomena during service. In this paper, the effect of the ultrasound treatment on cavitation erosion resistance of AlSi7 alloy was assessed and compared to that of conventionally cast samples. Cavitation erosion tests were performed according to ASTM G32 standard on as-cast and heat treated castings. The response of the alloy in each condition was investigated by measuring the mass loss as a function of cavitation time and by analyzing the damaged surfaces by means of optical and scanning electron microscope. It was pointed out that the ultrasound treatment increases the cavitation erosion resistance of the alloy, as a consequence of the higher chemical and microstructural homogeneity, the finer grains and primary particles and the refined structure of the eutectic induced by the treatment itself. PMID:28772617

Influence of Ultrasound Treatment on Cavitation Erosion Resistance of AlSi7 Alloy.

PubMed

Pola, Annalisa; Montesano, Lorenzo; Tocci, Marialaura; La Vecchia, Giovina Marina

2017-03-03

Ultrasound treatment of liquid aluminum alloys is known to improve mechanical properties of castings. Aluminum foundry alloys are frequently used for production of parts that undergo severe cavitation erosion phenomena during service. In this paper, the effect of the ultrasound treatment on cavitation erosion resistance of AlSi7 alloy was assessed and compared to that of conventionally cast samples. Cavitation erosion tests were performed according to ASTM G32 standard on as-cast and heat treated castings. The response of the alloy in each condition was investigated by measuring the mass loss as a function of cavitation time and by analyzing the damaged surfaces by means of optical and scanning electron microscope. It was pointed out that the ultrasound treatment increases the cavitation erosion resistance of the alloy, as a consequence of the higher chemical and microstructural homogeneity, the finer grains and primary particles and the refined structure of the eutectic induced by the treatment itself.

A novel platform for electromagnetic navigated ultrasound bronchoscopy (EBUS).

PubMed

Sorger, Hanne; Hofstad, Erlend Fagertun; Amundsen, Tore; Langø, Thomas; Leira, Håkon Olav

2016-08-01

Endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) of mediastinal lymph nodes is essential for lung cancer staging and distinction between curative and palliative treatment. Precise sampling is crucial. Navigation and multimodal imaging may improve the efficiency of EBUS-TBNA. We demonstrate a novel EBUS-TBNA navigation system in a dedicated airway phantom. Using a convex probe EBUS bronchoscope (CP-EBUS) with an integrated sensor for electromagnetic (EM) position tracking, we performed navigated CP-EBUS in a phantom. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) and real-time ultrasound (US) images were integrated into a navigation platform for EM navigated bronchoscopy. The coordinates of targets in CT and US volumes were registered in the navigation system, and the position deviation was calculated. The system visualized all tumor models and displayed their fused CT and US images in correct positions in the navigation system. Navigating the EBUS bronchoscope was fast and easy. Mean error observed between US and CT positions for 11 target lesions (37 measurements) was [Formula: see text] mm, maximum error was 5.9 mm. The feasibility of our novel navigated CP-EBUS system was successfully demonstrated. An EBUS navigation system is needed to meet future requirements of precise mediastinal lymph node mapping, and provides new opportunities for procedure documentation in EBUS-TBNA.

NASA biomedical Applications Team Advisory Center for Medical Technology and Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siedband, M. P.

1981-01-01

Projects carried out by the UW-BATeam are reported. The following subjects were investigated: clinical opthalmic ultrasound improvements, magnetic cell sorters, hyperthermia treatment for cancer, joystick driving control for the handicapped, qualitative coronary artery imaging (MIPS), and speech autocuers.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) Based Thrombolysis Using Multiple Frequency Excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suo, Dingjie

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) based thrombolysis has emerged as a promising drug-free approach for ischemic stroke treatment. The large amount of acoustic power required by this approach, however, poses a critical challenge to the future clinical translation because of the potential thermal damages. In this dissertation, multi-frequency acoustic waves at MHz range (near 1.5 MHz) were first introduced as HIFU excitations to reduce the required treatment power as well as the treatment time. It was found that dual-frequency thrombolysis efficiency was statistically better than that of single-frequency, under the same acoustic power and excitation condition. Microbubbles (MBs) combined with dual-frequency focused ultrasound (DFFU) for thrombolysis in vitro was then proposed to further reduce the power required. MBs are widely used in therapeutic ultrasound thrombolysis due to the nonlinear characteristics of their harmonic responses, coalescence and cavitation effects, which could further enhance efficiency. It was shown in this study that MBs, with sufficient concentration, could significantly lower the power threshold for thrombolysis for both DFFU and single-frequency focused ultrasound (SFFU). MBs mediated DFFU thrombolysis were then studied with a flow system that mimicked the blood flow in the artery of the brain. It was found that the cavitation threshold of a DFFU excitation yielded a lower level than that of a SFFU excitation. All the experimental results indicated that multi-frequency ultrasound could improve the thrombolysis efficiency. However, this was not well established numerically. Hence, a numerical investigation on the inertial cavitation threshold of MBs under multifrequency ultrasound irradiation was then investigated to confirm the benefit of using multi-frequency ultrasound for various applications. The main contribution and findings of this dissertation are as follows: 1) For the HIFU along study, when varying the acoustic power while fixing the duty cycle at 5%, it was found that almost 30% of the power can be saved by dual frequency ultrasound to achieve the same thrombolysis efficiency. In the experiment where the duty cycle was increased from 0.5% to 10%, it was shown that dual-frequency ultrasound can achieve the same thrombolysis efficiency with only half of the duty cycle of singlefrequency. Dual-frequency ultrasound could also accelerate the thrombolysis by a factor of 2-4 as demonstrated in this study. The measured cavitation doses of dual-frequency and triple-frequency excitations were at about the same level, both significantly higher than that of single-frequency. 2) For the MBs mediated thrombolysis study, SFFU needed about 96%-156% higher energy to achieve the same thrombolysis efficiency as that of DFFU. The thrombolysis efficiency was also found to increase with the duty cycle. The measured cavitation signals reveal that the enhanced inertial cavitation may contribute to the improved thrombolysis under DFFU and MBs. By adding the flow system, the inertial cavitation was higher than the static model. One reason could be the dissolution of MBs into the flow that lowered the concentration of MBs by a significant amount. In both cases, the inertial cavitation thresh holds of DFFU were lower than SFFU. 3) For the numerical study, we investigated the inertial cavitation threshold of MBs under multi-frequency ultrasound irradiation. The relationships between the cavitation threshold and MB size at various frequencies and in different media were investigated. The results for single, dual and triple frequency sonication showed that inertial cavitation thresholds can be reduced by introducing additional frequencies, which was consistent with previous experimental work. In addition, no significant difference was observed between dual frequency sonication with various frequency differences. This study also provided a possible route for optimizing ultrasound excitations for initiating inertial cavitation.

Method and apparatus for dynamic focusing of ultrasound energy

DOEpatents

Candy, James V.

2002-01-01

Method and system disclosed herein include noninvasively detecting, separating and destroying multiple masses (tumors, cysts, etc.) through a plurality of iterations from tissue (e.g., breast tissue). The method and system may open new frontiers with the implication of noninvasive treatment of masses in the biomedical area along with the expanding technology of acoustic surgery.

Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules in 435 patients

PubMed Central

Qian, Lin-Xue; Liu, Dong; Zhao, Jun-Feng

2017-01-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided microwave ablation in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. A total of 474 benign thyroid nodules in 435 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided microwave ablation from September 2012 to August 2015 were included. Nodule volume and thyroid function were measured before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and subsequently after every 6 months. The nodule volume reduction rate and changes of thyroid function were evaluated. The volume of all thyroid nodules significantly decreased after ultrasound-guided microwave ablation. The average volume was 13.07 ± 0.95 ml before treatment, and 1.14 ± 0.26 ml at 12-months follow-up. The mean volume reduction rate was 90% and the final volume reduction rate was 94%. The volume reduction rate of mainly cystic nodules was significantly higher than that of simple solid and mainly solid nodules (all P < 0.05). The pretreatment volume of nodules was positively correlated with the final volume reduction rate at final follow-up (P = 0.004). No serious complications were observed after treatment. In conclusion, ultrasound-guided microwave ablation is an effective and safe technique for treatment of benign thyroid nodules, and has the potential for clinical applications. Impact statement Ultrasound-guided MWA is an effective and safe technique for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. It can significantly reduce the nodule volume, improve the patients’ clinical symptoms, has less complication, guarantees quick recovery, meets patients' aesthetic needs, and shows less interference on the physiological and psychological aspects of the body. MWA should be a good complement to traditional open surgery and has potentials in clinical applications. PMID:28847173

Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules in 435 patients.

PubMed

Liu, Yu-Jiang; Qian, Lin-Xue; Liu, Dong; Zhao, Jun-Feng

2017-09-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided microwave ablation in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. A total of 474 benign thyroid nodules in 435 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided microwave ablation from September 2012 to August 2015 were included. Nodule volume and thyroid function were measured before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and subsequently after every 6 months. The nodule volume reduction rate and changes of thyroid function were evaluated. The volume of all thyroid nodules significantly decreased after ultrasound-guided microwave ablation. The average volume was 13.07 ± 0.95 ml before treatment, and 1.14 ± 0.26 ml at 12-months follow-up. The mean volume reduction rate was 90% and the final volume reduction rate was 94%. The volume reduction rate of mainly cystic nodules was significantly higher than that of simple solid and mainly solid nodules (all P < 0.05). The pretreatment volume of nodules was positively correlated with the final volume reduction rate at final follow-up ( P = 0.004). No serious complications were observed after treatment. In conclusion, ultrasound-guided microwave ablation is an effective and safe technique for treatment of benign thyroid nodules, and has the potential for clinical applications. Impact statement Ultrasound-guided MWA is an effective and safe technique for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. It can significantly reduce the nodule volume, improve the patients' clinical symptoms, has less complication, guarantees quick recovery, meets patients' aesthetic needs, and shows less interference on the physiological and psychological aspects of the body. MWA should be a good complement to traditional open surgery and has potentials in clinical applications.

Ultrasound-enhanced rt-PA thrombolysis in an ex vivo porcine carotid artery model.

PubMed

Hitchcock, Kathryn E; Ivancevich, Nikolas M; Haworth, Kevin J; Caudell Stamper, Danielle N; Vela, Deborah C; Sutton, Jonathan T; Pyne-Geithman, Gail J; Holland, Christy K

2011-08-01

Ultrasound is known to enhance recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) thrombolysis. In this study, occlusive porcine whole blood clots were placed in flowing plasma within living porcine carotid arteries. Ultrasonically induced stable cavitation was investigated as an adjuvant to rt-PA thrombolysis. Aged, retracted clots were exposed to plasma alone, plasma containing rt-PA (7.1 ± 3.8 μg/mL) or plasma with rt-PA and Definity® ultrasound contrast agent (0.79 ± 0.47 μL/mL) with and without 120-kHz continuous wave ultrasound at a peak-to-peak pressure amplitude of 0.44 MPa. An insonation scheme was formulated to promote and maximize stable cavitation activity by incorporating ultrasound quiescent periods that allowed for the inflow of Definity®-rich plasma. Cavitation was measured with a passive acoustic detector throughout thrombolytic treatment. Thrombolytic efficacy was measured by comparing clot mass before and after treatment. Average mass loss for clots exposed to rt-PA and Definity® without ultrasound (n = 7) was 34%, and with ultrasound (n = 6) was 83%, which constituted a significant difference (p < 0.0001). Without Definity® there was no thrombolytic enhancement by ultrasound exposure alone at this pressure amplitude (n = 5, p < 0.0001). In the low-oxygen environment of the ischemic artery, significant loss of endothelium occurred but no correlation was observed between arterial tissue damage and treatment type. Acoustic stable cavitation nucleated by an infusion of Definity® enhances rt-PA thrombolysis without apparent treatment-related damage in this ex vivo porcine carotid artery model. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Disruption of Prostate Microvasculature by Combining Microbubble-Enhanced Ultrasound and Prothrombin

PubMed Central

Liu, Yongliang; Qiao, Lu; Gao, Wenhong; Zhang, Weiguo; Liu, Zheng

2016-01-01

Previous studies have shown a unique method to disrupt tumor vasculature using pulsed, high-pressure amplitude therapeutic ultrasound combined with microbubbles. In this study, we attempted to destroy the prostate vasculature of canine prostates using microbubble-enhanced ultrasound (MEUS) and prothrombin. The prostates of 43 male mongrel canines were surgically exposed. Twenty-two prostates were treated using MEUS (n = 11) or MEUS and prothrombin (PMEUS, n = 11). The other 21 prostates, which were treated using microbubbles (n = 7), ultrasound (n = 7) or prothrombin (n = 7) only, served as the controls. Prothrombin was intravenously infused at 20 IU/kg. MEUS was induced using a therapeutic ultrasound device at a peak negative pressure of 4.47 MPa and a microbubble injection. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was performed to assess the blood perfusion of the prostates. Then, the prostate tissue was harvested immediately after treatment and at 48 hours later for pathological examination. The contrast-enhanced ultrasound peak value of the prostate decreased significantly from 36.2 ± 5.6 to 27.1 ± 6.3 after treatment in the PMEUS group, but it remained unchanged in the other groups. Histological examination found severe microvascular rupture, hemorrhage and thrombosis in both MEUS- and PMEUS-treated prostates immediately after treatment, while disruption in the PMEUS group was more severe than in the MEUS group. Forty-eight hours after treatment, massive necrosis and infiltration of white blood cells occurred in the PMEUS group. This study demonstrated that PMEUS disrupted the normal microvasculature of canine prostates and induced massive necrosis. PMEUS could potentially become a new noninvasive method used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. PMID:27643992

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) in Uterine Fibroid Treatment: Review Study.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Mustafa Z; Alkhorayef, Mohammed; Alzimami, Khalid S; Aljuhani, Manal Saud; Sulieman, Abdelmoneim

2014-01-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a highly precise medical procedure used locally to heat and destroy diseased tissue through ablation. This study intended to review HIFU in uterine fibroid therapy, to evaluate the role of HIFU in the therapy of leiomyomas as well as to review the actual clinical activities in this field including efficacy and safety measures beside the published clinical literature. An inclusive literature review was carried out in order to review the scientific foundation, and how it resulted in the development of extracorporeal distinct devices. Studies addressing HIFU in leiomyomas were identified from a search of the Internet scientific databases. The analysis of literature was limited to journal articles written in English and published between 2000 and 2013. In current gynecologic oncology, HIFU is used clinically in the treatment of leiomyomas. Clinical research on HIFU therapy for leiomyomas began in the 1990s, and the majority of patients with leiomyomas were treated predominantly with HIFUNIT 9000 and prototype single focus ultrasound devices. HIFU is a non-invasive and highly effective standard treatment with a large indication range for all sizes of leiomyomas, associated with high efficacy, low operative morbidity and no systemic side effects. Uterine fibroid treatment using HIFU was effective and safe in treating symptomatic uterine fibroids. Few studies are available in the literature regarding uterine artery embolization (UAE). HIFU provides an excellent option to treat uterine fibroids.

Ultrasound-Guided Steroid Injection of the Pisotriquetral Joint: A Multidisciplinary Effort.

PubMed

Brose, Steven W; Montfort, Janel; Gustafson, Kenneth J; Mittebrun, Ionica; Gauriloff, Samantha; Mosher, Mary; Bourbeau, Dennis J

2017-12-01

From the perspective of a multidisciplinary team, the authors describe the first reported use of ultrasound guidance for steroid injection into the pisotriquetral joint to relieve wrist pain of a person with spinal cord injury undergoing acute inpatient rehabilitation. Musculoskeletal ultrasound guidance was used to improve the accuracy of a corticosteroid injection of the pisotriquetral joint and the basal thumb in a 70-year-old man with paraplegia experiencing multifocal degenerative wrist pain. There was no bleeding or bruising after the injections, and the patient reported complete pain resolution 1 wk after the injections, which continued for over 1 yr. A multidisciplinary team was key in diagnosis, selection of treatment, and evaluation of treatment effect. Corticosteroid injection of the pisotriquetral joint under ultrasound guidance can be used as a treatment modality for managing wrist pain stemming from that joint. Further investigation and studies evaluating the use of ultrasound versus other imaging modalities for injection of the wrist are indicated.

Ultrasound as Visual Feedback in Speech Habilitation: Exploring Consultative Use in Rural British Columbia, Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernhardt, B. May; Bacsfalvi, Penelope; Adler-Bock, Marcy; Shimizu, Reiko; Cheney, Audrey; Giesbrecht, Nathan; O'Connell, Maureen; Sirianni, Jason; Radanov, Bosko

2008-01-01

Ultrasound has shown promise as a visual feedback tool in speech therapy. Rural clients, however, often have minimal access to new technologies. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate consultative treatment using ultrasound in rural communities. Two speech-language pathologists (SLPs) trained in ultrasound use provided consultation with…

Treatment delivery software for a new clinical grade ultrasound system for thermoradiotherapy.

PubMed

Novák, Petr; Moros, Eduardo G; Straube, William L; Myerson, Robert J

2005-11-01

A detailed description of a clinical grade Scanning Ultrasound Reflector Linear Array System (SURLAS) applicator was given in a previous paper [Med. Phys. 32, 230-240 (2005)]. In this paper we concentrate on the design, development, and testing of the personal computer (PC) based treatment delivery software that runs the therapy system. The SURLAS requires the coordinated interaction between the therapy applicator and several peripheral devices for its proper and safe operation. One of the most important tasks was the coordination of the input power sequences for the elements of two parallel opposed ultrasound arrays (eight 1.5 cm x 2 cm elements/array, array 1 and 2 operate at 1.9 and 4.9 MHz, respectively) in coordination with the position of a dual-face scanning acoustic reflector. To achieve this, the treatment delivery software can divide the applicator's treatment window in up to 64 sectors (minimum size of 2 cm x 2 cm), and control the power to each sector independently by adjusting the power output levels from the channels of a 16-channel radio-frequency generator. The software coordinates the generator outputs with the position of the reflector as it scans back and forth between the arrays. Individual sector control and dual frequency operation allows the SURLAS to adjust power deposition in three dimensions to superficial targets coupled to its treatment window. The treatment delivery software also monitors and logs several parameters such as temperatures acquired using a 16-channel thermocouple thermometry unit. Safety (in particular to patients) was the paramount concern and design criterion. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) was applied to the applicator as well as to the entire therapy system in order to identify safety issues and rank their relative importance. This analysis led to the implementation of several safety mechanisms and a software structure where each device communicates with the controlling PC independently of the others. In case of a malfunction in any part of the system or a violation of a user-defined safety criterion based on temperature readings, the software terminates treatment immediately and the user is notified. The software development process consisting of problem analysis, design, implementation, and testing is presented in this paper. Once the software was finished and integrated with the hardware, the therapy system was extensively tested. Results demonstrated that the software operates the SURLAS as intended with minimum risk to future patients.

Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Injection of Liposomal Amphotericin B for the Treatment of Symptomatic Aspergilloma.

PubMed

Parikh, Mihir S; Seeley, Eric; Nguyen-Tran, Evelyn; Krishna, Ganesh

2017-10-01

Surgical treatment with lung resection has traditionally been the treatment of choice for pulmonary cavities containing aspergillomas that cause hemoptysis. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a minimally invasive bronchoscopic technique that is commonly used for transbronchial needle aspiration of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes as well as centrally located parenchymal lesions. Here, we describe a case of a 71-year-old woman who was found to have a cavitary lesion in the lung containing aspergillomas. Under direct ultrasound visualization with EBUS, liposomal amphotericin B was injected into the aspergillomas. These aspergillomas regressed after treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first reported treatment of aspergilloma with EBUS-guided transbronchial needle injection of liposomal amphotericin B.

Ultrasound-assisted lipase-catalyzed synthesis of D-isoascorbyl palmitate: process optimization and Kinetic evaluation.

PubMed

Cui, Feng-Jie; Zhao, Hong-Xia; Sun, Wen-Jing; Wei, Zhuan; Yu, Si-Lian; Zhou, Qiang; Dong, Ying

2013-12-09

D-isoascorbic acid is a food antioxidant additive and used in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). High solubility in water (about 150 g/L at 25°C) reduces its effectiveness in stabilizing fats and oils. Our research group had successfully synthesized D-isoascorbyl palmitate using immobilized lipase Novozym 435 as a biocatalyst. Low production efficiency of D-isoascorbyl palmitate is still a problem for industrial production due to the long reaction time of over 24 h. In the present work, ultrasonic treatment was applied for accelerating the reaction process. The operation parameters were optimized to obtain the maximum D-isoascorbyl palmitate conversion rate by using a 5-level-4-factor Central Composite Design (CCD) and Response Surface Methdology (RSM). The reaction apparent kinetic parameters under the ultrasound treatment and mechanical shaking conditions were also determined and compared. Results showed that ultrasound treatment decreased the reaction time by over 50%. D-isoascorbyl palmitate yielded to 94.32 ± 0.17% and the productivity reached to 8.67 g L-1 h-1 under the optimized conditions as: 9% of enzyme load (w/w), 61°C of reaction temperature, 1:5 of D- isoascorbic-to-palmitic acid molar ratio, and 137 W of the ultrasound power. The immobilized lipase Novozym 435 could be reused for 7 times with 65% of the remained D-isoascorbyl palmitate conversion rate. The reaction kinetics showed that the maximum apparent reaction rate (vmax) of the ultrasound-assisted reaction was 2.85 times higher than that of the mechanical shaking, which proved that ultrasound treatment significantly enhanced the reaction efficiency. A systematic study on ultrasound-assisted enzymatic esterification for D-isoascorbyl palmitate production is reported. The results show a promising perspective of the ultrasound technique to reduce the reaction time and improve the production efficiency. The commercial D-isoascorbyl palmitate synthesis will be potentially realized due to this ultrasound-promoted esters synthesis method.

The Role of Ultrasound Compared to Biopsy of Temporal Arteries in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Giant Cell Arteritis (TABUL): a diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness study.

PubMed

Luqmani, Raashid; Lee, Ellen; Singh, Surjeet; Gillett, Mike; Schmidt, Wolfgang A; Bradburn, Mike; Dasgupta, Bhaskar; Diamantopoulos, Andreas P; Forrester-Barker, Wulf; Hamilton, William; Masters, Shauna; McDonald, Brendan; McNally, Eugene; Pease, Colin; Piper, Jennifer; Salmon, John; Wailoo, Allan; Wolfe, Konrad; Hutchings, Andrew

2016-11-01

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a relatively common form of primary systemic vasculitis, which, if left untreated, can lead to permanent sight loss. We compared ultrasound as an alternative diagnostic test with temporal artery biopsy, which may be negative in 9-61% of true cases. To compare the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of ultrasound with biopsy in diagnosing patients with suspected GCA. Prospective multicentre cohort study. Secondary care. A total of 381 patients referred with newly suspected GCA. Sensitivity, specificity and cost-effectiveness of ultrasound compared with biopsy or ultrasound combined with biopsy for diagnosing GCA and interobserver reliability in interpreting scan or biopsy findings. We developed and implemented an ultrasound training programme for diagnosing suspected GCA. We recruited 430 patients with suspected GCA. We analysed 381 patients who underwent both ultrasound and biopsy within 10 days of starting treatment for suspected GCA and who attended a follow-up assessment (median age 71.1 years; 72% female). The sensitivity of biopsy was 39% [95% confidence interval (CI) 33% to 46%], which was significantly lower than previously reported and inferior to ultrasound (54%, 95% CI 48% to 60%); the specificity of biopsy (100%, 95% CI 97% to 100%) was superior to ultrasound (81%, 95% CI 73% to 88%). If we scanned all suspected patients and performed biopsies only on negative cases, sensitivity increased to 65% and specificity was maintained at 81%, reducing the need for biopsies by 43%. Strategies combining clinical judgement (clinician's assessment at 2 weeks) with the tests showed sensitivity and specificity of 91% and 81%, respectively, for biopsy and 93% and 77%, respectively, for ultrasound; cost-effectiveness (incremental net monetary benefit) was £485 per patient in favour of ultrasound with both cost savings and a small health gain. Inter-rater analysis revealed moderate agreement among sonographers (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.61, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.75), similar to pathologists (0.62, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.76). There is no independent gold standard diagnosis for GCA. The reference diagnosis used to determine accuracy was based on classification criteria for GCA that include clinical features at presentation and biopsy results. We have demonstrated the feasibility of providing training in ultrasound for the diagnosis of GCA. Our results indicate better sensitivity but poorer specificity of ultrasound compared with biopsy and suggest some scope for reducing the role of biopsy. The moderate interobserver agreement for both ultrasound and biopsy indicates scope for improving assessment and reporting of test results and challenges the assumption that a positive biopsy always represents GCA. Further research should address the issue of an independent reference diagnosis, standards for interpreting and reporting test results and the evaluation of ultrasound training, and should also explore the acceptability of these new diagnostic strategies in GCA. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

ALA-PpIX variability quantitatively imaged in A431 epidermoid tumors using in vivo ultrasound fluorescence tomography and ex vivo assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DSouza, Alisha V.; Flynn, Brendan P.; Gunn, Jason R.; Samkoe, Kimberley S.; Anand, Sanjay; Maytin, Edward V.; Hasan, Tayyaba; Pogue, Brian W.

2014-03-01

Treatment monitoring of Aminolevunilic-acid (ALA) - Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) of basal-cell carcinoma (BCC) calls for superficial and subsurface imaging techniques. While superficial imagers exist for this purpose, their ability to assess PpIX levels in thick lesions is poor; additionally few treatment centers have the capability to measure ALA-induced PpIX production. An area of active research is to improve treatments to deeper and nodular BCCs, because treatment is least effective in these. The goal of this work was to understand the logistics and technical capabilities to quantify PpIX at depths over 1mm, using a novel hybrid ultrasound-guided, fiber-based fluorescence molecular spectroscopictomography system. This system utilizes a 633nm excitation laser and detection using filtered spectrometers. Source and detection fibers are collinear so that their imaging plane matches that of ultrasound transducer. Validation with phantoms and tumor-simulating fluorescent inclusions in mice showed sensitivity to fluorophore concentrations as low as 0.025μg/ml at 4mm depth from surface, as presented in previous years. Image-guided quantification of ALA-induced PpIX production was completed in subcutaneous xenograft epidermoid cancer tumor model A431 in nude mice. A total of 32 animals were imaged in-vivo, using several time points, including pre-ALA, 4-hours post-ALA, and 24-hours post-ALA administration. On average, PpIX production in tumors increased by over 10-fold, 4-hours post-ALA. Statistical analysis of PpIX fluorescence showed significant difference among all groups; p<0.05. Results were validated by exvivo imaging of resected tumors. Details of imaging, analysis and results will be presented to illustrate variability and the potential for imaging these values at depth.

Improved mechanical properties of retorted carrots by ultrasonic pre-treatments.

PubMed

Day, Li; Xu, Mi; Øiseth, Sofia K; Mawson, Raymond

2012-05-01

The use of ultrasound pre-processing treatment, compared to blanching, to enhance mechanical properties of non-starchy cell wall materials was investigated using carrot as an example. The mechanical properties of carrot tissues were measured by compression and tensile testing after the pre-processing treatment prior to and after retorting. Carrot samples ultrasound treated for 10 min at 60 °C provided a higher mechanical strength (P<0.05) to the cell wall structure than blanching for the same time period. With the addition of 0.5% CaCl(2) in the pre-treatment solution, both blanching and ultrasound treatment showed synergistic effect on enhancing the mechanical properties of retorted carrot pieces. At a relatively short treatment time (10 min at 60 °C) with the use of 0.5% CaCl(2), ultrasound treatment achieved similar enhancement to the mechanical strength of retorted carrots to blanching for a much longer time period (i.e. 40 min). The mechanism involved appears to be related to the stress responses present in all living plant matter. However, there is a need to clarify the relative importance of the potential stress mechanisms in order to get a better understanding of the processing conditions likely to be most effective. The amount of ultrasound treatment required is likely to involve low treatment intensities and there are indications from the structural characterisation and mechanical property analyses that the plant cell wall tissues were more elastic than that accomplished using low temperature long time blanching. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

UTMD-Promoted Co-Delivery of Gemcitabine and miR-21 Inhibitor by Dendrimer-Entrapped Gold Nanoparticles for Pancreatic Cancer Therapy

PubMed Central

Lin, Lizhou; Fan, Yu; Gao, Feng; Jin, Lifang; Li, Dan; Sun, Wenjie; Li, Fan; Qin, Peng; Shi, Qiusheng; Shi, Xiangyang; Du, Lianfang

2018-01-01

Conventional chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer (PaCa) suffers the problems of low drug permeability and inherent or acquired drug resistance. Development of new strategies for enhanced therapy still remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a new ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD)-promoted delivery system based on dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (Au DENPs) for co-delivery of gemcitabine (Gem) and miR-21 inhibitor (miR-21i). Methods: In this study, Gem-Au DENPs/miR-21i was designed and synthesized. The designed polyplexes were characterized via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Gel retardation assay and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Then, the optimum exposure parameters were examined by an ultrasound exposure platform. The cellular uptake, cytotoxicity and anticancer effects in vitro were analyzed by confocal laser microscopy, spectra microplate reader, flow cytometry and a chemiluminescence imaging system. Lastly, the anticancer effects in vivo were evaluated by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, TUNEL staining and comparison of tumor volume. Results: The results showed that the Gem-Au DENPs/miR-21i can be uptake by cancer cells and the cellular uptake was further facilitated by UTMD with an ultrasound power of 0.4 W/cm2 to enhance the cell permeability. Further, the co-delivery of Gem and miR-21i with or without UTMD treatment displayed 82-fold and 13-fold lower IC50 values than the free Gem, respectively. The UTMD-promoted co-delivery of Gem and miR-21i was further validated by in vivo treatment and showed a significant tumor volume reduction and an increase in blood perfusion of xenografted pancreatic tumors. Conclusion: The co-delivery of Gem and miR-21i using Au DENPs can be significantly promoted by UTMD technology, hence providing a promising strategy for effective pancreatic cancer treatments. PMID:29556365

SU-G-JeP4-12: Real-Time Organ Motion Monitoring Using Ultrasound and KV Fluoroscopy During Lung SBRT Delivery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Omari, E; Tai, A; Li, X

Purpose: Real-time ultrasound monitoring during SBRT is advantageous in understanding and identifying motion irregularities which may cause geometric misses. In this work, we propose to utilize real-time ultrasound to track the diaphragm in conjunction with periodical kV fluoroscopy to monitor motion of tumor or landmarks during SBRT delivery. Methods: Transabdominal Ultrasound (TAUS) b-mode images were collected from 10 healthy volunteers using the Clarity Autoscan System (Elekta). The autoscan transducer, which has a center frequency of 5 MHz, was utilized for the scans. The acquired images were contoured using the Clarity Automatic Fusion and Contouring workstation software. Monitoring sessions of 5more » minute length were observed and recorded. The position correlation between tumor and diaphragm could be established with periodic kV fluoroscopy periodically acquired during treatment with Elekta XVI. We acquired data using a tissue mimicking ultrasound phantom with embedded spheres placed on a motion stand using ultrasound and kV Fluoroscopy. MIM software was utilized for image fusion. Correlation of diaphragm and target motion was also validated using 4D-MRI and 4D-CBCT. Results: The diaphragm was visualized as a hyperechoic region on the TAUS b-mode images. Volunteer set-up can be adjusted such that TAUS probe will not interfere with treatment beams. A segment of the diaphragm was contoured and selected as our tracking structure. Successful monitoring sessions of the diaphragm were recorded. For some volunteers, diaphragm motion over 2 times larger than the initial motion has been observed during tracking. For the phantom study, we were able to register the 2D kV Fluoroscopy with the US images for position comparison. Conclusion: We demonstrated the feasibility of tracking the diaphragm using real-time ultrasound. Real-time tracking can help in identifying such irregularities in the respiratory motion which is correlated to tumor motion. We also showed the feasibility of acquiring 2D KV Fluoroscopy and registering the images with Ultrasound.« less

Significance of ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of achilles tendon rupture.

PubMed

Poposka, A; Georgieva, D; Dzoleva-Tolevska, R

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to show the importance of ultrasound method in the diagnosis of Achilles tendon rupture, the choice of method of treatment and monitoring of treatment using the same method. Between 1999 and 2009, 134 patients with Achilles tendon rupture were referred to our Clinic. 66 patients (with a mean age of 38 years) were treated with surgical suture followed by plaster immobilization for a period of 8 weeks. 68 patients (with a mean age of 42 years) were treated conservatively with plaster immobilization for a period of 8 weeks. The follow-up in both groups of patients was 2 years. During the clinical and ultrasound monitoring of the patients it was proved that repeated rupture of the same tendon occurs on average within 12 months. Return to sports activities showed in 57% of the conservatively treated patients and in 55% of surgically treated patients. The patients with Achilles tendon rupture were treated at our Clinic with previously standardized protocol which, besides the clinical examination, used the ultrasound method. Ultrasound examination is a very important method in the diagnosis and the choice of the method of treatment, as well as in the evaluation of results in patients with Achilles tendon rupture, either in operative or conservative treatment.

Acoustically accessible window determination for ultrasound mediated treatment of glycogen storage disease type Ia patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shutao; Raju, Balasundar I.; Leyvi, Evgeniy; Weinstein, David A.; Seip, Ralf

2012-10-01

Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa) is caused by an inherited single-gene defect resulting in an impaired glycogen to glucose conversion pathway. Targeted ultrasound mediated delivery (USMD) of plasmid DNA (pDNA) to liver in conjunction with microbubbles may provide a potential treatment for GSDIa patients. As the success of USMD treatments is largely dependent on the accessibility of the targeted tissue by the focused ultrasound beam, this study presents a quantitative approach to determine the acoustically accessible liver volume in GSDIa patients. Models of focused ultrasound beam profiles for transducers of varying aperture and focal lengths were applied to abdomen models reconstructed from suitable CT and MRI images. Transducer manipulations (simulating USMD treatment procedures) were implemented via transducer translations and rotations with the intent of targeting and exposing the entire liver to ultrasound. Results indicate that acoustically accessible liver volumes can be as large as 50% of the entire liver volume for GSDIa patients and on average 3 times larger compared to a healthy adult group due to GSDIa patients' increased liver size. Detailed descriptions of the evaluation algorithm, transducer-and abdomen models are presented, together with implications for USMD treatments of GSDIa patients and transducer designs for USMD applications.

Blood-brain barrier disruption with focused ultrasound enhances delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs for glioblastoma treatment.

PubMed

Liu, Hao-Li; Hua, Mu-Yi; Chen, Pin-Yuan; Chu, Po-Chun; Pan, Chia-Hsin; Yang, Hung-Wei; Huang, Chiung-Yin; Wang, Jiun-Jie; Yen, Tzu-Chen; Wei, Kuo-Chen

2010-05-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of using focused ultrasound to enhance delivery of 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) to glioblastomas in rats with induced tumors and determine if such an approach increases treatment efficacy. All animal experiments were approved by the animal committee and adhered to the experimental animal care guidelines. A 400-kHz focused ultrasound generator was used to transcranially disrupt the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in rat brains by delivering burst-tone ultrasound energy in the presence of microbubbles. The process was monitored in vivo by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Cultured C6 glioma cells implanted in Sprague-Dawley rats were used as the tumor model. BCNU (13.5 mg/kg) was administered intravenously and its concentration in brains was quantified by using high-performance liquid chromatography. MR imaging was used to evaluate the effect of treatments longitudinally, including analysis of tumor progression and animal survival, and brain tissues were histologically examined. Methods including the two-tailed unpaired t test and the Mantel-Cox test were used for statistical analyses, with a significance level of .05. Focused ultrasound significantly enhanced the penetration of BCNU through the BBB in normal (by 340%) and tumor-implanted (by 202%) brains without causing hemorrhaging. Treatment of tumor-implanted rats with focused ultrasound alone had no beneficial effect on tumor progression or on animal survival up to 60 days. Administration of BCNU only transiently controlled tumor progression; nevertheless, relative to untreated controls, animal survival was improved by treatment with BCNU alone (increase in median survival time [IST(median)], 15.7%, P = .023). Treatment with focused ultrasound before BCNU administration controlled tumor progression (day 31: 0.05 cm(3) + or - 0.1 [standard deviation] vs 0.28 cm(3) + or - 0.1) and improved animal survival relative to untreated controls (IST(median), 85.9%, P = .0015). This study demonstrates a means of increasing localized chemotherapeutic drug delivery for brain tumor treatment and strongly supports the feasibility of this treatment in a clinical setting.

Tracking ultrasonically structural changes of natural aquatic organic carbon: Chemical fractionation and spectroscopic approaches.

PubMed

Al-Juboori, Raed A; Yusaf, Talal; Aravinthan, Vasantha; Bowtell, Leslie

2016-02-01

In this study, the structural alteration to DOC for a range of ultrasound treatments was investigated with chemical fractionation and UV-vis spectroscopic measurement. Ultrasound treatments were applied in continuous and pulsed modes at power levels of 48 and 84 W for effective treatment times of 5 and 15 min. Overall results show that the ultrasound treatments tended to degrade the hydrophobic aromatic fraction, while increasing the hydrophilic fraction to a lesser extent. The highest recorded reduction of hydrophobic DOC (17.8%) was achieved with pulse treatment of 84 W for15 min, while the highest increase in the hydrophilic DOC (10.5%) was obtained with continuous treatment at 84 W and 5 min. The optimal ultrasound treatment conditions were found to be pulse mode at high power and short treatment time, causing a minimal increase in the hydrophilic fraction of 1.3% with moderate removal of the hydrophobic fraction of 15.52%. The same treatment conditions, with longer treatment time, resulted in the highest removal of SUVA254 and SUVA280 of 17.09% and 16.93, respectively. These results indicate the potential for ultrasound treatments in DOC structural alteration. The hydrophobic fraction showed strong and significant correlations with UV absorbance at 254 and 280 nm. A254/A204 also exhibited strong and significant correlations with the hydrophobic/hydrophilic ratio. The other UV ratios (A250/A365 (E2/E3) and A254/A436) had weak and insignificant correlations with the hydrophobic/hydrophilic ratio. This confirms the applicability of UV indices as a suitable surrogate method for estimating the hydrophobic/hydrophilic structure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Model-based ultrasound temperature visualization during and following HIFU exposure.

PubMed

Ye, Guoliang; Smith, Penny Probert; Noble, J Alison

2010-02-01

This paper describes the application of signal processing techniques to improve the robustness of ultrasound feedback for displaying changes in temperature distribution in treatment using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), especially at the low signal-to-noise ratios that might be expected in in vivo abdominal treatment. Temperature estimation is based on the local displacements in ultrasound images taken during HIFU treatment, and a method to improve robustness to outliers is introduced. The main contribution of the paper is in the application of a Kalman filter, a statistical signal processing technique, which uses a simple analytical temperature model of heat dispersion to improve the temperature estimation from the ultrasound measurements during and after HIFU exposure. To reduce the sensitivity of the method to previous assumptions on the material homogeneity and signal-to-noise ratio, an adaptive form is introduced. The method is illustrated using data from HIFU exposure of ex vivo bovine liver. A particular advantage of the stability it introduces is that the temperature can be visualized not only in the intervals between HIFU exposure but also, for some configurations, during the exposure itself. 2010 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-enhanced nanotherapy of pancreatic cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapoport, N.; Nam, K.-H.; Christensen, D. A.; Kennedy, A. M.; Shea, J. E.; Scaife, C. L.

2010-03-01

The paper reports in vivo results of ultrasonic nanotherapy of orthotopically grown pancreatic cancer. Phase-shift paclitaxel (PTX) loaded perfluoropentane (PFP) nanoemusions combined with tumor-directed ultrasound have been used with a considerable success for tumor-targeted chemotherapy of gemcitabin (GEM)-refractory pancreatic cancer (PC). The GEM-resistant pancreatic cancer proved sensitive to treatment by a micellar PTX formulation Genexol PM (GEN) andor nanodroplet PTX formulation ndGEN. Due to increased permeability of tumor blood vessels, drug-loaded nanodroplets accumulated in the tumor via passive targeting, which was confirmed by ultrasound imaging. Nanodroplets converted into microbubbles in situ under the action of tumor-directed 1-MHz therapeutic ultrasound. The strongest therapeutic effect was observed for the combination therapy by PTX-loaded nanodroplets, GEM and ultrasound (ndGEN+GEM+ultrasound). This combination therapy resulted in a spectacular tumor regression and in some cases complete tumor resolution. Moreover, formation of metastases was dramatically decreased and ascitis generation was completely suppressed. However for all animal groups, local tumor recurrence was observed after the completion of the treatment indicating that some cancer cells survived the treatment. The recurrent tumors proved more resistant to the repeated therapy than initial tumors.

Microbubble and ultrasound radioenhancement of bladder cancer

PubMed Central

Tran, W T; Iradji, S; Sofroni, E; Giles, A; Eddy, D; Czarnota, G J

2012-01-01

Background: Tumour vasculature is an important component of tumour growth and survival. Recent evidence indicates tumour vasculature also has an important role in tumour radiation response. In this study, we investigated ultrasound and microbubbles to enhance the effects of radiation. Methods: Human bladder cancer HT-1376 xenografts in severe combined immuno-deficient mice were used. Treatments consisted of no, low and high concentrations of microbubbles and radiation doses of 0, 2 and 8 Gy in short-term and longitudinal studies. Acute response was assessed 24 h after treatment and longitudinal studies monitored tumour response weekly up to 28 days using power Doppler ultrasound imaging for a total of 9 conditions (n=90 animals). Results: Quantitative analysis of ultrasound data revealed reduced blood flow with ultrasound-microbubble treatments alone and further when combined with radiation. Tumours treated with microbubbles and radiation revealed enhanced cell death, vascular normalisation and areas of fibrosis. Longitudinal data demonstrated a reduced normalised vascular index and increased tumour cell death in both low and high microbubble concentrations with radiation. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that ultrasound-mediated microbubble exposure can enhance radiation effects in tumours, and can lead to enhanced tumour cell death. PMID:22790798

Closed-loop control of targeted ultrasound drug delivery across the blood–brain/tumor barriers in a rat glioma model

PubMed Central

Sun, Tao; Zhang, Yongzhi; Power, Chanikarn; Alexander, Phillip M.; Sutton, Jonathan T.; Aryal, Muna; Vykhodtseva, Natalia; Miller, Eric L.; McDannold, Nathan J.

2017-01-01

Cavitation-facilitated microbubble-mediated focused ultrasound therapy is a promising method of drug delivery across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) for treating many neurological disorders. Unlike ultrasound thermal therapies, during which magnetic resonance thermometry can serve as a reliable treatment control modality, real-time control of modulated BBB disruption with undetectable vascular damage remains a challenge. Here a closed-loop cavitation controlling paradigm that sustains stable cavitation while suppressing inertial cavitation behavior was designed and validated using a dual-transducer system operating at the clinically relevant ultrasound frequency of 274.3 kHz. Tests in the normal brain and in the F98 glioma model in vivo demonstrated that this controller enables reliable and damage-free delivery of a predetermined amount of the chemotherapeutic drug (liposomal doxorubicin) into the brain. The maximum concentration level of delivered doxorubicin exceeded levels previously shown (using uncontrolled sonication) to induce tumor regression and improve survival in rat glioma. These results confirmed the ability of the controller to modulate the drug delivery dosage within a therapeutically effective range, while improving safety control. It can be readily implemented clinically and potentially applied to other cavitation-enhanced ultrasound therapies. PMID:29133392

Anniversary paper: evolution of ultrasound physics and the role of medical physicists and the AAPM and its journal in that evolution.

PubMed

Carson, Paul L; Fenster, Aaron

2009-02-01

Ultrasound has been the greatest imaging modality worldwide for many years by equipment purchase value and by number of machines and examinations. It is becoming increasingly the front end imaging modality; serving often as an extension of the physician's fingers. We believe that at the other extreme, high-end systems will continue to compete with all other imaging modalities in imaging departments to be the method of choice for various applications, particularly where safety and cost are paramount. Therapeutic ultrasound, in addition to the physiotherapy practiced for many decades, is just coming into its own as a major tool in the long progression to less invasive interventional treatment. The physics of medical ultrasound has evolved over many fronts throughout its history. For this reason, a topical review, rather than a primarily chronological one is presented. A brief review of medical ultrasound imaging and therapy is presented, with an emphasis on the contributions of medical physicists, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and its publications, particularly its journal Medical Physics. The AAPM and Medical Physics have contributed substantially to training of physicists and engineers, medical practitioners, technologists, and the public.

Response monitoring of breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy using quantitative ultrasound, texture, and molecular features

PubMed Central

Gangeh, Mehrdad; Tadayyon, Hadi; Sadeghi-Naini, Ali; Gandhi, Sonal; Wright, Frances C.; Slodkowska, Elzbieta; Curpen, Belinda; Tran, William; Czarnota, Gregory J.

2018-01-01

Background Pathological response of breast cancer to chemotherapy is a prognostic indicator for long-term disease free and overall survival. Responses of locally advanced breast cancer in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) settings are often variable, and the prediction of response is imperfect. The purpose of this study was to detect primary tumor responses early after the start of neoadjuvant chemotherapy using quantitative ultrasound (QUS), textural analysis and molecular features in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Methods The study included ninety six patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Breast tumors were scanned with a clinical ultrasound system prior to chemotherapy treatment, during the first, fourth and eighth week of treatment, and prior to surgery. Quantitative ultrasound parameters and scatterer-based features were calculated from ultrasound radio frequency (RF) data within tumor regions of interest. Additionally, texture features were extracted from QUS parametric maps. Prior to therapy, all patients underwent a core needle biopsy and histological subtypes and biomarker ER, PR, and HER2 status were determined. Patients were classified into three treatment response groups based on combination of clinical and pathological analyses: complete responders (CR), partial responders (PR), and non-responders (NR). Response classifications from QUS parameters, receptors status and pathological were compared. Discriminant analysis was performed on extracted parameters using a support vector machine classifier to categorize subjects into CR, PR, and NR groups at all scan times. Results Of the 96 patients, the number of CR, PR and NR patients were 21, 52, and 23, respectively. The best prediction of treatment response was achieved with the combination mean QUS values, texture and molecular features with accuracies of 78%, 86% and 83% at weeks 1, 4, and 8, after treatment respectively. Mean QUS parameters or clinical receptors status alone predicted the three response groups with accuracies less than 60% at all scan time points. Recurrence free survival (RFS) of response groups determined based on combined features followed similar trend as determined based on clinical and pathology. Conclusions This work demonstrates the potential of using QUS, texture and molecular features for predicting the response of primary breast tumors to chemotherapy early, and guiding the treatment planning of refractory patients. PMID:29298305

A Wearable Goggle Navigation System for Dual-Mode Optical and Ultrasound Localization of Suspicious Lesions: Validation Studies Using Tissue-Simulating Phantoms and an Ex Vivo Human Breast Tissue Model

PubMed Central

Wang, Dong; Gan, Qi; Ye, Jian; Yue, Jian; Wang, Benzhong; Povoski, Stephen P.; Martin, Edward W.; Hitchcock, Charles L.; Yilmaz, Alper; Tweedle, Michael F.; Shao, Pengfei; Xu, Ronald X.

2016-01-01

Surgical resection remains the primary curative treatment for many early-stage cancers, including breast cancer. The development of intraoperative guidance systems for identifying all sites of disease and improving the likelihood of complete surgical resection is an area of active ongoing research, as this can lead to a decrease in the need of subsequent additional surgical procedures. We develop a wearable goggle navigation system for dual-mode optical and ultrasound imaging of suspicious lesions. The system consists of a light source module, a monochromatic CCD camera, an ultrasound system, a Google Glass, and a host computer. It is tested in tissue-simulating phantoms and an ex vivo human breast tissue model. Our experiments demonstrate that the surgical navigation system provides useful guidance for localization and core needle biopsy of simulated tumor within the tissue-simulating phantom, as well as a core needle biopsy and subsequent excision of Indocyanine Green (ICG)—fluorescing sentinel lymph nodes. Our experiments support the contention that this wearable goggle navigation system can be potentially very useful and fully integrated by the surgeon for optimizing many aspects of oncologic surgery. Further engineering optimization and additional in vivo clinical validation work is necessary before such a surgical navigation system can be fully realized in the everyday clinical setting. PMID:27367051

A Wearable Goggle Navigation System for Dual-Mode Optical and Ultrasound Localization of Suspicious Lesions: Validation Studies Using Tissue-Simulating Phantoms and an Ex Vivo Human Breast Tissue Model.

PubMed

Zhang, Zeshu; Pei, Jing; Wang, Dong; Gan, Qi; Ye, Jian; Yue, Jian; Wang, Benzhong; Povoski, Stephen P; Martin, Edward W; Hitchcock, Charles L; Yilmaz, Alper; Tweedle, Michael F; Shao, Pengfei; Xu, Ronald X

2016-01-01

Surgical resection remains the primary curative treatment for many early-stage cancers, including breast cancer. The development of intraoperative guidance systems for identifying all sites of disease and improving the likelihood of complete surgical resection is an area of active ongoing research, as this can lead to a decrease in the need of subsequent additional surgical procedures. We develop a wearable goggle navigation system for dual-mode optical and ultrasound imaging of suspicious lesions. The system consists of a light source module, a monochromatic CCD camera, an ultrasound system, a Google Glass, and a host computer. It is tested in tissue-simulating phantoms and an ex vivo human breast tissue model. Our experiments demonstrate that the surgical navigation system provides useful guidance for localization and core needle biopsy of simulated tumor within the tissue-simulating phantom, as well as a core needle biopsy and subsequent excision of Indocyanine Green (ICG)-fluorescing sentinel lymph nodes. Our experiments support the contention that this wearable goggle navigation system can be potentially very useful and fully integrated by the surgeon for optimizing many aspects of oncologic surgery. Further engineering optimization and additional in vivo clinical validation work is necessary before such a surgical navigation system can be fully realized in the everyday clinical setting.

Biological effects of low frequency high intensity ultrasound application on ex vivo human adipose tissue.

PubMed

Palumbo, P; Cinque, B; Miconi, G; La Torre, C; Zoccali, G; Vrentzos, N; Vitale, A R; Leocata, P; Lombardi, D; Lorenzo, C; D'Angelo, B; Macchiarelli, G; Cimini, A; Cifone, M G; Giuliani, M

2011-01-01

In the present work the effects of a new low frequency, high intensity ultrasound technology on human adipose tissue ex vivo were studied. In particular, we investigated the effects of both external and surgical ultrasound-irradiation (10 min) by evaluating, other than sample weight loss and fat release, also histological architecture alteration as well apoptosis induction. The influence of saline buffer tissue-infiltration on the effects of ultrasound irradiation was also examined. The results suggest that, in our experimental conditions, both transcutaneous and surgical ultrasound exposure caused a significant weight loss and fat release. This effect was more relevant when the ultrasound intensity was set at 100 % (~2.5 W/cm², for external device; ~19-21 W/cm2, for surgical device) compared to 70 % (~1.8 W/cm² for external device; ~13-14 W/cm2 for surgical device). Of note, the effectiveness of ultrasound was much higher when the tissue samples were previously infiltrated with saline buffer, in accordance with the knowledge that ultrasonic waves in aqueous solution better propagate with a consequently more efficient cavitation process. Moreover, the overall effects of ultrasound irradiation did not appear immediately after treatment but persisted over time, being significantly more relevant at 18 h from the end of ultrasound irradiation. Evaluation of histological characteristics of ultrasound-irradiated samples showed a clear alteration of adipose tissue architecture as well a prominent destruction of collagen fibers which were dependent on ultrasound intensity and most relevant in saline buffer-infiltrated samples. The structural changes of collagen bundles present between the lobules of fat cells were confirmed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which clearly demonstrated how ultrasound exposure induced a drastic reduction in the compactness of the adipose connective tissue and an irregular arrangement of the fibers with a consequent alteration in the spatial architecture. The analysis of the composition of lipids in the fat released from adipose tissue after ultrasound treatment with surgical device showed, in agreement with the level of adipocyte damage, a significant increase mainly of triglycerides and cholesterol. Finally, ultrasound exposure had been shown to induce apoptosis as shown by the appearance DNA fragmentation. Accordingly, ultrasound treatment led to down-modulation of procaspase-9 expression and an increased level of caspase-3 active form.

Thrombus resolution and hemodynamic recovery using ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis in acute pulmonary embolism.

PubMed

Kennedy, Robert J; Kenney, Hai H; Dunfee, Brian L

2013-06-01

To evaluate retrospectively the safety profile and clinical success of ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis for acute pulmonary embolism (PE) with a standard lytic infusion protocol. A retrospective study was performed at a single center treating patients with acute PE between October 2009 and April 2012. On diagnosis of submassive or massive PE by pulmonary computed tomography angiography or ventilation/perfusion scan, all patients received anticoagulation and treatment using the EkoSonic endovascular system (EKOS Corporation, Bothell, Washington). The ultrasound-accelerated thrombolytic infusion catheters were placed into the affected pulmonary arteries to facilitate administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator at 0.5-1.0mg/h/catheter. Treatment of 60 patients (35 men, 25 women; age 61 y±16; 53 bilateral PE; 48 submassive PE) resulted in complete thrombus clearance (≥90%) in 57% and near-complete (50%-90%) clearance in 41% of patients after infusion of 35.1 mg±11.1 of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator over 19.6 hours±6.0. Measurements before and after treatment showed a decrease in pulmonary artery pressure (47 mm Hg±15 to 38 mm Hg±12 [systolic], P<.001) and Miller score (25±3 to 17±6, P<.001). There were 57 patients who survived to discharge. All three patients who died in the hospital presented with massive PE. On 90-day follow-up, 56 patients (93%) were alive. The current study demonstrates effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis in patients with acute PE with a large thrombus burden. Copyright © 2013 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Surgical treatment of multiple symmetric lipomatosis with ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

PubMed

Bassetto, Franco; Scarpa, Carlotta; De Stefano, Fabio; Busetto, Luca

2014-11-01

Multiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL) is a rare disease of unknown etiology, characterized by the presence of multiple, symmetrical, noncapsulated lipomas, mostly in the neck and upper trunk. To date, there is no effective medical treatment of MSL. Surgical treatment is based on 2 options, namely, lipectomy and/or liposuction. In this retrospective study, we compare traditional lipectomy with ultrasound-assisted liposuction. Our initial experience demonstrates that the ultrasound-assisted liposuction procedure can be applied to patients with MSL, allowing simultaneous treatment of multiple areas in a single session and the removal of a substantial amount of fat, thus improving aesthetic results. If lipomas are circumscribed and isolated, traditional lipectomy is probably to be preferred.

Ultrasound for Drug and Gene Delivery to the Brain

PubMed Central

Hynynen, Kullervo

2008-01-01

Noninvasive, transient, and local image-guided blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) has been demonstrated with focused ultrasound exposure in animal models. Most studies have combined low pressure amplitude and low time average acoustic power burst sonications with intra-vascular injection of pre-formed micro-bubbles to produce BBBD without damage to the neurons. The BBB has been shown to be healed within a few hours after the exposure. The combination of focused ultrasound beams with MR image guidance allows precise anatomical targeting as demonstrated by the delivery of several marker molecules in different animal models. This method may in the future have a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Most notably, the delivery of the chemotherapy agents liposomal Doxorubicin and Herceptin has been shown in a rat model. PMID:18486271

Partial segmental thrombosis of the corpus cavernosum (PSTCC) diagnosed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound: a case report.

PubMed

Sauer, Stephanie; Goltz, Jan P; Gassenmaier, Tobias; Kunz, Andreas S; Bley, Thorsten A; Klein, Detlef; Petritsch, Bernhard

2014-12-17

Partial segmental thrombosis of the corpus cavernosum (PSTCC) is a rare disease predominantly occurring in young men. Cardinal symptoms are pain and perineal swelling. Although several risk factors are described in the literature, the exact etiology of penile thrombosis remains unclear in most cases. MRI or ultrasound (US) is usually used for diagnosing this condition. We report a case of penile thrombosis after left-sided varicocele ligature in a young patient. The diagnosis was established using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and was confirmed by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (ceMRI). Successful conservative treatment consisted of systemic anticoagulation using low molecular weight heparin and acetylsalicylic acid. PSTCC is a rare condition in young men and appears with massive pain and perineal swelling. In case of suspected PSTCC utilization of CEUS may be of diagnostic benefit.

A scanned focused ultrasound device for hyperthermia: numerical simulation and prototype implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meaney, Paul M.; Raynolds, Timothy; Geimer, Shireen D.; Potwin, Lincoln; Paulsen, Keith D.

2004-07-01

We are developing a scanned focused ultrasound system for hyperthermia treatment of breast cancer. Focused ultrasound has significant potential as a therapy delivery device because it can focus sufficient heating energy below the skin surface with minimal damage to intervening tissue. However, as a practical therapy system, the focal zone is generally quite small and requires either electronic (in the case of a phased array system) or mechanical steering (for a fixed bowl transducer) to cover a therapeutically useful area. We have devised a simple automated steering system consisting of a focused bowl transducer supported by three vertically movable rods which are connected to computer controlled linear actuators. This scheme is particularly attractive for breast cancer hyperthermia where the support rods can be fed through the base of a liquid coupling tank to treat tumors within the breast while coupled to our noninvasive microwave thermal imaging system. A MATLAB routine has been developed for controlling the rod motion such that the beam focal point scans a horizontal spiral and the subsequent heating zone is cylindrical. In coordination with this effort, a 3D finite element thermal model has been developed to evaluate the temperature distributions from the scanned focused heating. In this way, scanning protocols can be optimized to deliver the most uniform temperature rise to the desired location.

Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from textile dyeing sludge by ultrasound combined zero-valent iron/EDTA/Air system.

PubMed

Man, Xiaoyuan; Ning, Xun-An; Zou, Haiyuan; Liang, Jieying; Sun, Jian; Lu, Xingwen; Sun, Jiekui

2018-01-01

This paper proposes a combined ultrasound (US) and zero-valent iron/EDTA/Air (ZEA) system to remove polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from textile dyeing sludge. The removal efficiencies of 16 PAHs using ZEA, US/Air (air injected into the US process), and US/ZEA treatments were investigated, together with the effects of various operating parameters. The enhanced mechanisms of US and the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in removing PAHs in the US/ZEA system were explored. Results showed that only 42.5% and 32.9% of ∑16 PAHs were removed by ZEA and US/Air treatments respectively, whereas 70.1% were removed by US/ZEA treatment, (with favorable operating conditions of 2.0 mM EDTA, 15 g/L ZVI, and 1.08 w/cm 3 ultrasonic density). The US/ZEA system could be used with a wide pH range. US led to synergistic improvement of PAHs removal in the ZEA system by enhancing sludge disintegration to release PAHs and promoting ZVI corrosion and oxygen activation. In the US/ZEA system, PAHs could be degraded by ROS (namely OH, O 2 - /HO 2 , and Fe(IV)) and adsorbed by ZVI, during which the ROS made the predominant contribution. This study provides important insights into the application of a US/ZEA system to remove PAHs from sludge. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison microbial killing efficacy between sonodynamic therapy and photodynamic therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drantantiyas, Nike Dwi Grevika; Astuti, Suryani Dyah; Nasution, Aulia M. T.

2016-11-01

Biofilm is a way used by bacteria to survive from their environmental conditions by forming colony of bacteria. Specific characteristic in biofilm formation is the availability of matrix layer, known as extracellular polymer substance. Treatment using antibiotics may lead bacteria to be to resistant. Other treatments to reduce microbial, like biofilm, can be performed by using photodynamic therapy. Successful of this kind of therapy is induced by penetration of light and photosensitizer into target cells. The sonodynamic therapy offers greater penetrating capability into tissues. This research aimed to use sonodynamic therapy in reducing biofilm. Moreover, it compares also the killing efficacy of photodynamic therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and the combination of both therapeutic schemes (known as sono-photodynamic) to achieve higher microbial killing efficacy. Samples used are Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. Treatments were divided into 4 groups, i.e. group under ultrasound treatment with variation of 5 power levels, group of light treatment with exposure of 75s, group of combined ultrasound-light with variation of ultrasound power levels, and group of combined lightultrasound with variation of ultrasound power levels. Results obtained for each treatment, expressed in % efficacy of log CFU/mL, showed that the treatment of photo-sonodynamic provides greater killing efficacy in comparison to either sonodynamic and sono-photodynamic. The photo-sonodynamic shows also greater efficacy to photodynamic. So combination of light-ultrasound (photo-sonodynamic) can effectively kill microbial biofilm. The combined therapy will provide even better efficacy using exogenous photosensitizer.

Case report: A breast cancer patient treated with GcMAF, sonodynamic therapy and hormone therapy.

PubMed

Inui, Toshio; Makita, Kaori; Miura, Hirona; Matsuda, Akiko; Kuchiike, Daisuke; Kubo, Kentaro; Mette, Martin; Uto, Yoshihiro; Nishikata, Takahito; Hori, Hitoshi; Sakamoto, Norihiro

2014-08-01

Gc protein-derived macrophage-activating factor (GcMAF) occurs naturally in the human body. It has various functions, such as macrophage activation and antitumor activities. Recently, immunotherapy has become an attractive new strategy in the treatment of cancer. GcMAF-based immunotherapy can be combined with many other therapies. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) using low-intensity ultrasound is a novel therapeutic modality. Ultrasound has been demonstrated to activate a number of sonosensitive agents allowing for the possibility of non-invasive targeted treatment for both superficial and deep-seated tumors. The current case study demonstrates that GcMAF and SDT can be used in combination with conventional therapies in patients with metastatic cancer, especially where treatment options are limited due to factors such as toxicity. This case study also suggests a new concept of cancer treatment using local destruction of cancer tissue, in this case conducted with SDT, to be used in combination with GcMAF immunotherapy as a systemic treatment. Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment for uterine fibroids: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ji, Yongshuo; Hu, Kaimeng; Zhang, Yu; Gu, Lijun; Zhu, Junqiu; Zhu, Linglin; Zhu, Yanfei; Zhao, Hong

2017-12-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive uterine-preserving treatment alternative to hysterectomy for women with fibroids. We performed this meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of HIFU in the treatment of women with symptomatic fibroids comparing it to other approaches including medical treatment with mifepristone (Mife), traditional surgery with myomectomy or hysterectomy (MYC/HRM), and radiofrequency ablation (RF). 16 studies with 1725 women were included. The pooled data of HIFU comparing it to other methods in terms of complete or partial response rate (CR/PR) was not significantly better, but in subgroup analysis, the response rate was significantly higher than Mife, significantly lower than RF and comparable to MYC/HRM, respectively. For the endpoints of safety, the superiority of HIFU compared to MYC/HMR or Mife was found to be significant in terms of pain/discomfort, fever, transfusion, genital tract, gastrointestinal tract, and anesthesia-related complications, while no superiority was identified for skin burn, urinary tract, and nervous system complications. These results suggest that HIFU treatment of uterine leiomyomas leads to clinical improvement with few significant clinical complications and adverse events.

Clinical Consideration of Treatment to Ablate Uterine Fibroids with Magnetic Resonance Imaging-guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS): Sonalleve

PubMed Central

Jeong, Jae-Hyeok; Hong, Gil Pyo; Kim, Yu-Ri; Ha, Jae-Eun

2016-01-01

Objectives Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided high intensity focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is a newly emerging non-invasive technique for the treatment of uterine fibroids. The purpose of this study is to review the clinical impact of MRgFUS. Methods This study examined 157 patients. The high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) utilized in this study was Philips Achieva 1.5 Tesla MR (Philips Healthcare, Best, the Netherlands) and Sonalleve HIFU system. The patients were followed in post-operative Month 1, Month 3, and Month 6 to investigate any change. Then, these were further classified according to the use of uterine stimulant (oxytocin) in parallel, Funaki Type of uterine fibroid, HIFU intensity, and non-perfused volume (NPV) ratio. Results When the uterine stimulant was utilized, the HIFU intensity was measured at significantly lower levels, compared with the group not using uterine stimulant, and treatment duration was significantly. The NPV ratio was found significantly higher in the group using uterine stimulant. Concerning the correlation between Funaki Type of uterine fibroid and average sonication power, it was found that the closer to Type I, the lower the sonication power, the shorter the treatment duration, and the higher the NPV ratio significantly. Conclusions In this study, it was found that the lower the Funaki Types of uterine fibroids, and the higher the NPV ratio immediately after the operation, the larger the uterine fibroid volume decrease and SSS change were. Also, if uterine stimulant was used in parallel in treatment, treatment duration and HIFU intensity could become shorter and lower. PMID:27617244

Ultrasound effects on the degradation kinetics, structure and rheological properties of apple pectin.

PubMed

Zhang, Lifen; Ye, Xinqian; Ding, Tian; Sun, Xiaoyang; Xu, Yuting; Liu, Donghong

2013-01-01

The effects of ultrasound on the molecular weight of apple pectin were investigated. The structure and rheological properties of the degradation products were also tentatively identified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array Detector (HPLC-PAD), Infrared spectroscopy (IR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and Rheometer. The results indicated that the weight-average molecular weight of apple pectin decreased obviously after ultrasound treatment. The molecular weight of degradation products had a uniform and narrow distribution. Ultrasound intensity and temperature play an important role in the degradation reaction. Degradation kinetics model of apple pectin fitted to 1/M(t) - 1/M(0) = kt from 5 to 45 °C. The degree of methylation of apple pectin reduced according to IR analysis when ultrasound was applied. Ultrasound treatment could not alter the primary structure of apple pectin according to the results determined by HPLC, IR and NMR. Meanwhile, the viscosity of apple pectin was 10(3) times as large as that of ultrasound-treated apple pectin. The ultrasound-treated apple pectin showed predominantly viscous responses (G' < G") over the same frequency range. The results suggested that ultrasound provided a viable alternative method for the modification of pectin. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Utility of Teleultrasound to Guide Acute Patient Management.

PubMed

Becker, Christian; Fusaro, Mario; Patel, Dhruv; Shalom, Isaac; Frishman, William H; Scurlock, Corey

Ultrasound has evolved into a core bedside tool for diagnostic and management purposes for all subsets of adult and pediatric critically-ill patients. Teleintensive care unit coverage has undergone a similar rapid expansion period throughout the United States. Round-the-clock access to ultrasound equipment is very common in today's intensive care unit, but 24/7 coverage with staff trained to acquire and interpret point-of-care ultrasound in real time is lagging behind equipment availability. Medical trainees and physician extenders require attending level supervision to ensure consistent image acquisition and accurate interpretation. Teleintensivists can extend the utility of ultrasound by supervising and guiding providers without or with only partial training in ultrasound, and also by extending direct trainee ultrasound supervision to time periods when no direct bedside attending supervisor is available, and when treatment decisions otherwise would have been made without supervision and feedback on image acquisition and interpretation. Nursing staff without ultrasound training can also be directed to perform basic ultrasound exams, which may have immediate diagnostic and/or treatment consequences, thereby overcoming access barriers in the absence of physicians or physician extenders. We discuss 4 real-life clinical scenarios in which teleintensivist supervision extended and standardized bedside ultrasound exams to guide management decisions which significantly impacted patient outcomes.

Co-digestion of dairy cattle slurry and industrial meat-processing by-products--effect of ultrasound and hygienization pre-treatments.

PubMed

Luste, Sami; Heinonen-Tanski, Helvi; Luostarinen, Sari

2012-01-01

Anaerobic co-digestion of a mixture of industrial animal by-products (ABP) from meat-processing in conjunction with dairy cattle slurry (mixed in a ratio of 1:3; w.w.) was evaluated at 35 °C focusing on methane production and stabilization. Three pre-treatments were applied (1) digestion with no pre-treatment (control), (2) ultrasound, and (3) thermal hygienization (70 °C, 60 min). Methane production potentials (MPP) of the untreated, ultrasound pre-treated and hygienized feed mixtures were 300, 340, and 360 m(3) CH(4)/t volatile solids (VS) added, as determined in the batch experiments. However, the specific methane productions (SMP) achieved in reactor experiments (hydraulic retention time HRT 21 d, organic loading rate OLR 3.0±0.1 kg VS/m(3) d) were 11±2% (untreated and ultrasound pre-treated) and 22±3% (hygienized) lower than the potentials. Ultrasound with the energy input of 1000 kJ/kg total solids (TS) and hygienization of the ready-made feed were the most suitable pre-treatment modes studied. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scanned focussed ultrasound hyperthermia: initial clinical results.

PubMed

Shimm, D S; Hynynen, K H; Anhalt, D P; Roemer, R B; Cassady, J R

1988-11-01

Between November 1986 and July, 1987, a preliminary study to determine the feasibility of scanned focussed ultrasound for clinical hyperthermia at various sites was conducted. Fourteen patient (17 tumors) have been treated using a microprocessor-controlled apparatus developed at the University of Arizona by modifying a commercially available diagnostic ultrasound unit. We have treated nine pelvic tumors, four extremity tumors, two brain tumors, and two extracranial head and neck tumors for a total of 42 treatments. Multipoint thermometry was achieved for all patients, with 2-25 (mean = 10) points monitored during each treatments within the scanned tumor volume. Average maximum temperature within the scanned tumor volume was 44.2, 44.7, 44.8, and 42.0 degrees C for pelvic, extremity brain, and extracranial head and neck tumors, respectively; similarly, 55%, 45%, 71%, and 0 of monitored points exceeded 42.5 degrees C. Pain limited applied power in 15 of 42 treatments, and bone pain with a periodicity similar to the scanning periodicity was seen in 11 treatments. A non-randomized comparison of temperatures achieved using scanned focussed ultrasound to those achieved using the microwave annular array and the CDRH Helix suggests that scanned focussed ultrasound may have promise and potential advantages in heating selected pelvic tumors.

Consistent evaluation of an ultrasound-guided surgical navigation system by utilizing an active validation platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Younsu; Kim, Sungmin; Boctor, Emad M.

2017-03-01

An ultrasound image-guided needle tracking systems have been widely used due to their cost-effectiveness and nonionizing radiation properties. Various surgical navigation systems have been developed by utilizing state-of-the-art sensor technologies. However, ultrasound transmission beam thickness causes unfair initial evaluation conditions due to inconsistent placement of the target with respect to the ultrasound probe. This inconsistency also brings high uncertainty and results in large standard deviations for each measurement when we compare accuracy with and without the guidance. To resolve this problem, we designed a complete evaluation platform by utilizing our mid-plane detection and time of flight measurement systems. The evaluating system uses a PZT element target and an ultrasound transmitting needle. In this paper, we evaluated an optical tracker-based surgical ultrasound-guided navigation system whereby the optical tracker tracks marker frames attached on the ultrasound probe and the needle. We performed ten needle trials of guidance experiment with a mid-plane adjustment algorithm and with a B-mode segmentation method. With the midplane adjustment, the result showed a mean error of 1.62+/-0.72mm. The mean error increased to 3.58+/-2.07mm without the mid-plane adjustment. Our evaluation system can reduce the effect of the beam-thickness problem, and measure ultrasound image-guided technologies consistently with a minimal standard deviation. Using our novel evaluation system, ultrasound image-guided technologies can be compared under equal initial conditions. Therefore, the error can be evaluated more accurately, and the system provides better analysis on the error sources such as ultrasound beam thickness.

TU-A-9A-06: Semi-Automatic Segmentation of Skin Cancer in High-Frequency Ultrasound Images: Initial Comparison with Histology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, Y; Li, X; Fishman, K

Purpose: In skin-cancer radiotherapy, the assessment of skin lesion is challenging, particularly with important features such as the depth and width hard to determine. The aim of this study is to develop interative segmentation method to delineate tumor boundary using high-frequency ultrasound images and to correlate the segmentation results with the histopathological tumor dimensions. Methods: We analyzed 6 patients who comprised a total of 10 skin lesions involving the face, scalp, and hand. The patient’s various skin lesions were scanned using a high-frequency ultrasound system (Episcan, LONGPORT, INC., PA, U.S.A), with a 30-MHz single-element transducer. The lateral resolution was 14.6more » micron and the axial resolution was 3.85 micron for the ultrasound image. Semiautomatic image segmentation was performed to extract the cancer region, using a robust statistics driven active contour algorithm. The corresponding histology images were also obtained after tumor resection and served as the reference standards in this study. Results: Eight out of the 10 lesions are successfully segmented. The ultrasound tumor delineation correlates well with the histology assessment, in all the measurements such as depth, size, and shape. The depths measured by the ultrasound have an average of 9.3% difference comparing with that in the histology images. The remaining 2 cases suffered from the situation of mismatching between pathology and ultrasound images. Conclusion: High-frequency ultrasound is a noninvasive, accurate and easy-accessible modality to image skin cancer. Our segmentation method, combined with high-frequency ultrasound technology, provides a promising tool to estimate the extent of the tumor to guide the radiotherapy procedure and monitor treatment response.« less

Histological and Ultrastructural Effects of Ultrasound-induced Cavitation on Human Skin Adipose Tissue.

PubMed

Bani, Daniele; Quattrini Li, Alessandro; Freschi, Giancarlo; Russo, Giulia Lo

2013-09-01

In aesthetic medicine, the most promising techniques for noninvasive body sculpturing purposes are based on ultrasound-induced fat cavitation. Liporeductive ultrasound devices afford clinically relevant subcutaneous fat pad reduction without significant adverse reactions. This study aims at evaluating the histological and ultrastructural changes induced by ultrasound cavitation on the different cell components of human skin. Control and ultrasound-treated ex vivo abdominal full-thickness skin samples and skin biopsies from patients pretreated with or without ultrasound cavitation were studied histologically, morphometrically, and ultrastructurally to evaluate possible changes in adipocyte size and morphology. Adipocyte apoptosis and triglyceride release were also assayed. Clinical evaluation of the effects of 4 weekly ultrasound vs sham treatments was performed by plicometry. Compared with the sham-treated control samples, ultrasound cavitation induced a statistically significant reduction in the size of the adipocytes (P < 0.001), the appearance of micropores and triglyceride leakage and release in the conditioned medium (P < 0.05 at 15 min), or adipose tissue interstitium, without appreciable changes in microvascular, stromal, and epidermal components and in the number of apoptotic adipocytes. Clinically, the ultrasound treatment caused a significant reduction of abdominal fat. This study further strengthens the current notion that noninvasive transcutaneous ultrasound cavitation is a promising and safe technology for localized reduction of fat and provides experimental evidence for its specific mechanism of action on the adipocytes.

Real-Time Ultrasound Segmentation, Analysis and Visualisation of Deep Cervical Muscle Structure.

PubMed

Cunningham, Ryan J; Harding, Peter J; Loram, Ian D

2017-02-01

Despite widespread availability of ultrasound and a need for personalised muscle diagnosis (neck/back pain-injury, work related disorder, myopathies, neuropathies), robust, online segmentation of muscles within complex groups remains unsolved by existing methods. For example, Cervical Dystonia (CD) is a prevalent neurological condition causing painful spasticity in one or multiple muscles in the cervical muscle system. Clinicians currently have no method for targeting/monitoring treatment of deep muscles. Automated methods of muscle segmentation would enable clinicians to study, target, and monitor the deep cervical muscles via ultrasound. We have developed a method for segmenting five bilateral cervical muscles and the spine via ultrasound alone, in real-time. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and ultrasound data were collected from 22 participants (age: 29.0±6.6, male: 12). To acquire ultrasound muscle segment labels, a novel multimodal registration method was developed, involving MRI image annotation, and shape registration to MRI-matched ultrasound images, via approximation of the tissue deformation. We then applied polynomial regression to transform our annotations and textures into a mean space, before using shape statistics to generate a texture-to-shape dictionary. For segmentation, test images were compared to dictionary textures giving an initial segmentation, and then we used a customized Active Shape Model to refine the fit. Using ultrasound alone, on unseen participants, our technique currently segments a single image in [Formula: see text] to over 86% accuracy (Jaccard index). We propose this approach is applicable generally to segment, extrapolate and visualise deep muscle structure, and analyse statistical features online.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN ULTRASOUND AND CLINICAL FINDINGS IN 87 CATS WITH URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION.

PubMed

Nevins, Jonathan R; Mai, Wilfried; Thomas, Emily

2015-01-01

Urethral obstruction is a life-threatening form of feline lower urinary tract disease. Ultrasonographic risk factors for reobstruction have not been previously reported. Purposes of this retrospective cross-sectional study were to describe urinary tract ultrasound findings in cats following acute urethral obstruction and determine whether ultrasound findings were associated with reobstruction. Inclusion criteria were a physical examination and history consistent with urethral obstruction, an abdominal ultrasound including a full evaluation of the urinary system within 24 h of hospitalization, and no cystocentesis prior to ultrasound examination. Medical records for included cats were reviewed and presence of azotemia, hyperkalemia, positive urine culture, and duration of hospitalization were recorded. For medically treated cats with available outcome data, presence of reobstruction was also recorded. Ultrasound images were reviewed and urinary tract characteristics were recorded. A total of 87 cats met inclusion criteria. Common ultrasound findings for the bladder included echogenic urine sediment, bladder wall thickening, pericystic effusion, hyperechoic pericystic fat, and increased urinary echoes; and for the kidneys/ureters included pyelectasia, renomegaly, perirenal effusion, hyperechoic perirenal fat, and ureteral dilation. Six-month postdischarge outcomes were available for 61 medically treated cats and 21 of these cats had reobstruction. No findings were associated with an increased risk of reobstruction. Ultrasonographic perirenal effusion was associated with severe hyperkalemia (P = 0.009, relative risk 5.75, 95% confidence interval [1.54-21.51]). Findings supported the use of ultrasound as an adjunct for treatment planning in cats presented with urethral obstruction but not as a method for predicting risk of reobstruction. © 2015 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

Clinical Application of High-intensity Focused Ultrasound in Cancer Therapy

PubMed Central

Hsiao, Yi-Hsuan; Kuo, Shou-Jen; Tsai, Horng-Der; Chou, Ming-Chih; Yeh, Guang-Perng

2016-01-01

The treatment of cancer is an important issue in both developing and developed countries. Clinical use of ultrasound in cancer is not only for the diagnosis but also for the treatment. Focused ultrasound surgery (FUS) is a noninvasive technique. By using the combination of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and imaging method, FUS has the potential to ablate tumor lesions precisely. The main mechanisms of HIFU ablation involve mechanical and thermal effects. Recent advances in HIFU have increased its popularity. Some promising results were achieved in managing various malignancies, including pancreas, prostate, liver, kidney, breast and bone. Other applications include brain tumor ablation and disruption of the blood-brain barrier. We aim at briefly outlining the clinical utility of FUS as a noninvasive technique for a variety of types of cancer treatment. PMID:26918034

Ultrasound Imaging System Video

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

In this video, astronaut Peggy Whitson uses the Human Research Facility (HRF) Ultrasound Imaging System in the Destiny Laboratory of the International Space Station (ISS) to image her own heart. The Ultrasound Imaging System provides three-dimension image enlargement of the heart and other organs, muscles, and blood vessels. It is capable of high resolution imaging in a wide range of applications, both research and diagnostic, such as Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart), abdominal, vascular, gynecological, muscle, tendon, and transcranial ultrasound.

[An attempt to use ultrasonic technique for confirming the diagnosis, planning and observation of long-term treatment results of painful temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction].

PubMed

Ey-Chmielewska, H

1998-01-01

The author presents an attempt of using ultrasonographic technique in diagnosis, planning and observation of treatment results of temporo-mandibular joint pain dysfunctions. Temporo-mandibular joint pain dysfunctions are interchangeably also called temporo-mandibular joint functional disorders. The assessment of pain symptoms in temporo-mandibular joint dysfunctions pain symptoms is principally based on a subjective estimation by the examining practitioner. There is no univocal definition of the disease or a simple index evidencing important symptoms in decision making. Additionally X-ray technique examinations, being hitherto used, in early stages of the disorder do not allow to diagnose it, and are also burdensome to a patient. The aim of this study was to confirm visibility of anatomical elements of the temporo-mandibular joint in an ultrasound examination, assess the mobility of the articular disc before, during and after prosthetic treatment with and without the use of ultrasound technique, and to determine the period of time necessary to obtain a therapeutic effect. The study material consisted of 180 patients, 128 women and 52 men, aged 20 to 60 years, treated by applying prostheses because of temporo-mandibular joint pain dysfunction, in the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry of the Pomeranian Medical Academy. The patients were divided into 2 groups, control and study group. The control group consisted of 90 patients, 63 women and 27 men. In this group prosthetic treatment planning and observation of results was based on a subjective estimation of the practitioner. The study group here comprised 90 patients, 65 women and 25 men, aged 26 to 60 years. In this group prosthetic treatment planning and observation of treatment results were carried on with the use of ultrasound technique. Data from both groups concerning history, results of examinations carried out by ultrasound technique, and the assessment of ultrasound examination were noted on standard examination records used in the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry. For the need of this study an own ultrasound technique was elaborated which allowed for analyzing the ultrasound image in a static situation and during functioning. The ultrasound examination was accomplished with the use of Acuson 128 XP apparatus, linear probe 7.5 MHz. In both groups prosthetic treatment was carried out using different prosthetic methods such as: splints, occlusal adjustment on fixed prosthetic restorations in therapeutical occulus et height in abnormal occlusion. In the study group the therapeutical occulus height was determined under the control of ultrasound technique. Statistical analysis of the obtained results was performed with the use of chi-square test and chi-square test with Yates correction. On the basis of the accomplished study it has been determined that the ultrasound technique makes it possible to visualize morphological elements and facilitates functional observation of the temporo-mandibular joint, articular disc, mandibular condyle and lateral pterygoid muscle in a degree which allows for planning the treatment and the observation of results (Tab. 1-6). The use of ultrasound technique in determining spatial position of the mandible in temporo-mandibular joint permitted to objectively estimate examination results in the study group. A small number of publications on the use of ultrasound technique in functional examination of the temporo-mandibular joint accessible in foreign literature and general reference on the subject in Polish literature do not allow for an objective comparison of obtained study results.

Intensified recovery of valuable products from whey by use of ultrasound in processing steps - A review.

PubMed

Gajendragadkar, Chinmay N; Gogate, Parag R

2016-09-01

The current review focuses on the analysis of different aspects related to intensified recovery of possible valuable products from cheese whey using ultrasound. Ultrasound can be used for process intensification in processing steps such as pre-treatment, ultrafiltration, spray drying and crystallization. The combination of low-frequency, high intensity ultrasound with the pre-heat treatment minimizes the thickening or gelling of protein containing whey solutions. These characteristics of whey after the ultrasound assisted pretreatment helps in improving the efficacy of ultrafiltration used for separation and also helps in preventing the blockage of orifice of spray dryer atomizing device. Further, the heat stability of whey proteins is increased. In the subsequent processing step, use of ultrasound assisted atomization helps to reduce the treatment times as well as yield better quality whey protein concentrate (WPC) powder. After the removal of proteins from the whey, lactose is a major constituent remaining in the solution which can be efficiently recovered by sonocrystallization based on the use of anti-solvent as ethanol. The scale-up parameters to be considered during designing the process for large scale applications are also discussed along with analysis of various reactor designs. Overall, it appears that use of ultrasound can give significant process intensification benefits that can be harnessed even at commercial scale applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of cell killing effect on S180 by ultrasound activating protoporphyrin IX.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao Bing; Liu, Quan Hong; Wang, Pan; Tang, Wei; Hao, Qiao

2008-04-01

The present study was initiated to investigate the potential biological mechanism of cell killing effect on isolate sarcoma 180 (S180) cells induced by ultrasound activating protoporphyrin IX (PPIX). S180 cells were exposed to ultrasound for 30s duration, at a frequency of 2.2 MHz and an acoustic power of 3 W/cm(2) in the presence of 120 microM PPIX. The viability of cells was evaluated using trypan blue staining. The generation of oxygen free radicals in cell suspensions was detected immediately after treatment using a reactive oxygen detection kit. A copper reagent colorimetry method was used to measure the level of FFAs released into cell suspensions by the process of cell damage induced by ultrasound and PPIX treatment. Oxidative stress was assessed by measuring the activities of key antioxidant enzymes (i.e., SOD, CAT, GSH-PX) in S180 tumor cells. Treatment with ultrasound and PPIX together increased the cell damage rate to 50.91%, while treatment with ultrasound alone gave a cell damage rate to 24.24%, and PPIX alone kept this rate unchanged. Colorimetry and enzymatic chemical methods showed that the level of FFAs in cell suspension increased significantly after the treatment, while the activity of all the above enzymes decreased in tumor cells at different levels, and were associated with the generation of oxygen free radicals in cell suspension after treatment. The results indicate that oxygen free radicals may play an important role in improving the membrane lipid peroxidation, degrading membrane phospholipids to release FFAs, and decreasing the activities of the key antioxidant enzymes in cells. This biological mechanism might be involved in mediating the effects on S180 cells and resulting in the cell damage seen with SDT.

Ultrasound in Arthritis.

PubMed

Sudoł-Szopińska, Iwona; Schueller-Weidekamm, Claudia; Plagou, Athena; Teh, James

2017-09-01

Ultrasound is currently performed in everyday rheumatologic practice. It is used for early diagnosis, to monitor treatment results, and to diagnose remission. The spectrum of pathologies seen in arthritis with ultrasound includes early inflammatory features and associated complications. This article discusses the spectrum of ultrasound features of arthritides seen in rheumatoid arthritis and other connective tissue diseases in adults, such as Sjögren syndrome, lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Ultrasound findings in spondyloarthritis, osteoarthritis, and crystal-induced diseases are presented. Ultrasound-guided interventions in patients with arthritis are listed, and the advantages and disadvantages of ultrasound are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transhepatic Embolization of Congenital Intrahepatic Portosystemic Venous Shunts with Associated Aneurysms

PubMed Central

Paudel, Kalyan; Hoffer, Eric K.

2015-01-01

Intrahepatic shunts between the portal and systemic venous systems with associated aneurysms are extremely rare. A middle aged woman presented with hepatic encephalopathy and was found to have two intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunts with associated aneurysms. Diagnosis was made by duplex ultrasound and was confirmed with contrast enhanced MRI. Treatment was performed percutaneously with an Amplatzer vascular plug. PMID:26257785

Therapeutic Ultrasound Bypasses Canonical Syndecan-4 Signaling to Activate Rac1*S⃞

PubMed Central

Mahoney, Claire M.; Morgan, Mark R.; Harrison, Andrew; Humphries, Martin J.; Bass, Mark D.

2009-01-01

The application of pulsed, low intensity ultrasound is emerging as a potent therapy for the treatment of complex bone fractures and tissue damage. Ultrasonic stimuli accelerate fracture healing by up to 40% and enhance tendon and ligament healing by promoting cell proliferation, migration, and matrix synthesis through an unresolved mechanism. Ultrasound treatment also induces closure of nonunion fractures, at a success rate (85% of cases) similar to that of surgical intervention (68-96%) while avoiding the complications associated with surgery. The regulation of cell adhesion necessary for wound healing depends on cooperative engagement of the extracellular matrix receptors, integrin and syndecan, as exemplified by the wound healing defects observed in syndecan- and integrin-knock-out mice. This report distinguishes the influence of ultrasound on signals downstream of the prototypic fibronectin receptors, α5β1 integrin and syndecan-4, which cooperate to regulate Rac1 and RhoA. Ultrasonic stimulation fails to activate integrins or induce cell spreading on poor, electrostatic ligands. By contrast, ultrasound treatment overcomes the necessity of engagement or expression of syndecan-4 during the process of focal adhesion formation, which normally requires simultaneous engagement of both receptors. Ultrasound exerts an influence downstream of syndecan-4 and PKCα to specifically activate Rac1, itself a critical regulator of tissue repair, and to a lesser extent RhoA. The ability of ultrasound to bypass syndecan-4 signaling, which is known to facilitate efficient tissue repair, explains the reduction in healing times observed in ultrasound-treated patients. By substituting for one of the key axes of adhesion-dependent signaling, ultrasound therapy has considerable potential as a clinical technique. PMID:19147498

A new classification and treatment protocol for gynecomastia.

PubMed

Ratnam, B Venkata

2009-01-01

It is not uncommon to encounter patients who have undergone surgery for gynecomastia but who were not fully satisfied with the results. Although various approaches and techniques based on presurgical classification systems aimed at yielding the best possible surgical outcomes have been offered, standardized recommendation that is generally accepted by surgeons is lacking. The author reports on a new classification system and treatment protocol for the surgical treatment of gynecomastia. A system was developed that classifies patients into 3 types based on skin elasticity, presence of an inframammary fold (IMF), and mammary ptosis. Surgical excision of the breast mass was followed by a combination of destruction of the IMF, ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL) of the chest wall, ultrasound stimulation of the breast skin, and periareolar deepithelialization, depending on the gyneocomastia classification. This classification and the treatment protocol were applied to 30 patients, 13 to 60 years of age, between January 2005 and December 2007. Among these patients, 12 were classified as type 1, 6 as type 2, and 12 as type 3. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 18 months. Complications were common to all types of cases and techniques. They included 2 hematomas, 1 wound dehiscence, 5 cases of residual gynecomastia in those patients who underwent UAL alone, and 3 minor aesthetic problems near areolae. The proposed new classification and treatment protocol were found to help solve problems associated with surgical outcomes for all types of gynecomastia, although the issue of residual gynecomastia in patients undergoing UAL alone requires further study.

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in tumor therapy.

PubMed

Sequeiros, Roberto Blanco; Joronen, Kirsi; Komar, Gaber; Koskinen, Seppo K

HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound) is a method in which high-frequency ultrasound is focused on a tissue in order to achieve a thermal effect and the subsequent percutaneously ablation, or tissue modulation. HIFU is non-invasive and results in an immediate tissue destruction effect corresponding to surgery, either percutaneously or through body cavities. HIFU can be utilized in the treatment of both benign and malignant tumors. In neurological diseases, focused HIFU can be used in the treatment of disorders of the basal ganglia.

Application of light and ultrasound for medical diagnostics and treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esenaliev, Rinat O.

2002-07-01

We develop novel optical and ultrasound techniques for medical noninvasive diagnostics and treatment. In this review, we present our results on the development of: (1) optoacoustic technique for detection of small tumors; (2) optoacoustic monitoring of blood oxygenation; (3) optoacoustic monitoring during thermotherapy; (4) optical coherence tomography for monitoring of blood glucose concentration; and (5) laser- and ultrasound-based anti- cancer drug delivery technique. Motivation, experimental methods, results obtained in vitro and in vivo with the use of these techniques are presented.

Ultrasound of the coracoclavicular ligaments in the acute phase of an acromioclavicular disjonction: Comparison of radiographic, ultrasound and MRI findings.

PubMed

Faruch Bilfeld, Marie; Lapègue, Franck; Chiavassa Gandois, Hélène; Bayol, Marie Aurélie; Bonnevialle, Nicolas; Sans, Nicolas

2017-02-01

Acromioclavicular joint injuries are typically diagnosed by clinical and radiographic assessment with the Rockwood classification, which is crucial for treatment planning. The purpose of this study was to describe how the ultrasound findings of acromioclavicular joint injury compare with radiography and MRI findings. Forty-seven patients with suspected unilateral acromioclavicular joint injury after acute trauma were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients underwent digital radiography, ultrasound and 3T MRI. A modified Rockwood classification was used to evaluate the coracoclavicular ligaments. The classifications of acromioclavicular joint injuries diagnosed with radiography, ultrasound and MRI were compared. MRI was used as the gold standard. The agreement between the ultrasound and MRI findings was very good, with a correlation coefficient of 0.83 (95 % CI: 0.72-0.90; p < 0.0001). Ultrasound detected coracoclavicular ligament injuries with a sensitivity of 88.9 %, specificity of 90.0 %, positive predictive value of 92.3 % and negative predictive value of 85.7 %. The agreement between the ultrasound and radiography findings was poor, with a correlation coefficient of 0.69 (95 % CI: 0.51-0.82; p < 0.0001). Ultrasound is an effective examination for the diagnostic work-up of lesions of the coracoclavicular ligaments in the acute phase of an acromioclavicular injury. • Ultrasound is appropriate for acute acromioclavicular trauma due to its accessibility. • Ultrasound contributes to the diagnostic work-up of acute lesions of the coracoclavicular ligaments. • Ultrasound is appropriate in patients likely to benefit from surgical treatment. • Ultrasound could be a supplement to standard radiography in acute acromioclavicular trauma.

Effects of ultrasound pre-treatment on the amount of dissolved organic matter extracted from food waste.

PubMed

Jiang, Jianguo; Gong, Changxiu; Wang, Jiaming; Tian, Sicong; Zhang, Yujing

2014-03-01

This paper describes a series of studies on the effects of food waste disintegration using an ultrasonic generator and the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by anaerobic hydrolysis. The results suggest that ultrasound treatment can significantly increase COD [chemical oxygen demand], proteins and reducing sugars, but decrease that of lipids in food waste supernatant. Ultrasound pre-treatment boosted the production of VFAs dramatically during the fermentation of food waste. At an ultrasonic energy density of 480W/L, we treated two kinds of food waste (total solids (TS): 40 and 100g/L, respectively) with ultrasound for 15min. The amount of COD dissolved from the waste increased by 1.6-1.7-fold, proteins increased by 3.8-4.3-fold, and reducing sugars increased by 4.4-3.6-fold, whereas the lipid content decreased from 2 to 0.1g/L. Additionally, a higher VFA yield was observed following ultrasonic pre-treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vaginal Pessary for Uterine Repositioning During High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation of Uterine Leiomyomas

PubMed Central

Pulanic, Tajana Klepac; Venkatesan, Aradhana M.; Segars, James; Sokka, Sham; Wood, Bradford J.; Stratton, Pamela

2015-01-01

In order to ensure safe magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of uterine leiomyomas, ultrasound beam path should be free of intervening scar and bowel. Pre-treatment magnetic resonance imaging of a 9cm long and 7.7cm wide leiomyomatous uterus in a 39-year-old woman with menorrhagia and abdominopelvic pain initially demonstrated a focused ultrasound treatment path without bowel between the uterus and abdominal wall. On the day of ablation, however, multiple loops of bowel were observed in the ultrasound beam path by magnetic resonance imaging. Uterine repositioning was accomplished with a 76 mm donut vaginal pessary which anteverted the fundus and successfully displaced bowel. A vaginal pessary may aid in repositioning an axial or retroverted uterus to enable ablation of uterine leiomyomas. PMID:26584482

Vaginal Pessary for Uterine Repositioning during High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation of Uterine Leiomyomas.

PubMed

Klepac Pulanic, Tajana; Venkatesan, Aradhana M; Segars, James; Sokka, Sham; Wood, Bradford J; Stratton, Pamela

2016-01-01

In order to ensure safe magnetic resonance-guided, high-intensity focused, ultrasound ablation of uterine leiomyomas, the ultrasound beam path should be free of intervening scar and bowel. Pre-treatment MRI of a 9-cm long and 7.7-cm wide leiomyomatous uterus in a 39-year-old woman with menorrhagia and abdominopelvic pain initially demonstrated a focused ultrasound treatment path without a bowel between the uterus and the abdominal wall. On the day of ablation, however, multiple loops of bowel were observed in the ultrasound beam path by MRI. Uterine repositioning was accomplished with a 76-mm donut vaginal pessary, which anteverted the fundus and successfully displaced the bowel. A vaginal pessary may aid in repositioning an axial or retroverted uterus to enable ablation of uterine leiomyomas. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Point-of-care ultrasound diagnosis and treatment of posterior shoulder dislocation.

PubMed

Beck, Sierra; Chilstrom, Mikaela

2013-02-01

Acute traumatic posterior shoulder dislocations are rare. The diagnosis is often missed or delayed, as radiologic abnormalities can be subtle. We report a case of a 37-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with severe right shoulder pain and inability to move his arm after a motor vehicle collision. Based on examination, he was initially thought to have an anterior dislocation; however, point-of-care (POC) ultrasound clearly demonstrated a posterior shoulder dislocation. Real-time ultrasound-guided intra-articular local anesthetic injection facilitated closed reduction in the emergency department without procedural sedation, and POC ultrasound confirmed successful reduction at the bedside after the procedure. This case demonstrates that POC ultrasound can be a useful diagnostic tool in the rapid assessment and treatment for patients with suspected posterior shoulder dislocation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Unpowered wireless generation and sensing of ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Haiying

2013-04-01

This paper presents a wireless ultrasound pitch-catch system that demonstrates the wireless generation and sensing of ultrasounds based on the principle of frequency conversion. The wireless ultrasound pitch-catch system consists of a wireless interrogator and two wireless ultrasound transducers. The wireless interrogator generates an ultrasound-modulated signal and a carrier signal, both at the microwave frequency, and transmits these two signals to the wireless ultrasound actuator using a pair of antennas. Upon receiving these two signals, the wireless ultrasound actuator recovers the ultrasound excitation signal using a passive mixer and then supplies it to a piezoelectric wafer sensor for ultrasound generation in the structure. For wireless ultrasound sensing, the frequency conversion process is reversed. The ultrasound sensing signal is up-converted to a microwave signal by the wireless ultrasound sensor and is recovered at the wireless interrogator using a homodyne receiver. To differentiate the wireless actuator from the wireless sensor, each wireless transducer is equipped with a narrowband microwave filter so that it only responds to the carrier frequency that matches the filter's operation bandwidth. The principle of operation of the wireless pitch-catch system, the hardware implementation, and the associated data processing algorithm to recover the ultrasound signal from the wirelessly received signal are described. The wirelessly acquired ultrasound signal is compared with those acquired using wired connection in both time and frequency domain.

Ultrasound biofeedback treatment for persisting childhood apraxia of speech.

PubMed

Preston, Jonathan L; Brick, Nickole; Landi, Nicole

2013-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a treatment program that includes ultrasound biofeedback for children with persisting speech sound errors associated with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Six children ages 9-15 years participated in a multiple baseline experiment for 18 treatment sessions during which treatment focused on producing sequences involving lingual sounds. Children were cued to modify their tongue movements using visual feedback from real-time ultrasound images. Probe data were collected before, during, and after treatment to assess word-level accuracy for treated and untreated sound sequences. As participants reached preestablished performance criteria, new sequences were introduced into treatment. All participants met the performance criterion (80% accuracy for 2 consecutive sessions) on at least 2 treated sound sequences. Across the 6 participants, performance criterion was met for 23 of 31 treated sequences in an average of 5 sessions. Some participants showed no improvement in untreated sequences, whereas others showed generalization to untreated sequences that were phonetically similar to the treated sequences. Most gains were maintained 2 months after the end of treatment. The percentage of phonemes correct increased significantly from pretreatment to the 2-month follow-up. A treatment program including ultrasound biofeedback is a viable option for improving speech sound accuracy in children with persisting speech sound errors associated with CAS.

Effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on radiographic healing of tibial plateau leveling osteotomies in dogs: a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study.

PubMed

Kieves, Nina R; Canapp, Sherman O; Lotsikas, Peter J; Christopher, Scott A; Leasure, Christopher S; Canapp, Debra; Gavin, Patrick R

2018-05-20

To determine the influence of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on radiographic healing and limb function after uncomplicated, stable osteotomies in dogs. In vivo, prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-control study. Fifty client-owned dogs. Fifty client-owned dogs with naturally occurring unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture were enrolled prior to tibial plateau leveling osteotomy. Dogs were assigned to an active (LIPUS) treatment group or a placebo control (SHAM) treatment group via block randomization on the basis of age, weight, and affected limb. Dogs in the LIPUS treatment group underwent LIPUS treatments for 20 minutes daily: 1.5-MHZ ultrasound wave pulsed at 1 kHZ with a 20% duty cycle at an intensity of 30 mW/cm 2 for the duration of the study (12 weeks). Radiographic evaluation was performed at 4, 8, 10, and 12 weeks postoperatively to evaluate bone healing. Limb function was assessed with temporal-spatial gait analysis preoperatively and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively by using a pressure-sensitive walkway system. Both groups had significant improvement in radiographic score and limb use over time. However, there was no significant difference in radiographic bone healing, or limb use as measured by objective gait analysis detected between the LIPUS treatment group and SHAM treatment group at any point in the study. LIPUS treatment did not improve healing in this stable osteotomy model. This study does not provide evidence to support the clinical application of LIPUS to stimulate the healing of stable, uncomplicated osteotomies to accelerate bone healing. © 2018 The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Two-treatment protocol for skin laxity using 90-Watt dynamic monopolar radiofrequency device with real-time impedance intelligence monitoring.

PubMed

McDaniel, David; Weiss, Robert; Weiss, Margaret; Mazur, Chris; Griffen, Charmaine

2014-09-01

Multiple devices are currently on the market that employ radiofrequency to non-invasively treat skin laxity and wrinkle reduction. The study device was a unique monopolar radiofrequency device FDA cleared for the treatment of wrinkles and rhytids. The delivery system allows constant monitoring of the real-time local skin impedance changes, which allows radiofrequency energy to be more uniformly dosed over an entire treatment area. The objective was to validate effectiveness of a modified treatment protocol for a unique monopolar radiofrequency device, which has been engineered with greater power and self-monitoring circuitry. Twenty-four female subjects received bilateral monopolar radiofrequency treatments to the mid and lower face from the sub malar region to the submentum. Subjects completed 1 and 3 month follow ups with digital imaging. Skin biopsies (on 4 subjects) and ultrasound measurements (on 12 subjects) were completed. Assessments demonstrated a reduction in skin laxity of 35%, a reduction in fine lines/wrinkles of 42%, and a reduction in the appearance of global photodamage of 33%. Expert photograding demonstrated 92% of subjects showing at least a mild improvement in skin laxity at three months post treatment. 50 MHz ultrasound measurements in 12 subjects showed an increase of 19% in skin density. Histology showed a marked increase in dermal collagen and elastin fibers in two subjects who demonstrated a clinically noticeable reduction in skin laxity and minimal changes in two subjects who demonstrated minimal clinical improvements. There were no significant adverse events reported. This modified radiofrequency device and treatment protocol was well tolerated and produced improvements in the appearance of skin laxity and overall anti-aging effects in the majority of subjects. Objective measurements including ultrasound and histology help explain the clinical outcome.

Subharmonic Imaging and Pressure Estimation for Monitoring Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-01

ultrasound contrast agents to improve the monitoring of breast cancer treatment response to neoadjuvant therapies in women diagnosed with LABC by imaging...estimation (SHAPE). Software for analyzing RF data from a Logiq 9 ultrasound scanner (GE Healthcare, Milwauke, WI) to produce 3D SHAPE pressure...responders; albeit not statistically significant (p > 0.19). 14. SUBJECT TERMS Breast Cancer, Ultrasound Imaging, Ultrasound Contrast Agent, Pressure

Conformal needle-based ultrasound ablation using EM-tracked conebeam CT image guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burdette, E. Clif; Banovac, Filip; Diederich, Chris J.; Cheng, Patrick; Wilson, Emmanuel; Cleary, Kevin R.

2011-03-01

Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of interstitial ablative approaches for the treatment of renal and hepatic tumors. Despite these promising results, current systems remain highly dependent on operator skill, and cannot treat many tumors because there is little control of the size and shape of the zone of necrosis, and no control over ablator trajectory within tissue once insertion has taken place. Additionally, tissue deformation and target motion make it extremely difficult to accurately place the ablator device into the target. Irregularly shaped target volumes typically require multiple insertions and several sequential thermal ablation procedures. This study demonstrated feasibility of spatially tracked image-guided conformal ultrasound (US) ablation for percutaneous directional ablation of diseased tissue. Tissue was prepared by suturing the liver within a pig belly and 1mm BBs placed to serve as needle targets. The image guided system used integrated electromagnetic tracking and cone-beam CT (CBCT) with conformable needlebased high-intensity US ablation in the interventional suite. Tomographic images from cone beam CT were transferred electronically to the image-guided tracking system (IGSTK). Paired-point registration was used to register the target specimen to CT images and enable navigation. Path planning is done by selecting the target BB on the GUI of the realtime tracking system and determining skin entry location until an optimal path is selected. Power was applied to create the desired ablation extent within 7-10 minutes at a thermal dose (>300eqm43). The system was successfully used to place the US ablator in planned target locations within ex-vivo kidney and liver through percutaneous access. Targeting accuracy was 3-4 mm. Sectioned specimens demonstrated uniform ablation within the planned target zone. Subsequent experiments were conducted for multiple ablator positions based upon treatment planning simulations. Ablation zones in liver were 73cc, 84cc, and 140cc for 3, 4, and 5 placements, respectively. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of combining real-time spatially tracked image guidance with directional interstitial ultrasound ablation. Interstitial ultrasound ablation delivered on multiple needles permit the size and shape of the ablation zone to be "sculpted" by modifying the angle and intensity of the active US elements in the array. This paper summarizes the design and development of the first system incorporating thermal treatment planning and integration of a novel interstitial acoustic ablation device with integrated 3D electromagnetic tracking and guidance strategy.

Breast ultrasound tomography with two parallel transducer arrays: preliminary clinical results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lianjie; Shin, Junseob; Chen, Ting; Lin, Youzuo; Intrator, Miranda; Hanson, Kenneth; Epstein, Katherine; Sandoval, Daniel; Williamson, Michael

2015-03-01

Ultrasound tomography has great potential to provide quantitative estimations of physical properties of breast tumors for accurate characterization of breast cancer. We design and manufacture a new synthetic-aperture breast ultrasound tomography system with two parallel transducer arrays. The distance of these two transducer arrays is adjustable for scanning breasts with different sizes. The ultrasound transducer arrays are translated vertically to scan the entire breast slice by slice and acquires ultrasound transmission and reflection data for whole-breast ultrasound imaging and tomographic reconstructions. We use the system to acquire patient data at the University of New Mexico Hospital for clinical studies. We present some preliminary imaging results of in vivo patient ultrasound data. Our preliminary clinical imaging results show promising of our breast ultrasound tomography system with two parallel transducer arrays for breast cancer imaging and characterization.

Low-cost Volumetric Ultrasound by Augmentation of 2D Systems: Design and Prototype.

PubMed

Herickhoff, Carl D; Morgan, Matthew R; Broder, Joshua S; Dahl, Jeremy J

2018-01-01

Conventional two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool in the hands of an experienced user, yet 2D ultrasound remains clinically underutilized and inherently incomplete, with output being very operator dependent. Volumetric ultrasound systems can more fully capture a three-dimensional (3D) region of interest, but current 3D systems require specialized transducers, are prohibitively expensive for many clinical departments, and do not register image orientation with respect to the patient; these systems are designed to provide improved workflow rather than operator independence. This work investigates whether it is possible to add volumetric 3D imaging capability to existing 2D ultrasound systems at minimal cost, providing a practical means of reducing operator dependence in ultrasound. In this paper, we present a low-cost method to make 2D ultrasound systems capable of quality volumetric image acquisition: we present the general system design and image acquisition method, including the use of a probe-mounted orientation sensor, a simple probe fixture prototype, and an offline volume reconstruction technique. We demonstrate initial results of the method, implemented using a Verasonics Vantage research scanner.

Patient specific optimization-based treatment planning for catheter-based ultrasound hyperthermia and thermal ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash, Punit; Chen, Xin; Wootton, Jeffery; Pouliot, Jean; Hsu, I.-Chow; Diederich, Chris J.

2009-02-01

A 3D optimization-based thermal treatment planning platform has been developed for the application of catheter-based ultrasound hyperthermia in conjunction with high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for treating advanced pelvic tumors. Optimal selection of applied power levels to each independently controlled transducer segment can be used to conform and maximize therapeutic heating and thermal dose coverage to the target region, providing significant advantages over current hyperthermia technology and improving treatment response. Critical anatomic structures, clinical target outlines, and implant/applicator geometries were acquired from sequential multi-slice 2D images obtained from HDR treatment planning and used to reconstruct patient specific 3D biothermal models. A constrained optimization algorithm was devised and integrated within a finite element thermal solver to determine a priori the optimal applied power levels and the resulting 3D temperature distributions such that therapeutic heating is maximized within the target, while placing constraints on maximum tissue temperature and thermal exposure of surrounding non-targeted tissue. This optimizationbased treatment planning and modeling system was applied on representative cases of clinical implants for HDR treatment of cervix and prostate to evaluate the utility of this planning approach. The planning provided significant improvement in achievable temperature distributions for all cases, with substantial increase in T90 and thermal dose (CEM43T90) coverage to the hyperthermia target volume while decreasing maximum treatment temperature and reducing thermal dose exposure to surrounding non-targeted tissues and thermally sensitive rectum and bladder. This optimization based treatment planning platform with catheter-based ultrasound applicators is a useful tool that has potential to significantly improve the delivery of hyperthermia in conjunction with HDR brachytherapy. The planning platform has been extended to model thermal ablation, including the addition of temperature dependent attenuation, perfusion, and tissue damage. Pilot point control at the target boundaries was implemented to control power delivery to each transducer section, simulating an approach feasible for MR guided procedures. The computer model of thermal ablation was evaluated on representative patient anatomies to demonstrate the feasibility of using catheter-based ultrasound thermal ablation for treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer, and to assist in designing applicators and treatment delivery strategies.

SU-G-BRA-01: A Real-Time Tumor Localization and Guidance Platform for Radiotherapy Using US and MRI

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bednarz, B; Culberson, W; Bassetti, M

Purpose: To develop and validate a real-time motion management platform for radiotherapy that directly tracks tumor motion using ultrasound and MRI. This will be a cost-effective and non-invasive real-time platform combining the excellent temporal resolution of ultrasound with the excellent soft-tissue contrast of MRI. Methods: A 4D planar ultrasound acquisition during the treatment that is coupled to a pre-treatment calibration training image set consisting of a simultaneous 4D ultrasound and 4D MRI acquisition. The image sets will be rapidly matched using advanced image and signal processing algorithms, allowing the display of virtual MR images of the tumor/organ motion in real-timemore » from an ultrasound acquisition. Results: The completion of this work will result in several innovations including: a (2D) patch-like, MR and LINAC compatible 4D planar ultrasound transducer that is electronically steerable for hands-free operation to provide real-time virtual MR and ultrasound imaging for motion management during radiation therapy; a multi- modal tumor localization strategy that uses ultrasound and MRI; and fast and accurate image processing algorithms that provide real-time information about the motion and location of tumor or related soft-tissue structures within the patient. Conclusion: If successful, the proposed approach will provide real-time guidance for radiation therapy without degrading image or treatment plan quality. The approach would be equally suitable for image-guided proton beam or heavy ion-beam therapy. This work is partially funded by NIH grant R01CA190298.« less

[Ultrasound in complex of radiological studies in diagnosis of ankle joint medial aspect pathologies].

PubMed

Gurgenidze, T; Mizandari, M

2011-10-01

The aim of the research is to study sonosemiotics of ankle joint pathology by means of ultrasound in order to optimize the diagnostic process and improve the treatment. 130 patients (age ranges from 5 to 70 years) underwent the radiological study of ankle joint medial aspect. Pathology types: degenerative-dystrophic diseases - 39 (30%), inflammatory pathology - 21 (16.2%), traumatic injuries - 20 (15.2%), vascular pathologies - 26 (20%), neurogenic problems -7 (5.4%), soft tissue neoplasms - 5 (3.8%), congenital anomalies - 7 (5.4%) and vertebral pathology - 5 (4.0%). The diagnostic studies include: a) Ultrasound, performed on digital ultrasound system using high frequency (7.5-12.0 MHz) linear probe with Doppler capability (all patients); b) X-Ray filming in antero-posterior and lateral projections (6 patients- 4.5%); c) MRI - T1 and T2 weighted images in saggital and transverse planes 10 patients (10.0%) and d) CT - 2 patients (1.5%); To 2 (1.5%) patient biopsy has been performed. This study showed that ultrasound was successful in ankle joint medial aspect pathology diagnosis in 108 cases (84.0%); It was ineffective in osseous pathology definition. In final diagnosis of impingment syndrom MRI was required in 4 (3.6%) cases. It is concluded that ultrasound should be used as a Gold Standard in diagnosis of localized pain and swelling in the ankle joint.

Cavitation and contrast: the use of bubbles in ultrasound imaging and therapy.

PubMed

Stride, E P; Coussios, C C

2010-01-01

Microbubbles and cavitation are playing an increasingly significant role in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications of ultrasound. Microbubble ultrasound contrast agents have been in clinical use now for more than two decades, stimulating the development of a range of new contrast-specific imaging techniques which offer substantial benefits in echocardiography, microcirculatory imaging, and more recently, quantitative and molecular imaging. In drug delivery and gene therapy, microbubbles are being investigated/developed as vehicles which can be loaded with the required therapeutic agent, traced to the target site using diagnostic ultrasound, and then destroyed with ultrasound of higher intensity energy burst to release the material locally, thus avoiding side effects associated with systemic administration, e.g. of toxic chemotherapy. It has moreover been shown that the motion of the microbubbles increases the permeability of both individual cell membranes and the endothelium, thus enhancing therapeutic uptake, and can locally increase the activity of drugs by enhancing their transport across biologically inaccessible interfaces such as blood clots or solid tumours. In high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) surgery and lithotripsy, controlled cavitation is being investigated as a means of increasing the speed and efficacy of the treatment. The aim of this paper is both to describe the key features of the physical behaviour of acoustically driven bubbles which underlie their effectiveness in biomedical applications and to review the current state of the art.

Contraindications for superficial heat and therapeutic ultrasound: do sources agree?

PubMed

Batavia, Mitchell

2004-06-01

To determine the amount of agreement among general rehabilitation sources for both superficial heating and therapeutic ultrasound contraindications. English-language textbook and peer-reviewed journal sources, from January 1992 to July 2002. Searches of computerized databases (HealthSTAR, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase) as well as Library of Congress Online Catalogs, Books in Print, and AcqWeb's Directory of Publishers and Venders. Sources were excluded if they (1) were published before 1992, (2) failed to address general rehabilitation audiences, or (3) were identified as a researcher's related publication with similar information on the topic. Type and number of contraindications, type of audience, year of publication, number of references, rationales, and alternative treatment strategies. Eighteen superficial heat and 20 ultrasound sources identified anywhere from 5 to 22 and 9 to 36 contraindications/precautions, respectively. Agreement among sources was generally high but ranged from 11% to 95%, with lower agreement noted for pregnancy, metal implants, edema, skin integrity, and cognitive/communicative concerns. Seventy-two percent of superficial heat sources and 25% of ultrasound sources failed to reference at least 1 contraindication claim. Agreement among contraindication sources was generally good for both superficial heat and therapeutic ultrasound. Sources varied with regard to the number of contraindications, references, and rationales cited. Greater reliance on objective data and standardized classification systems may serve to develop more uniform guidelines for superficial heat and therapeutic ultrasound.

[Motor system physiotherapy of the masticatory organ].

PubMed

Jagucka-Metel, Wioletta; Brzeska, Paulina; Sobolewska, Ewa; Machoy-Mokrzyńska, Anna; Baranowska, Agata

2013-01-01

The motor system of the masticatory organ is a complex morphological and functional structure. Its dysfunctions are manifested by various symptoms within the masticatory apparatus and in distant organs. The paper presents a discussion on the physiotherapeutic procedure for the treatment of disorders in the motor system of the masticatory organ. Therapeutic methods are presented, including: massage, trigger point therapy, kinesitherapy, biofeedback, manual therapy, postural re-education, kinesiotaping, physical interventions (TENS, hyaluronidase iontophoresis, ultrasound, laser therapy, and magnetoledotherapy). The paper points out the role of a comprehensive approach to the patient in order to eliminate the cause of disorders, going beyond symptomatic treatment.

TH-A-207B-02: QIBA Ultrasound Elasticity Imaging System Biomarker Qualification and User Testing of Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garra, B.

Imaging of tissue elastic properties is a relatively new and powerful approach to one of the oldest and most important diagnostic tools. Imaging of shear wave speed with ultrasound is has been added to most high-end ultrasound systems. Understanding this exciting imaging mode aiding its most effective use in medicine can be a rewarding effort for medical physicists and other medical imaging and treatment professionals. Assuring consistent, quantitative measurements across the many ultrasound systems in a typical imaging department will constitute a major step toward realizing the great potential of this technique and other quantitative imaging. This session will targetmore » these two goals with two presentations. A. Basics and Current Implementations of Ultrasound Imaging of Shear Wave Speed and Elasticity - Shigao Chen, Ph.D. Learning objectives-To understand: Introduction: Importance of tissue elasticity measurement Strain vs. shear wave elastography (SWE), beneficial features of SWE The link between shear wave speed and material properties, influence of viscosity Generation of shear waves External vibration (Fibroscan) ultrasound radiation force Point push Supersonic push (Aixplorer) Comb push (GE Logiq E9) Detection of shear waves Motion detection from pulse-echo ultrasound Importance of frame rate for shear wave imaging Plane wave imaging detection How to achieve high effective frame rate using line-by-line scanners Shear wave speed calculation Time to peak Random sample consensus (RANSAC) Cross correlation Sources of bias and variation in SWE Tissue viscosity Transducer compression or internal pressure of organ Reflection of shear waves at boundaries B. Elasticity Imaging System Biomarker Qualification and User Testing of Systems – Brian Garra, M.D. Learning objectives-To understand: Goals Review the need for quantitative medical imaging Provide examples of quantitative imaging biomarkers Acquaint the participant with the purpose of the RSNA Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Alliance and the need for such an organization Review the QIBA process for creating a quantitative biomarker Summarize steps needed to verify adherence of site, operators, and imaging systems to a QIBA profile Underlying Premise and Assumptions Objective, quantifiable results are needed to enhance the value of diagnostic imaging in clinical practice Reasons for quantification Evidence based medicine requires objective, not subjective observer data Computerized decision support tools (eg CAD) generally require quantitative input. Quantitative, reproducible measures are more easily used to develop personalized molecular medical diagnostic and treatment systems What is quantitative imaging? Definition from Imaging Metrology Workshop The Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Alliance Formation 2008 Mission Structure Example Imaging Biomarkers Being Explored Biomarker Selection Groundwork Draft Protocol for imaging and data evaluation QIBA Profile Drafting Equipment and Site Validation Technical Clinical Site and Equipment QA and Compliance Checking Ultrasound Elasticity Estimation Biomarker US Elasticity Estimation Background Current Status and Problems Biomarker Selection-process and outcome US SWS for Liver Fibrosis Biomarker Work Groundwork Literature search and analysis results Phase I phantom testing-Elastic phantoms Phase II phantom testing-Viscoelastic phantoms Digital Simulated Data Protocol and Profile Drafting Protocol: based on UPICT and existing literature and standards bodies protocols Profile-Current claims, Manufacturer specific appendices What comes after the profile Profile Validation Technical validation Clinical validation QA and Compliance Possible approaches Site Operator testing Site protocol re-evaluation Imaging system Manufacturer testing and attestation User acceptance testing and periodic QA Phantom Tests Digital Phantom Based Testing Standard QA Testing Remediation Schemes Profile Evolution Towards additional applications Towards higher accuracy and precision Supported in part by NIH contract HHSN268201300071C from NIBIB. Collaboration with GE Global Research, no personal support.; S. Chen, Some technologies described in this presentation have been licensed. Mayo Clinic and Dr. Chen have financial interests these technologies.« less

Microstructural and techno-functional properties of cassava starch modified by ultrasound.

PubMed

Monroy, Yuliana; Rivero, Sandra; García, María A

2018-04-01

This work was focused on the correlation between the structural and techno-functional properties of ultrasound treated cassava starch for the preparation of tailor-made starch-based ingredients and derivatives. Furthermore, the effect of treatment time, sample conditioning and ultrasound amplitude was studied. Ultrasonic treatment of cassava starch induced structural disorganization and microstructural changes evidenced mainly in the morphological characteristics of the granules and in their degrees of crystallinity. These structural modifications were supported by ATR-FTIR and SEM and CSLM studies as well as DRX and thermal analysis. The selection of the processing conditions is critical due to the complete gelatinization of the starch was produced with the maximum amplitude tested and without temperature control. Rheological dynamical analysis indicated changes at the molecular level in starch granules due to the ultrasound treated, revealing the paste stability under refrigeration condition. PCA allow to establish the interrelationships between microstructural and techno-functional properties. In summary, different starch derivatives could be obtained by adjusting the ultrasound treatment conditions depending on their potential applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Randomized, controlled trial of biofeedback with anal manometry, transanal ultrasound, or pelvic floor retraining with digital guidance alone in the treatment of mild to moderate fecal incontinence.

PubMed

Solomon, Michael J; Pager, Chet K; Rex, Jenny; Roberts, Rachael; Manning, Jane

2003-06-01

A prospective, three-armed, randomized, controlled trial was performed to assess whether pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback using anal manometry or transanal ultrasound are superior to pelvic floor exercises with feedback from digital examination alone in terms of continence, quality of life, physiologic sphincter strength, and compliance. Its secondary objectives were to assess whether there are any differences in these outcomes between biofeedback with transanal ultrasound vs. anal manometry and to correlate the physiologic measures with clinical outcome. One hundred twenty patients with mild to moderate fecal incontinence were randomized into one of three treatment groups: biofeedback with anal manometry, biofeedback with transanal ultrasound, or pelvic floor exercises with feedback from digital examination alone. Commencing one week after an initial 45-minute assessment session, patients attended monthly treatments for a total of five sessions. Each session lasted 30 minutes and involved sphincter exercises with biofeedback that involved instrumentation or digital examination alone, and patients were encouraged to perform identical exercises twice per day between outpatient visits. One hundred two patients (85 percent) completed the four-month treatment program. Across all treatment allocations, patients experienced modest but highly significant improvements in all nine outcome measures during treatment, with 70 percent of all patients perceiving improvement in symptom severity and 69 percent of patients reporting improved quality of life. With the possible exception of isotonic fatigue time, there were no significant differences between the three treatment groups in compliance, physiologic sphincter strength, and clinical or quality-of-life measures. Correlations between physiologic measures and clinical outcomes were much stronger with ultrasound-based measures than with manometry. Although patients in this study who completed pelvic floor exercises with feedback from digital examination achieved no additional benefit from biofeedback and measurement with transanal ultrasound or manometry, it may be that the guidance received through digital examination alone offered patients in the pelvic floor exercise group an effective biofeedback mechanism. Contrary to our hypothesis, the use of transanal ultrasound offered no benefit over manometry, but the use of ultrasound for isotonic fatigue time and isometric fatigue contractions provided potentially important physiologic measures that require further study. This study has confirmed, through a large sample of patients, that pelvic floor retraining programs are an effective treatment for improving physiologic, clinical, and quality-of-life parameters in the short term.

The effect of high-power ultrasound and gas phase plasma treatment on Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. count in pure culture.

PubMed

Herceg, Z; Režek Jambrak, A; Vukušić, T; Stulić, V; Stanzer, D; Milošević, S

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare two nonthermal techniques in the inactivation of moulds. High power ultrasound (20 kHz) and nonthermal gas phase plasma treatments were studied in the inactivation of selected moulds. Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. were chosen as the most common mould present in or on food. Experimental design was introduced to establish and optimize working variables. For high power ultrasound, the greatest reduction of moulds (indicated by the total removal of viable cells) was obtained after ultrasound treatments at 60°C (thermosonication) for 6 and 9 min (power applied, 20-39 W). For plasma treatment, the greatest inactivation of moulds was observed for the longest treatment time (5 min) and lowest sample volume (2 ml), (AP12, AP13, PP12 and PP13). The great amount of applied energy required for achieving a partial log reduction in viable cells is the limiting factor for using high-power ultrasound. However, both treatment methods could be combined in the future to produce beneficial outcomes. This study deals with nonthermal food processing techniques and the results and findings present in this study are the root for further prospective studies. The food industry is looking for nonthermal methods that will enable food preservation, reduce deterioration of food compounds and structure and prolong food shelf life. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Effects of different sludge disintegration methods on sludge moisture distribution and dewatering performance.

PubMed

Jin, Lingyun; Zhang, Guangming; Zheng, Xiang

2015-02-01

A key step in sludge treatment is sludge dewatering. However, activated sludge is generally very difficult to be dewatered. Sludge dewatering performance is largely affected by the sludge moisture distribution. Sludge disintegration can destroy the sludge structure and cell wall, so as change the sludge floc structure and moisture distribution, thus affecting the dewatering performance of sludge. In this article, the disintegration methods were ultrasound treatment, K2FeO4 oxidation and KMnO4 oxidation. The degree of disintegration (DDCOD), sludge moisture distribution and the final water content of sludge cake after centrifuging were measured. Results showed that three disintegration methods were all effective, and K2FeO4 oxidation was more efficient than KMnO4 oxidation. The content of free water increased obviously with K2FeO4 and KMnO4 oxidations, while it decreased with ultrasound treatment. The changes of free water and interstitial water were in the opposite trend. The content of bounding water decreased with K2FeO4 oxidation, and increased slightly with KMnO4 oxidation, while it increased obviously with ultrasound treatment. The water content of sludge cake after centrifuging decreased with K2FeO4 oxidation, and did not changed with KMnO4 oxidation, but increased obviously with ultrasound treatment. In summary, ultrasound treatment deteriorated the sludge dewaterability, while K2FeO4 and KMnO4 oxidation improved the sludge dewaterability. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Ultrasonic liposuction in the treatment of gynecomastia.

PubMed

Hodgson, Elaine L B; Fruhstorfer, Birgit H; Malata, Charles M

2005-08-01

Ultrasound-assisted liposuction is a technique that is widely used all over the body for minimal access lipectomy. Recently, it has been reported to be especially suitable for the treatment of gynecomastia. To date, however, there is only one published study that specifically addresses ultrasound-assisted liposuction as a treatment modality for gynecomastia. A review was undertaken of all the gynecomastia patients treated with ultrasound-assisted liposuction by a single surgeon over a 3-year period. Thirteen consecutive patients (aged 16 to 57 years) with bilateral, diffuse, soft to moderately firm gynecomastia were studied. There were no early postoperative complications of hematoma, seroma, infection, or thermal injury. Similarly, there were no treatment-induced asymmetries, contour deformities, or irregularities. One patient requested "touch-up" ultrasound-assisted liposuction for "residual" breast tissue several months after an initial satisfactory correction of chest contour. None of the patients required initial open-excision or skin-reduction procedures. Patients were asked to rate their cosmetic results in four categories on linear analogue scales with a maximal score of 10. The average scores were 9.1 for overall satisfaction, 9.2 for scars, 9.2 for shape, and 8.9 for improved self confidence. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction is an effective treatment modality in patients with homogenous soft to moderately firm gynecomastia, giving good cosmetic results and a high level of patient satisfaction.

Enhancements in crystallinity, thermal stability, tensile modulus and strength of sisal fibres and their PP composites induced by the synergistic effects of alkali and high intensity ultrasound (HIU) treatments.

PubMed

Krishnaiah, Prakash; Ratnam, Chantara Thevy; Manickam, Sivakumar

2017-01-01

In this investigation, sisal fibres were treated with the combination of alkali and high intensity ultrasound (HIU) and their effects on the morphology, thermal properties of fibres and mechanical properties of their reinforced PP composites were studied. FTIR and FE-SEM results confirmed the removal of amorphous materials such as hemicellulose, lignin and other waxy materials after the combined treatments of alkali and ultrasound. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed an increase in the crystallinity of sisal fibres with an increase in the concentration of alkali. Thermogravimetric results revealed that the thermal stability of sisal fibres obtained with the combination of both alkali and ultrasound treatment was increased by 38.5°C as compared to the untreated fibres. Morphology of sisal fibre reinforced composites showed good interfacial interaction between fibres and matrix after the combined treatment. Tensile properties were increased for the combined treated sisal fibres reinforced PP composites as compared to the untreated and pure PP. Tensile modulus and strength increased by more than 50% and 10% respectively as compared to the untreated sisal fibre reinforced composite. It has been found that the combined treatment of alkali and ultrasound is effective and useful to remove the amorphous materials and hence to improve the mechanical and thermal properties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound in Speech Therapy with Adolescents and Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernhardt, Barbara; Gick, Bryan; Bacsfalvi, Penelope; Adler-Bock, Marcy

2005-01-01

The present paper comprises an overview of techniques using ultrasound in speech (re)habilitation. Ultrasound treatment techniques have been developed for English lingual stops, vowels, sibilants, and liquids. These techniques come from a series of small "n" studies with adolescents and adults with severe hearing impairment, residual…

Laparoscopic cornuotomy in the management of an advanced interstitial ectopic pregnancy: a case report.

PubMed

Api, Murat; Api, Olus

2010-03-01

To report the successful treatment of an advanced interstitial ectopic pregnancy via laparoscopic cornuotomy following treatment failure with methotrexate (MTX). A 28-year-old, gravida 3, para 0 woman with a history of successfully treated tubal pregnancy with medical therapy 2 years ago, presented with spotting bleeding and lower abdominal pain. Her initial beta-hCG level was 11706 mIU/ml and the transvaginal ultrasound examination showed an empty uterine cavity with a gestational sac 8 x 10 x 9 mm in diameter having no fetal pole or yolk sac, located just adjacent to the left uterine cornual region. She was introduced 50 mg of systemic MTX with the presumed diagnosis of interstitial pregnancy. Because the serum beta-hCG level raised to 18654 mIU/ml and a fetal pole with cardiac activity emerged on the ultrasound on the fourth day after MTX injection, laparoscopy was planned. The interstitial pregnancy was successfully treated via laparoscopic cornuotomy with the preservation of the uterus. In advanced interstitial pregnancies with high hCG levels, systemic MTX therapy is expected to be ineffective. Laparoscopic cornuotomy is a minimally invasive and effective method of treatment with the advantage of preserving future fertility.

Plantar fascia: imaging diagnosis and guided treatment.

PubMed

McNally, Eugene G; Shetty, Shilpa

2010-09-01

Plantar fasciopathy is a common cause of heel pain. This article covers the imaging anatomy of the hindfoot, the imaging findings on ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of plantar fasciopathy, plantar fibromas, trauma, Achilles tendonopathy, neural compression, stress fractures of the os calcis and other heel pad lesions. Thickening of the plantar fascia insertion more than 5 mm either on ultrasound or MRI is suggestive of plantar fasciopathy. Ultrasound is superior to MRI for diagnosis of plantar fibroma as small low signal lesions on MRI are similar to the normal plantar fascia signal. Ultrasound demonstrates low echogenicity compared with the echogenic plantar fascia. Penetrating injuries can appear bizarre due to associated foreign body impaction and infection. Achilles tendonopathy can cause heel pain and should be considered as a possible diagnosis. Treatment options include physical therapy, ECSWT, corticosteroid injection, and dry needling. Percutaneous US guided treatment methods will be described. Thieme Medical Publishers.

Cavitation and non-cavitation regime for large-scale ultrasonic standing wave particle separation systems--In situ gentle cavitation threshold determination and free radical related oxidation.

PubMed

Johansson, Linda; Singh, Tanoj; Leong, Thomas; Mawson, Raymond; McArthur, Sally; Manasseh, Richard; Juliano, Pablo

2016-01-01

We here suggest a novel and straightforward approach for liter-scale ultrasound particle manipulation standing wave systems to guide system design in terms of frequency and acoustic power for operating in either cavitation or non-cavitation regimes for ultrasound standing wave systems, using the sonochemiluminescent chemical luminol. We show that this method offers a simple way of in situ determination of the cavitation threshold for selected separation vessel geometry. Since the pressure field is system specific the cavitation threshold is system specific (for the threshold parameter range). In this study we discuss cavitation effects and also measure one implication of cavitation for the application of milk fat separation, the degree of milk fat lipid oxidation by headspace volatile measurements. For the evaluated vessel, 2 MHz as opposed to 1 MHz operation enabled operation in non-cavitation or low cavitation conditions as measured by the luminol intensity threshold method. In all cases the lipid oxidation derived volatiles were below the human sensory detection level. Ultrasound treatment did not significantly influence the oxidative changes in milk for either 1 MHz (dose of 46 kJ/L and 464 kJ/L) or 2 MHz (dose of 37 kJ/L and 373 kJ/L) operation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of Real-time Feedback and Tissue Response to Ultrasound-Guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) Ablation using Scanned Track Exposure Regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, Robert H. R.; Leslie, Thomas A.; Civale, John; Kennedy, James E.; ter Haar, Gail

2007-05-01

Real time ultrasound monitoring of tissue ablation in clinical HIFU treatments currently depends on the observation of the appearance of new hyperechoic regions within the target volume, allowing visually directed treatment. These grey-scale changes are attributed to the formation of gas or vapour bubbles. In this study, scanned track lesions have been formed in ex vivo bovine liver samples at a range of ablative intensities (free field spatial peak intensities 7 - 47 kW cm-2), and tracking speeds (1-2 mms-1). Their appearance on conventional B-mode ultrasound images has been assessed using digital imaging techniques over the first 60 seconds following HIFU exposure. The size of the lesion as seen on the ultrasound scan is compared to the macroscopic size of the lesion at dissection. It is seen that the lesion size is highly dependent on the intensity and scanning speed of the transducer. Reliable lesions can be created using scanned tracks at the lowest powers, with increased numbers of cycles, and grey-scale changes correlated strongly with the histological findings. Although not a highly sensitive indication of ablated area, ultrasound monitoring of treatment is highly specific thus confirming its clinical utility.

Investigation of Acrylic Resin Disinfection Using Chemicals and Ultrasound.

PubMed

Muscat, Ylainia; Farrugia, Cher; Camilleri, Liberato; Arias-Moliz, Maria Teresa; Valdramidis, Vasilis; Camilleri, Josette

2018-06-01

Dental prosthetic and orthodontic appliances are transported from the clinic to the laboratory for additions and repairs. These appliances, containing microbes from the oral flora, are a high risk for cross-contamination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chemical and ultrasound disinfection against two in vitro biofilms and an in vivo formed biofilm grown on unprepared and polished polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) surfaces. Rough and polished self-curing PMMA surfaces were infected with strains of both Candida albicans and Streptococcus oralis. After incubation, the samples were treated with different disinfection methods, including ultrasound treatment for both 15 and 30 seconds, and immersion in glutaraldehyde and alcohol-based chemical disinfectants (MD520 and Minuten, respectively). The disinfecting efficacy was assessed by colony forming units (CFU) analysis and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore the adequacy of bacterial elimination of application of 30-second ultrasound and MD520 was assessed on PMMA retrieved from ten volunteers by CFU analyses. ANOVA with p = 0.05 followed by the Tukey post hoc test and the Student t-test was used to analyze the data. The ultrasound treatment for 30 seconds, MD520, and Minuten were the most effective disinfectant methods as they reduced the microbial counts compared to the control (p < 0.05) as shown in the in vitro analyses. S. oralis adhered more to rough acrylic resin surfaces (p < 0.05). Ultrasound treatment was the most effective way to reduce microbial counts on PMMA exposed to oral flora (p = 0.043). Ultrasound treatment for 30 seconds was effective against C. albicans, S. oralis, and the oral flora as shown by testing microbial growth on agar plates and SEM. © 2016 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Influence of high power ultrasound on selected moulds, yeasts and Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris in apple, cranberry and blueberry juice and nectar.

PubMed

Režek Jambrak, Anet; Šimunek, Marina; Evačić, Silva; Markov, Ksenija; Smoljanić, Goran; Frece, Jadranka

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of non-thermal technology, high power ultrasound (HPU) on inactivation of Aspergillus ochraceus 318, Penicillium expansum 565, Rhodotorula sp. 74, Saccharomyces cerevisiae 5 and Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris DSM 3922 in clear juices and nectars from apple, blueberry and cranberry juice concentrate. Inoculated juice and nectars were treated by high power ultrasound (20kHz) according to procedure set by central composite design (CCD). Three operational parameters, amplitude (60, 90 and 120μm), temperature (20, 40 and 60°C), and treatment time (3, 6 or 9min) were varied in order to observe the influence of ultrasound and combination of ultrasound and slight heating (thermosonication) on growth and inactivation of selected microorganisms. Number of vegetative cells of A. acidoterrestris DSM 3922 were not significantly reduced by high power ultrasound (p>0.05), except in apple juice, where statistical significant (p<0.05) influence of quadratic interaction of amplitude on bacteria reduction were observed. In all samples of fruit juices and nectars in terms of ultrasonic treatment at 60°C and times of 3, 6 and 9min, regardless of the value of the amplitude, complete inactivation of the growth of yeasts and moulds were achieved, while at 20 and 40°C it is not observed. The value of reduction of cells of selected yeasts and moulds for ultrasound treatments at 60°C and the duration of the 3, 6 and 9min ranged from 3.556 to 5.934 log units, depending on the initial number of selected yeasts and moulds before treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strawberry puree processed by thermal, high pressure, or power ultrasound: Process energy requirements and quality modeling during storage.

PubMed

Sulaiman, Alifdalino; Farid, Mohammed; Silva, Filipa Vm

2017-06-01

Strawberry puree was processed for 15 min using thermal (65 ℃), high-pressure processing (600 MPa, 48 ℃), and ultrasound (24 kHz, 1.3 W/g, 33 ℃). These conditions were selected based on similar polyphenoloxidase inactivation (11%-18%). The specific energies required for the above-mentioned thermal, high-pressure processing, and power ultrasound processes were 240, 291, and 1233 kJ/kg, respectively. Then, the processed strawberry was stored at 3 ℃ and room temperature for 30 days. The constant pH (3.38±0.03) and soluble solids content (9.03 ± 0.25°Brix) during storage indicated a microbiological stability. Polyphenoloxidase did not reactivate during storage. The high-pressure processing and ultrasound treatments retained the antioxidant activity (70%-74%) better than the thermal process (60%), and high-pressure processing was the best treatment after 30 days of ambient storage to preserve antioxidant activity. Puree treated with ultrasound presented more color retention after processing and after ambient storage than the other preservation methods. For the three treatments, the changes of antioxidant activity and total color difference during storage were described by the fractional conversion model with rate constants k ranging between 0.03-0.09 and 0.06-0.22 day  - 1 , respectively. In resume, high-pressure processing and thermal processes required much less energy than ultrasound for the same polyphenoloxidase inactivation in strawberry. While high-pressure processing retained better the antioxidant activity of the strawberry puree during storage, the ultrasound treatment was better in terms of color retention.

In vitro study of the effects of ultrasound-mediated glycerol on optical attenuation of human normal and cancerous esophageal tissues with optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. Q.; Wei, H. J.; Yang, H. Q.; Guo, Z. Y.; Xie, S. S.; Gu, H. M.; Guo, X.; Zhu, Z. G.

2013-06-01

Previous studies from our group have demonstrated that glucose solution can induce optical clearing enhancement of esophageal tissues with optical coherence tomography (OCT). The aims of this study were to evaluate the optical clearing effects of ultrasound-mediated optical clearing agents (OCAs) and to find more effective methods to distinguish human normal esophageal tissues (NE) and cancerous esophageal tissues (CE). Here we used the OCT technique to investigate the optical attenuation of NE and CE in vitro after treatment with 30% glycerol alone and glycerol combined with ultrasound, respectively. Experimental results showed that the averaged attenuation coefficient of CE was significantly larger than that of NE. The maximal decreases of averaged attenuation coefficients of NE and CE were approximately 48.7% and 36.2% after treatment with 30% glycerol alone, and they were significantly lower than those treated with 30% glycerol and ultrasound (57.5% in NE and 44.8% in CE). Moreover, after treatment with 30% glycerol alone, the averaged attenuation coefficients of NE and CE reached their minima in about 80 min and 65 min, respectively. The times were much shorter in NE and CE after treatment with glycerol with ultrasound, being about 62 min and 50 min, respectively. The results suggest that there is a significant difference in the optical properties of NE and CE, and that OCT with an ultrasound-OCAs combination has the ability to distinguish CE from NE.

Time reversal and phase coherent music techniques for super-resolution ultrasound imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Lianjie; Labyed, Yassin

Systems and methods for super-resolution ultrasound imaging using a windowed and generalized TR-MUSIC algorithm that divides the imaging region into overlapping sub-regions and applies the TR-MUSIC algorithm to the windowed backscattered ultrasound signals corresponding to each sub-region. The algorithm is also structured to account for the ultrasound attenuation in the medium and the finite-size effects of ultrasound transducer elements. A modified TR-MUSIC imaging algorithm is used to account for ultrasound scattering from both density and compressibility contrasts. The phase response of ultrasound transducer elements is accounted for in a PC-MUSIC system.

Poster - 09: A MATLAB-based Program for Automated Quality Assurance of a Prostate Brachytherapy Ultrasound System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poon, Justin; Sabondjian, Eric; Sankreacha, Raxa

Purpose: A robust Quality Assurance (QA) program is essential for prostate brachytherapy ultrasound systems due to the importance of imaging accuracy during treatment and planning. Task Group 128 of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine has recommended a set of QA tests covering grayscale visibility, depth of penetration, axial and lateral resolution, distance measurement, area measurement, volume measurement, and template/electronic grid alignment. Making manual measurements on the ultrasound system can be slow and inaccurate, so a MATLAB program was developed for automation of the described tests. Methods: Test images were acquired using a BK Medical Flex Focus 400 ultrasoundmore » scanner and 8848 transducer with the CIRS Brachytherapy QA Phantom – Model 045A. For each test, the program automatically segments the inputted image(s), makes the appropriate measurements, and indicates if the test passed or failed. The program was tested by analyzing two sets of images, where the measurements from the first set were used as baseline values. Results: The program successfully analyzed the images for each test and determined if any action limits were exceeded. All tests passed – the measurements made by the program were consistent and met the requirements outlined by Task Group 128. Conclusions: The MATLAB program we have developed can be used for automated QA of an ultrasound system for prostate brachytherapy. The GUI provides a user-friendly way to analyze images without the need for any manual measurement, potentially removing intra- and inter-user variability for more consistent results.« less

Driving delivery vehicles with ultrasound ☆

PubMed Central

Ferrara, Katherine W.

2009-01-01

Therapeutic applications of ultrasound have been considered for over 40 years, with the mild hyperthermia and associated increases in perfusion produced by ultrasound harnessed in many of the earliest treatments. More recently, new mechanisms for ultrasound-based or ultrasound-enhanced therapies have been described, and there is now great momentum and enthusiasm for the clinical translation of these techniques. This dedicated issue of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, entitled “Ultrasound for Drug and Gene Delivery,” addresses the mechanisms by which ultrasound can enhance local drug and gene delivery and the applications that have been demonstrated at this time. In this commentary, the identified mechanisms, delivery vehicles, applications and current bottlenecks for translation of these techniques are summarized. PMID:18479775

A History of the Sonocare CST-100: The First FDA-approved HIFU Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muratore, Robert

2006-05-01

The Sonocare CST-100 Therapeutic Ultrasound System, designed for the treatment of glaucoma, was developed in the 1980s and became the first high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device to receive Food and Drug Administration approval. The system arose from studies done by F.L. Lizzi, Eng.Sc.D., of Riverside Research Institute and D.J. Coleman, M.D., of Cornell Medical Center/New York Hospital on the safety of ultrasound diagnosis of the eye. As safety limits were probed, therapeutic regimes were discovered. Optimization of operational parameters, clinical experience, and engineering design came together through a spin-off company, Sonocare, Inc., formed to produce and market the ophthalmic device. Various precedents were set during the approval process, including the acceptance by the FDA of radiation momentum imparted to an absorber as a measure of acoustic power. Many devices were sold, but the laser industry, grandfathered into the therapeutic field, eventually out-marketed Sonocare. The CST-100 remains as a model of elegant industrial design, and existing units are used daily in HIFU laboratory experiments.

MO-AB-210-00: Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging Quality Control and High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Therapy Hands-On Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound. HIFU is a therapeutic modality that uses ultrasound waves as carriers of energy. HIFU is used to focus a beam of ultrasound energy into a small volume at specific target locations within the body. The focused beam causes localized high temperatures and produces a well-defined regions of necrosis. This completely non-invasive technology has great potential for tumor ablation and targeted drug delivery. At the workshop, attendees will see configurations, applications, and hands-on demonstrationsmore » with on-site instructors at separate stations. The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. At the workshop, an array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be provided for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environment with live demonstrations of the techniques. Target audience: Medical physicists and other medical professionals in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology with interest in high-intensity focused ultrasound and in diagnostic ultrasound QC. Learning Objectives: Learn ultrasound physics and safety for HIFU applications through live demonstrations Get an overview of the state-of-the art in HIFU technologies and equipment Gain familiarity with common elements of a quality control program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging Identify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools List of supporting vendors for HIFU and diagnostic ultrasound QC hands-on workshop: Philips Healthcare Alpinion Medical Systems Verasonics, Inc Zonare Medical Systems, Inc Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS), Inc. GAMMEX, Inc., Cablon Medical BV Steffen Sammet: NIH/NCI grant 5R25CA132822, NIH/NINDS grant 5R25NS080949 and Philips Healthcare research grant C32.« less

Multiparametric ultrasound in the detection of prostate cancer: a systematic review.

PubMed

Postema, Arnoud; Mischi, Massimo; de la Rosette, Jean; Wijkstra, Hessel

2015-11-01

To investigate the advances and clinical results of the different ultrasound modalities and the progress in combining them into multiparametric UltraSound (mpUS). A systematic literature search on mpUS and the different ultrasound modalities included: greyscale ultrasound, computerized transrectal ultrasound, Doppler and power Doppler techniques, dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound and (shear wave) elastography. Limited research available on combining ultrasound modalities has presented improvement in diagnostic performance. The data of two studies suggest that even adding a lower performing ultrasound modality to a better performing modality using crude methods can already improve the sensitivity by 13-51 %. The different modalities detect different tumours. No study has tried to combine ultrasound modalities employing a system similar to the PIRADS system used for mpMRI or more advanced classifying algorithms. Available evidence confirms that combining different ultrasound modalities significantly improves diagnostic performance.

Comparison of tissue injury from focused ultrasonic propulsion of kidney stones versus extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

PubMed

Connors, Bret A; Evan, Andrew P; Blomgren, Philip M; Hsi, Ryan S; Harper, Jonathan D; Sorensen, Mathew D; Wang, Yak-Nam; Simon, Julianna C; Paun, Marla; Starr, Frank; Cunitz, Bryan W; Bailey, Michael R; Lingeman, James E

2014-01-01

Focused ultrasonic propulsion is a new noninvasive technique designed to move kidney stones and stone fragments out of the urinary collecting system. However, to our knowledge the extent of tissue injury associated with this technique is not known. We quantitated the amount of tissue injury produced by focused ultrasonic propulsion under simulated clinical treatment conditions and under conditions of higher power or continuous duty cycles. We compared those results to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy injury. A human calcium oxalate monohydrate stone and/or nickel beads were implanted by ureteroscopy in 3 kidneys of live pigs weighing 45 to 55 kg and repositioned using focused ultrasonic propulsion. Additional pig kidneys were exposed to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy level pulse intensity or continuous ultrasound exposure 10 minutes in duration using an ultrasound probe transcutaneously or on the kidney. These kidneys were compared to 6 treated with an unmodified Dornier HM3 lithotripter (Dornier Medical Systems, Kennesaw, Georgia) using 2,400 shocks at 120 shock waves per minute and 24 kV. Histological analysis was performed to assess the volume of hemorrhagic tissue injury created by each technique according to the percent of functional renal volume. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy produced a mean ± SEM lesion of 1.56% ± 0.45% of functional renal volume. Ultrasonic propulsion produced no detectable lesion with simulated clinical treatment. A lesion of 0.46% ± 0.37% or 1.15% ± 0.49% of functional renal volume was produced when excessive treatment parameters were used with the ultrasound probe placed on the kidney. Focused ultrasonic propulsion produced no detectable morphological injury to the renal parenchyma when using clinical treatment parameters but produced injury comparable in size to that of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy when using excessive treatment parameters. Copyright © 2014 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-Frequency Ultrasound M-mode Imaging for Identifying Lesion and Bubble Activity during High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation

PubMed Central

Kumon, R. E.; Gudur, M. S. R.; Zhou, Y.; Deng, C. X.

2012-01-01

Effective real-time monitoring of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation is important for application of HIFU technology in interventional electrophysiology. This study investigated rapid, high-frequency M-mode ultrasound imaging for monitoring spatiotemporal changes during HIFU application. HIFU (4.33 MHz, 1 kHz PRF, 50% duty cycle, 1 s, 2600 – 6100 W/cm2) was applied to ex-vivo porcine cardiac tissue specimens with a confocally and perpendicularly aligned high-frequency imaging system (Visualsonics Vevo 770, 55 MHz center frequency). Radiofrequency (RF) data from M-mode imaging (1 kHz PRF, 2 s × 7 mm) was acquired before, during, and after HIFU treatment (n = 12). Among several strategies, the temporal maximum integrated backscatter with a threshold of +12 dB change showed the best results for identifying final lesion width (receiver-operating characteristic curve area 0.91 ± 0.04, accuracy 85 ± 8%, as compared to macroscopic images of lesions). A criterion based on a line-to-line decorrelation coefficient is proposed for identification of transient gas bodies. PMID:22341055

Promising approaches to circumvent the blood-brain barrier: progress, pitfalls and clinical prospects in brain cancer

PubMed Central

Papademetriou, Iason T; Porter, Tyrone

2015-01-01

Brain drug delivery is a major challenge for therapy of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Biochemical modifications of drugs or drug nanocarriers, methods of local delivery, and blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption with focused ultrasound and microbubbles are promising approaches which enhance transport or bypass the BBB. These approaches are discussed in the context of brain cancer as an example in CNS drug development. Targeting to receptors enabling transport across the BBB offers noninvasive delivery of small molecule and biological cancer therapeutics. Local delivery methods enable high dose delivery while avoiding systemic exposure. BBB disruption with focused ultrasound and microbubbles offers local and noninvasive treatment. Clinical trials show the prospects of these technologies and point to challenges for the future. PMID:26488496

Promising approaches to circumvent the blood-brain barrier: progress, pitfalls and clinical prospects in brain cancer.

PubMed

Papademetriou, Iason T; Porter, Tyrone

2015-01-01

Brain drug delivery is a major challenge for therapy of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Biochemical modifications of drugs or drug nanocarriers, methods of local delivery, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption with focused ultrasound and microbubbles are promising approaches which enhance transport or bypass the BBB. These approaches are discussed in the context of brain cancer as an example in CNS drug development. Targeting to receptors enabling transport across the BBB offers noninvasive delivery of small molecule and biological cancer therapeutics. Local delivery methods enable high dose delivery while avoiding systemic exposure. BBB disruption with focused ultrasound and microbubbles offers local and noninvasive treatment. Clinical trials show the prospects of these technologies and point to challenges for the future.

High-flow vascular malformation treatment using ultrasound-guided laser combined with polidocanol sclerotherapy.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Zhou, Ping; Li, Lan; Li, Jia-le

2015-07-01

The current treatment for vascular malformations includes surgery, sclerotherapy, and embolization. However, each method has its limitations, such as recurrence, complications, scarring, and radiation exposure. Therefore, identifying an effective, minimally invasive treatment that reduces lesion recurrence is particularly important. We describe in detail a patient who received treatment with ultrasound-guided laser interruption of feeding vessels combined with polidocanol sclerotherapy after the recurrence of forearm high-flow vascular malformation.

High-intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of breast tumours.

PubMed

Peek, Mirjam C L; Wu, Feng

2018-01-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a minimally invasive technique that has been used for the treatment of both benign and malignant tumours. With HIFU, an ultrasound (US) beam propagates through soft tissue as a high-frequency pressure wave. The US beam is focused at a small target volume, and due to the energy building up at this site, the temperature rises, causing coagulative necrosis and protein denaturation within a few seconds. HIFU is capable of providing a completely non-invasive treatment without causing damage to the directly adjacent tissues. HIFU can be either guided by US or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Guided imaging is used to plan the treatment, detect any movement during the treatment and monitor response in real-time. This review describes the history of HIFU, the HIFU technique, available devices and gives an overview of the published literature in the treatment of benign and malignant breast tumours with HIFU.

Numerical simulations of clinical focused ultrasound functional neurosurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulkkinen, Aki; Werner, Beat; Martin, Ernst; Hynynen, Kullervo

2014-04-01

A computational model utilizing grid and finite difference methods were developed to simulate focused ultrasound functional neurosurgery interventions. The model couples the propagation of ultrasound in fluids (soft tissues) and solids (skull) with acoustic and visco-elastic wave equations. The computational model was applied to simulate clinical focused ultrasound functional neurosurgery treatments performed in patients suffering from therapy resistant chronic neuropathic pain. Datasets of five patients were used to derive the treatment geometry. Eight sonications performed in the treatments were then simulated with the developed model. Computations were performed by driving the simulated phased array ultrasound transducer with the acoustic parameters used in the treatments. Resulting focal temperatures and size of the thermal foci were compared quantitatively, in addition to qualitative inspection of the simulated pressure and temperature fields. This study found that the computational model and the simulation parameters predicted an average of 24 ± 13% lower focal temperature elevations than observed in the treatments. The size of the simulated thermal focus was found to be 40 ± 13% smaller in the anterior-posterior direction and 22 ± 14% smaller in the inferior-superior direction than in the treatments. The location of the simulated thermal focus was off from the prescribed target by 0.3 ± 0.1 mm, while the peak focal temperature elevation observed in the measurements was off by 1.6 ± 0.6 mm. Although the results of the simulations suggest that there could be some inaccuracies in either the tissue parameters used, or in the simulation methods, the simulations were able to predict the focal spot locations and temperature elevations adequately for initial treatment planning performed to assess, for example, the feasibility of sonication. The accuracy of the simulations could be improved if more precise ultrasound tissue properties (especially of the skull bone) could be obtained.

Feasibility of laser-integrated high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment for bladder tumors: in vitro study (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Van Phuc; Park, Suhyun; Oh, Junghwan; Kang, Hyun Wook

2016-02-01

Previous studies have shown that photothemal therapy combined with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can provide a promising method to achieve rapid thermal coagulation during surgical procedures. The current study investigated the feasibility of the laser-integrated high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) application to treat bladder tumors by enhancing thermal effects and therapeutic depth in vitro. To generate thermal coagulation, a single element HIFU transducer with a central frequency of 2.0 MHz was used to transmit acoustic energy to 15 fresh porcine bladders injected with an artificial tumor (100 µl gelatin and hemoglobin solution) in vitro. Simultaneously, an 80-W 532-nm laser system was also implemented to induce thermal necrosis in the targeted tissue. The intensity of 570 W/cm2 at the focus of HIFU and laser energy of 0.9 W were applied to all the samples for 40 s. The temperature rise increased up to about 1.6 or 3 folds (i.e., ΔT=32±3.8 K for laser-integrated HIFU, ΔT=20±6.5 K for HIFU only, and ΔT=11±5.6 K for laser only). The estimated lesion depth also increased by 1.3 and 2 folds during the dual-thermal treatment, in comparison with the treatment by either HIFU or laser. The results indicated that the laser-integrated HIFU treatment can be an efficient hyperthermic method for tumor coagulation.

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) in Uterine Fibroid Treatment: Review Study

PubMed Central

Mahmoud, Mustafa Z.; Alkhorayef, Mohammed; Alzimami, Khalid S.; Aljuhani, Manal Saud; Sulieman, Abdelmoneim

2014-01-01

Summary Background High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a highly precise medical procedure used locally to heat and destroy diseased tissue through ablation. This study intended to review HIFU in uterine fibroid therapy, to evaluate the role of HIFU in the therapy of leiomyomas as well as to review the actual clinical activities in this field including efficacy and safety measures beside the published clinical literature. Material/Methods An inclusive literature review was carried out in order to review the scientific foundation, and how it resulted in the development of extracorporeal distinct devices. Studies addressing HIFU in leiomyomas were identified from a search of the Internet scientific databases. The analysis of literature was limited to journal articles written in English and published between 2000 and 2013. Results In current gynecologic oncology, HIFU is used clinically in the treatment of leiomyomas. Clinical research on HIFU therapy for leiomyomas began in the 1990s, and the majority of patients with leiomyomas were treated predominantly with HIFUNIT 9000 and prototype single focus ultrasound devices. HIFU is a non-invasive and highly effective standard treatment with a large indication range for all sizes of leiomyomas, associated with high efficacy, low operative morbidity and no systemic side effects. Conclusions Uterine fibroid treatment using HIFU was effective and safe in treating symptomatic uterine fibroids. Few studies are available in the literature regarding uterine artery embolization (UAE). HIFU provides an excellent option to treat uterine fibroids. PMID:25371765

Speckle noise removal applied to ultrasound image of carotid artery based on total least squares model.

PubMed

Yang, Lei; Lu, Jun; Dai, Ming; Ren, Li-Jie; Liu, Wei-Zong; Li, Zhen-Zhou; Gong, Xue-Hao

2016-10-06

An ultrasonic image speckle noise removal method by using total least squares model is proposed and applied onto images of cardiovascular structures such as the carotid artery. On the basis of the least squares principle, the related principle of minimum square method is applied to cardiac ultrasound image speckle noise removal process to establish the model of total least squares, orthogonal projection transformation processing is utilized for the output of the model, and the denoising processing for the cardiac ultrasound image speckle noise is realized. Experimental results show that the improved algorithm can greatly improve the resolution of the image, and meet the needs of clinical medical diagnosis and treatment of the cardiovascular system for the head and neck. Furthermore, the success in imaging of carotid arteries has strong implications in neurological complications such as stroke.

Gene therapy for cardiovascular disease mediated by ultrasound and microbubbles

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Gene therapy provides an efficient approach for treatment of cardiovascular disease. To realize the therapeutic effect, both efficient delivery to the target cells and sustained expression of transgenes are required. Ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) technique has become a potential strategy for target-specific gene and drug delivery. When gene-loaded microbubble is injected, the ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction may spew the transported gene to the targeted cells or organ. Meanwhile, high amplitude oscillations of microbubbles increase the permeability of capillary and cell membrane, facilitating uptake of the released gene into tissue and cell. Therefore, efficiency of gene therapy can be significantly improved. To date, UTMD has been successfully investigated in many diseases, and it has achieved outstanding progress in the last two decades. Herein, we discuss the current status of gene therapy of cardiovascular diseases, and reviewed the progress of the delivery of genes to cardiovascular system by UTMD. PMID:23594865

Method and system to synchronize acoustic therapy with ultrasound imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hossack, James (Inventor); Owen, Neil (Inventor); Bailey, Michael R. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

Interference in ultrasound imaging when used in connection with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is avoided by employing a synchronization signal to control the HIFU signal. Unless the timing of the HIFU transducer is controlled, its output will substantially overwhelm the signal produced by ultrasound imaging system and obscure the image it produces. The synchronization signal employed to control the HIFU transducer is obtained without requiring modification of the ultrasound imaging system. Signals corresponding to scattered ultrasound imaging waves are collected using either the HIFU transducer or a dedicated receiver. A synchronization processor manipulates the scattered ultrasound imaging signals to achieve the synchronization signal, which is then used to control the HIFU bursts so as to substantially reduce or eliminate HIFU interference in the ultrasound image. The synchronization processor can alternatively be implemented using a computing device or an application-specific circuit.

MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery

PubMed Central

Jolesz, Ferenc A.

2014-01-01

MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) surgery is a noninvasive thermal ablation method that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for target definition, treatment planning, and closed-loop control of energy deposition. Integrating FUS and MRI as a therapy delivery system allows us to localize, target, and monitor in real time, and thus to ablate targeted tissue without damaging normal structures. This precision makes MRgFUS an attractive alternative to surgical resection or radiation therapy of benign and malignant tumors. Already approved for the treatment of uterine fibroids, MRgFUS is in ongoing clinical trials for the treatment of breast, liver, prostate, and brain cancer and for the palliation of pain in bone metastasis. In addition to thermal ablation, FUS, with or without the use of microbubbles, can temporarily change vascular or cell membrane permeability and release or activate various compounds for targeted drug delivery or gene therapy. A disruptive technology, MRgFUS provides new therapeutic approaches and may cause major changes in patient management and several medical disciplines. PMID:19630579

Developmental dysplasia of the hip in the newborn: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Gulati, Vivek; Eseonu, Kelechi; Sayani, Junaid; Ismail, Nizar; Uzoigwe, Chika; Choudhury, Muhammed Zaki; Gulati, Pooja; Aqil, Adeel; Tibrewal, Saket

2013-01-01

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) denotes a wide spectrum of conditions ranging from subtle acetabular dysplasia to irreducible hip dislocations. Clinical diagnostic tests complement ultrasound imaging in allowing diagnosis, classification and monitoring of this condition. Classification systems relate to the alpha and beta angles in addition to the dynamic coverage index (DCI). Screening programmes for DDH show considerable geographic variation; certain risk factors have been identified which necessitate ultrasound assessment of the newborn. The treatment of DDH has undergone significant evolution, but the current gold standard is still the Pavlik harness. Duration of Pavlik harness treatment has been reported to range from 3 to 9.3 mo. The beta angle, DCI and the superior/lateral femoral head displacement can be assessed via ultrasound to estimate the likelihood of success. Success rates of between 7% and 99% have been reported when using the harness to treat DDH. Avascular necrosis remains the most devastating complication of harness usage with a reported rate of between 0% and 28%. Alternative non-surgical treatment methods used for DDH include devices proposed by LeDamany, Frejka, Lorenz and Ortolani. The Rosen splint and Wagner stocking have also been used for DDH treatment. Surgical treatment for DDH comprises open reduction alongside a combination of femoral or pelvic osteotomies. Femoral osteotomies are carried out in cases of excessive anteversion or valgus deformity of the femoral neck. The two principal pelvic osteotomies most commonly performed are the Salter osteotomy and Pemberton acetabuloplasty. Serious surgical complications include epiphyseal damage, sciatic nerve damage and femoral neck fracture. PMID:23610749

Bronchoalveolar lavage for the treatment of neonatal pulmonary atelectasis under lung ultrasound monitoring.

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Ren, Xiao-Ling; Fu, Wei; Liu, Ying; Xia, Rong-Ming

2017-10-01

Pulmonary atelectasis (PA) is a common clinical complication among newborns, and it is one of the most common causes of neonatal dyspnea, a condition with no specific effective treatment. This study examined the effectiveness and security of bronchoalveolar lavage (BL) regarding the treatment of neonatal PA under ultrasound monitoring. A total of 57 patients diagnosed with PA via lung ultrasound (LUS) were included in this study. All patients received BL via a tracheal intubation injection of lavage fluid. The LUS was conducted immediately after each lavage to understand the conditions of lung re-expansion. Irrigation was repeated two to three times as one course of treatment. BL was provided as one to two courses of treatment daily for several days according to atelectasis and lung recruitment status. Of the 57 patients, BL was very effective in 44 cases (77.2%), marginally effective in nine cases (15.8%) and ineffective in four cases (7.0%), showing a total effective rate of 93.0%. The four ineffective cases showed a long disease duration and severe pulmonary consolidation. BL showed significant effectiveness for the treatment of neonatal PA under ultrasound monitoring. This treatment is easy to operate, and no adverse side effects were observed. Thus, BL should be considered for clinical application.

Retroflex Versus Bunched in Treatment for Rhotic Misarticulation: Evidence From Ultrasound Biofeedback Intervention

PubMed Central

Byun, Tara McAllister; Hitchcock, Elaine R.; Swartz, Michelle T.

2014-01-01

Purpose To document the efficacy of ultrasound biofeedback treatment for misarticulation of the North American English rhotic in children. Because of limited progress in the first cohort, a series of two closely related studies was conducted in place of a single study. The studies differed primarily in the nature of tongue-shape targets (e.g., retroflex, bunched) cued during treatment. Method Eight participants received 8 weeks of individual ultrasound biofeedback treatment targeting rhotics. In Study 1, all 4 participants were cued to match a bunched tongue-shape target. In Study 2, participants received individualized cues aimed at eliciting the tongue shape most facilitative of perceptually correct rhotics. Results Participants in Study 1 showed only minimal treatment effects. In Study 2, all participants demonstrated improved production of rhotics in untreated words produced without biofeedback, with large to very large effect sizes. Conclusions The results of Study 2 indicate that with proper parameters of treatment, ultrasound biofeedback can be a highly effective intervention for children with persistent rhotic errors. In addition, qualitative comparison of Studies 1 and 2 suggests that treatment for the North American English rhotic should include opportunities to explore different tongue shapes, to find the most facilitative variant for each individual speaker. PMID:25088034

Synergism of aspirin and heparin with a low-frequency non-invasive ultrasound system for augmentation of in-vitro clot lysis.

PubMed

Atar, Shaul; Neuman, Yoram; Miyamoto, Takashi; Chen, Ming; Birnbaum, Yochai; Luo, Huai; Kobal, Sergio; Siegel, Robert J

2003-06-01

Aspirin, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors and heparin are routinely used in acute coronary syndromes. Previously we showed that there is synergism between ultrasound and heparin and tirofiban in augmenting blood clot disruption. However, there is a little data on a possible synergism of low-frequency ultrasound with aspirin for in-vitro clot dissolution, and especially on the combination of aspirin with heparin and/or glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. Human blood clots (n = 320) were incubated for 10 or 20 minutes in saline containing aspirin alone or combined with heparin and/or tirofiban and/or eptifibatide. Clots were randomly treated with low-frequency ultrasound (27.3 kHz) or incubation only. The percent clot weight loss and the incremental effect of ultrasound were calculated. The most significant incremental effect of ultrasound on clot weight reduction was detected with aspirin alone (5.2 +/- 2.3% and 5.2 +/- 2.6% after 10' and 20', p = 0.04 and p = 0.06, respectively) and in combination with heparin (8.8 +/- 2.5% and 11.5 +/- 2.7% after 10' and 20', p = 0.01 and p = 0.0001, respectively). The greatest absolute magnitude of clot weight reduction was observed with ultrasound combined with aspirin and heparin (48.5 +/- 9.5% after 20'). The addition of tirofiban or eptifibatide to aspirin, heparin and ultrasound did not increase clot lysis. However, eptifibatide had significantly better synergism than tirofiban (p = 0.025 and p = 0.015, after 10 and 20 minutes, respectively). Aspirin alone or in combination with heparin results in significant augmentation of clot lysis and is synergistic with application of low-frequency ultrasound for 10 and 20 minutes only. These results may have important implications for a possible use of low-frequency ultrasound in treatment algorithms of acute coronary syndromes.

Magnetic Resonance-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MR-HIFU) in Treatment of Symptomatic Uterine Myomas

PubMed Central

Filipowska, Justyna; Łoziński, Tomasz

2014-01-01

Summary Magnetic Resonance-guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MR-HIFU) is a noninvasive technique for ablation therapy for uterine myomas, where focused ultrasound energy beam generates localized high temperature in the selected area and coagulates chosen tissue, leaving the skin and tissues in between unharmed. Magnetic resonance imaging enables accurate targeting for HIFU as well as temperature monitoring during treatment. MR guidance with 3D anatomical imaging provides reference data for treatment planning, while real-time temperature monitoring aids in controlling ablation process. This review provides basic information regarding methodology, clinical indications for this kind of treatment, expected outcome and patient management during MR-HIFU procedure. The aim of this work is to introduce a new, noninvasive treatment method for uterine leiomyomas and to present a comparison with other currently used methods. PMID:25469176

Magnetic Resonance-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MR-HIFU) in Treatment of Symptomatic Uterine Myomas.

PubMed

Filipowska, Justyna; Loziński, Tomasz

2014-01-01

Magnetic Resonance-guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MR-HIFU) is a noninvasive technique for ablation therapy for uterine myomas, where focused ultrasound energy beam generates localized high temperature in the selected area and coagulates chosen tissue, leaving the skin and tissues in between unharmed. Magnetic resonance imaging enables accurate targeting for HIFU as well as temperature monitoring during treatment. MR guidance with 3D anatomical imaging provides reference data for treatment planning, while real-time temperature monitoring aids in controlling ablation process. This review provides basic information regarding methodology, clinical indications for this kind of treatment, expected outcome and patient management during MR-HIFU procedure. The aim of this work is to introduce a new, noninvasive treatment method for uterine leiomyomas and to present a comparison with other currently used methods.

System Integration and In Vivo Testing of a Robot for Ultrasound Guidance and Monitoring During Radiotherapy.

PubMed

Sen, Hasan Tutkun; Bell, Muyinatu A Lediju; Zhang, Yin; Ding, Kai; Boctor, Emad; Wong, John; Iordachita, Iulian; Kazanzides, Peter

2017-07-01

We are developing a cooperatively controlled robot system for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) in which a clinician and robot share control of a 3-D ultrasound (US) probe. IGRT involves two main steps: 1) planning/simulation and 2) treatment delivery. The goals of the system are to provide guidance for patient setup and real-time target monitoring during fractionated radiotherapy of soft tissue targets, especially in the upper abdomen. To compensate for soft tissue deformations created by the probe, we present a novel workflow where the robot holds the US probe on the patient during acquisition of the planning computerized tomography image, thereby ensuring that planning is performed on the deformed tissue. The robot system introduces constraints (virtual fixtures) to help to produce consistent soft tissue deformation between simulation and treatment days, based on the robot position, contact force, and reference US image recorded during simulation. This paper presents the system integration and the proposed clinical workflow, validated by an in vivo canine study. The results show that the virtual fixtures enable the clinician to deviate from the recorded position to better reproduce the reference US image, which correlates with more consistent soft tissue deformation and the possibility for more accurate patient setup and radiation delivery.

[An easy, safe and affective method for the treatment of intussusception: ultrasound-guided hydrostatic reduction].

PubMed

Ülger, Fatma Esra Bahadır; Ülger, Aykut; Karakaya, Ali Erdal; Tüten, Fatih; Katı, Ömer; Çolak, Mustafa

2014-03-01

Intussusception is one of the important causes of intestinal obstruction in children. Hydrostatic reduction under ultrasound guidance is a popular treatment method for intussusception. In the present study, we aimed to explain the demographic characteristics of and treatment approaches in patients diagnosed with intussusception by ultrasound. Forty-one patients diagnosed with intussusception by ultrasound between August 2011 and May 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Twenty-four of these patients who had no contraindications had been treated with ultrasound-guided hydrostatic reduction. Twenty-four of the patients were male and 17 were female, a 1.4/1 male-to-female ratio. The majority of the patients were between the ages of 6-24 months and 2-5 years. The mean age was 31.12±26.32 months (range 3-125). Patients were more frequently diagnosed in April and May. Seventeen patients who had clinical contraindications enrolled directly for surgery. In 20 of the 24 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided hydrostatic reduction, reduction was achieved. Three experienced recurrence. In two of these patients, successful reduction was achieved with the second attempt. The remaining patient was enrolled for surgery. Hydrostatic reduction was performed 26 times on these 24 patients, and in 22, success was achieved (84.6%). No procedure-related complications occurred in the patients. Ultrasound-guided hydrostatic reduction, with its high success rates and lack of radiation risk, should be the first choice therapeutic approach for children diagnosed with intussusception.

Microalgal cell disruption via ultrasonic nozzle spraying.

PubMed

Wang, M; Yuan, W

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to understand the effect of operating parameters, including ultrasound amplitude, spraying pressure, nozzle orifice diameter, and initial cell concentration on microalgal cell disruption and lipid extraction in an ultrasonic nozzle spraying system (UNSS). Two algal species including Scenedesmus dimorphus and Nannochloropsis oculata were evaluated. Experimental results demonstrated that the UNSS was effective in the disruption of microalgal cells indicated by significant changes in cell concentration and Nile red-stained lipid fluorescence density between all treatments and the control. It was found that increasing ultrasound amplitude generally enhanced cell disruption and lipid recovery although excessive input energy was not necessary for best results. The effect of spraying pressure and nozzle orifice diameter on cell disruption and lipid recovery was believed to be dependent on the competition between ultrasound-induced cavitation and spraying-generated shear forces. Optimal cell disruption was not always achieved at the highest spraying pressure or biggest nozzle orifice diameter; instead, they appeared at moderate levels depending on the algal strain and specific settings. Increasing initial algal cell concentration significantly reduced cell disruption efficiency. In all UNSS treatments, the effectiveness of cell disruption and lipid recovery was found to be dependent on the algal species treated.

Sound waves and antineoplastic drugs: The possibility of an enhanced combined anticancer therapy.

PubMed

Feril, Loreto B; Kondo, Takashi; Umemura, Shin-Ichiro; Tachibana, Katsuro; Manalo, Angelo H; Riesz, Peter

2002-12-01

Kremkau wrote a historical review of the use of ultrasound in cancer therapy in 1979((1)) In 1990, Kondo and Kano published a Japanese review of the implications of the thermal and nonthermal effects of ultrasound in the treatment of cancer(2)). Again in 2000, Kondo et al reviewed the therapeutic applications of ultrasound and shock wave, emphasizing their thermal and cavitational effects(3)). Here we focus on the effects of ultrasound or shock waves in combination with anticancer agents, emphasizing their mechanisms of action and interaction. Most of the studies cited here reported promising results. Although the extent of the augmented combined effects in vivo is limited, synergism is the rule in vitro. In addition to the thermal effect of ultrasound, cavitational effects undoubtedly played a major role in both ultrasound and, more prominently, in shock wave therapy. Although the mechanism of the nonthermal noncavitational effects on biological processes is obscure, several factors, including temperature and the occurrence of cavitation and inertial cavitation, probably coexist and blend with these other effects. Magnification of anticancer activity results mainly from increased localization of drugs or other agents in vivo and increased intracellular permeabilisation both in vivo and in vitro. On the other hand, sublethal damage caused by ultrasound or shock waves may render cells more susceptible, to the effects of the agents, and both may act together, further amplifying these effects. We thus conclude that proper combination of an appropriate agent and ultrasound or shock wave should help improve cancer therapy by minimizing the side effects of drugs by lowering the effective dose and reducing the systemic concentration while increasing the efficiency of the therapy as a whole. Future studies should reveal specific conditions in this combined therapy that will lead to optimal outcome.

Renal denervation by intravascular ultrasound: Preliminary in vivo study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinelnikov, Yegor; McClain, Steve; Zou, Yong; Smith, David; Warnking, Reinhard

2012-10-01

Ultrasound denervation has recently become a subject of intense research in connection with the treatment of complex medical conditions including neurological conditions, development of pain management, reproduction of skin sensation, neuropathic pain and spasticity. The objective of this study is to investigate the use of intravascular ultrasound to produce nerve damage in renal sympathetic nerves without significant injury to the renal artery. This technique may potentially be used to treat various medical conditions, such as hypertension. The study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Ultrasound was applied to renal nerves of the swine model for histopathological evaluation. Therapeutic ultrasound energy was delivered circumferentially by an intravascular catheter maneuvered into the renal arteries. Fluoroscopic imaging was conducted pre-and post-ultrasound treatment. Animals were recovered and euthanized up to 30 hours post procedure, followed by necropsy and tissue sample collection. Histopathological examination showed evidence of extensive damage to renal nerves, characterized by nuclear pyknosis, hyalinization of stroma and multifocal hemorrhages, with little or no damage to renal arteries. This study demonstrates the feasibility of intravascular ultrasound as a minimally invasive renal denervation technique. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of this technique and its related clinical significance.

Focused ultrasound to expel calculi from the kidney: safety and efficacy of a clinical prototype device.

PubMed

Harper, Jonathan D; Sorensen, Mathew D; Cunitz, Bryan W; Wang, Yak-Nam; Simon, Julianna C; Starr, Frank; Paun, Marla; Dunmire, Barbrina; Liggitt, H Denny; Evan, Andrew P; McAteer, James A; Hsi, Ryan S; Bailey, Michael R

2013-09-01

Focused ultrasound has the potential to expel small stones or residual stone fragments from the kidney, or move obstructing stones to a nonobstructing location. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ultrasonic propulsion in a live porcine model. Calcium oxalate monohydrate kidney stones and laboratory model stones (2 to 8 mm) were ureteroscopically implanted in the renal pelvicalyceal system of 12 kidneys in a total of 8 domestic swine. Transcutaneous ultrasonic propulsion was performed using an HDI C5-2 imaging transducer (ATL/Philips, Bothell, Washington) and the Verasonics® diagnostic ultrasound platform. Successful stone relocation was defined as stone movement from the calyx to the renal pelvis, ureteropelvic junction or proximal ureter. Efficacy and procedure time was determined. Three blinded experts evaluated histological injury to the kidney in the control, sham treatment and treatment arms. All 26 stones were observed to move during treatment and 17 (65%) were relocated successfully to the renal pelvis (3), ureteropelvic junction (2) or ureter (12). Average ± SD successful procedure time was 14 ± 8 minutes and a mean of 23 ± 16 ultrasound bursts, each about 1 second in duration, were required. There was no evidence of gross or histological injury to the renal parenchyma in kidneys exposed to 20 bursts (1 second in duration at 33-second intervals) at the same output (2,400 W/cm(2)) used to push stones. Noninvasive transcutaneous ultrasonic propulsion is a safe, effective and time efficient means to relocate calyceal stones to the renal pelvis, ureteropelvic junction or ureter. This technology holds promise as a useful adjunct to surgical management for renal calculi. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Focused Ultrasound to Expel Calculi from the Kidney: Safety and Efficacy of a Clinical Prototype Device

PubMed Central

Harper, Jonathan D.; Sorensen, Mathew D.; Cunitz, Bryan W.; Wang, Yak-Nam; Simon, Julianna C.; Starr, Frank; Paun, Marla; Dunmire, Barbrina; Liggitt, H. Denny; Evan, Andrew P.; McAteer, James A.; Hsi, Ryan S.; Bailey, Michael R.

2015-01-01

Purpose Focused ultrasound has the potential to expel small stones or residual stone fragments from the kidney, or move obstructing stones to a nonobstructing location. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ultrasonic propulsion in a live porcine model. Materials and Methods Calcium oxalate monohydrate kidney stones and laboratory model stones (2 to 8 mm) were ureteroscopically implanted in the renal pelvicalyceal system of 12 kidneys in a total of 8 domestic swine. Transcutaneous ultrasonic propulsion was performed using an HDI C5-2 imaging transducer (ATL/Philips, Bothell, Washington) and the Verasonics® diagnostic ultrasound platform. Successful stone relocation was defined as stone movement from the calyx to the renal pelvis, ureteropelvic junction or proximal ureter. Efficacy and procedure time was determined. Three blinded experts evaluated histological injury to the kidney in the control, sham treatment and treatment arms. Results All 26 stones were observed to move during treatment and 17 (65%) were relocated successfully to the renal pelvis (3), ureteropelvic junction (2) or ureter (12). Average ± SD successful procedure time was 14 ± 8 minutes and a mean of 23 ± 16 ultrasound bursts, each about 1 second in duration, were required. There was no evidence of gross or histological injury to the renal parenchyma in kidneys exposed to 20 bursts (1 second in duration at 33-second intervals) at the same output (2,400 W/cm2) used to push stones. Conclusions Noninvasive transcutaneous ultrasonic propulsion is a safe, effective and time efficient means to relocate calyceal stones to the renal pelvis, ureteropelvic junction or ureter. This technology holds promise as a useful adjunct to surgical management for renal calculi. PMID:23583535

Three-dimensional ultrasound molecular imaging of angiogenesis in colon cancer using a clinical matrix array ultrasound transducer.

PubMed

Wang, Huaijun; Kaneko, Osamu F; Tian, Lu; Hristov, Dimitre; Willmann, Jürgen K

2015-05-01

We sought to assess the feasibility and reproducibility of 3-dimensional ultrasound molecular imaging (USMI) of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) expression in tumor angiogenesis using a clinical matrix array transducer and a clinical grade VEGFR2-targeted contrast agent in a murine model of human colon cancer. Animal studies were approved by the Institutional Administrative Panel on Laboratory Animal Care. Mice with human colon cancer xenografts (n = 33) were imaged with a clinical ultrasound system and transducer (Philips iU22; X6-1) after intravenous injection of either clinical grade VEGFR2-targeted microbubbles or nontargeted control microbubbles. Nineteen mice were scanned twice to assess imaging reproducibility. Fourteen mice were scanned both before and 24 hours after treatment with either bevacizumab (n = 7) or saline only (n = 7). Three-dimensional USMI data sets were retrospectively reconstructed into multiple consecutive 1-mm-thick USMI data sets to simulate 2-dimensional imaging. Vascular VEGFR2 expression was assessed ex vivo using immunofluorescence. Three-dimensional USMI was highly reproducible using both VEGFR2-targeted microbubbles and nontargeted control microbubbles (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.83). The VEGFR2-targeted USMI signal significantly (P = 0.02) decreased by 57% after antiangiogenic treatment compared with the control group, which correlated well with ex vivo VEGFR2 expression on immunofluorescence (ρ = 0.93, P = 0.003). If only central 1-mm tumor planes were analyzed to assess antiangiogenic treatment response, the USMI signal change was significantly (P = 0.006) overestimated by an average of 27% (range, 2%-73%) compared with 3-dimensional USMI. Three-dimensional USMI is feasible and highly reproducible and allows accurate assessment and monitoring of VEGFR2 expression in tumor angiogenesis in a murine model of human colon cancer.

Randomized, Double-Blind, Split-Face Study Evaluating Fractional Ablative Erbium:YAG Laser-Mediated Trans-Epidermal Delivery of Cosmetic Actives and a Novel Acoustic Pressure Wave Ultrasound Technology for the Treatment of Skin Aging, Melasma, and Acne Scars.

PubMed

Alexiades, Macrene

2015-11-01

Fractional laser resurfacing enhances trans-epidermal delivery (TED), however laser penetration depths >250- μm fail to substantively increase drug delivery. Evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel acoustic pressure wave ultrasound device following fractional ablative Er:YAG 2940-nm laser (FELR) and topical agents for rhytids, melasma, and acne scars. Randomized, blinded, parallel group split-face side-by-side, controlled study evaluating FELR and topical anti-aging and anti-pigment agents to entire face succeeded by ultrasound to randomized side. Fifteen subjects were enrolled to three treatment arms:rhytids, melasma, and acne scars. Two monthly treatments were administered with 1, 3, and 6 month follow-up. Efficacy was assessed by Comprehensive Grading Scale of Rhytids, Laxity, and Photoaging by Investigator and two blinded physician evaluators. Subject assessments, digital photographs, and reflectance spectroscopic analyses were obtained. Rhytid severity was reduced from a mean of 3.25 to 2.60 on the 4-point grading scale. Spectrophotometric analysis demonstrated increases in lightness (L*) and reductions in redness (a*) and pigment (b*), with greater improvements on the ultrasound side as compared to FELR and topicals alone. Moderate erythema post-treatment resolved in 7 days and no serious adverse events were observed. In this randomized, paired split-face clinical study, FELR-facilitated TED of topical anti-aging actives with ultrasound treatment is safe and effective with improvement in rhytids, melasma, and acne scars. Statistically significant greater improvement in pigment levels was observed on the ultrasound side as compared to FELR-TED and topical agents alone.

MO-AB-210-03: Workshop [Advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Z.

The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound. HIFU is a therapeutic modality that uses ultrasound waves as carriers of energy. HIFU is used to focus a beam of ultrasound energy into a small volume at specific target locations within the body. The focused beam causes localized high temperatures and produces a well-defined regions of necrosis. This completely non-invasive technology has great potential for tumor ablation and targeted drug delivery. At the workshop, attendees will see configurations, applications, and hands-on demonstrationsmore » with on-site instructors at separate stations. The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. At the workshop, an array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be provided for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environment with live demonstrations of the techniques. Target audience: Medical physicists and other medical professionals in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology with interest in high-intensity focused ultrasound and in diagnostic ultrasound QC. Learning Objectives: Learn ultrasound physics and safety for HIFU applications through live demonstrations Get an overview of the state-of-the art in HIFU technologies and equipment Gain familiarity with common elements of a quality control program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging Identify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools List of supporting vendors for HIFU and diagnostic ultrasound QC hands-on workshop: Philips Healthcare Alpinion Medical Systems Verasonics, Inc Zonare Medical Systems, Inc Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS), Inc. GAMMEX, Inc., Cablon Medical BV Steffen Sammet: NIH/NCI grant 5R25CA132822, NIH/NINDS grant 5R25NS080949 and Philips Healthcare research grant C32.« less

MO-AB-210-02: Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy-Hands On Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sammet, S.

The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound. HIFU is a therapeutic modality that uses ultrasound waves as carriers of energy. HIFU is used to focus a beam of ultrasound energy into a small volume at specific target locations within the body. The focused beam causes localized high temperatures and produces a well-defined regions of necrosis. This completely non-invasive technology has great potential for tumor ablation and targeted drug delivery. At the workshop, attendees will see configurations, applications, and hands-on demonstrationsmore » with on-site instructors at separate stations. The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. At the workshop, an array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be provided for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environment with live demonstrations of the techniques. Target audience: Medical physicists and other medical professionals in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology with interest in high-intensity focused ultrasound and in diagnostic ultrasound QC. Learning Objectives: Learn ultrasound physics and safety for HIFU applications through live demonstrations Get an overview of the state-of-the art in HIFU technologies and equipment Gain familiarity with common elements of a quality control program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging Identify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools List of supporting vendors for HIFU and diagnostic ultrasound QC hands-on workshop: Philips Healthcare Alpinion Medical Systems Verasonics, Inc Zonare Medical Systems, Inc Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS), Inc. GAMMEX, Inc., Cablon Medical BV Steffen Sammet: NIH/NCI grant 5R25CA132822, NIH/NINDS grant 5R25NS080949 and Philips Healthcare research grant C32.« less

MO-AB-210-01: Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy-Hands On Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Z.

The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate advancements in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound. HIFU is a therapeutic modality that uses ultrasound waves as carriers of energy. HIFU is used to focus a beam of ultrasound energy into a small volume at specific target locations within the body. The focused beam causes localized high temperatures and produces a well-defined regions of necrosis. This completely non-invasive technology has great potential for tumor ablation and targeted drug delivery. At the workshop, attendees will see configurations, applications, and hands-on demonstrationsmore » with on-site instructors at separate stations. The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. At the workshop, an array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be provided for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environment with live demonstrations of the techniques. Target audience: Medical physicists and other medical professionals in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology with interest in high-intensity focused ultrasound and in diagnostic ultrasound QC. Learning Objectives: Learn ultrasound physics and safety for HIFU applications through live demonstrations Get an overview of the state-of-the art in HIFU technologies and equipment Gain familiarity with common elements of a quality control program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging Identify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools List of supporting vendors for HIFU and diagnostic ultrasound QC hands-on workshop: Philips Healthcare Alpinion Medical Systems Verasonics, Inc Zonare Medical Systems, Inc Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS), Inc. GAMMEX, Inc., Cablon Medical BV Steffen Sammet: NIH/NCI grant 5R25CA132822, NIH/NINDS grant 5R25NS080949 and Philips Healthcare research grant C32.« less

An ultrasound wearable system for the monitoring and acceleration of fracture healing in long bones.

PubMed

Protopappas, Vasilios C; Baga, Dina A; Fotiadis, Dimitrios I; Likas, Aristidis C; Papachristos, Athanasios A; Malizos, Konstantinos N

2005-09-01

An ultrasound wearable system for remote monitoring and acceleration of the healing process in fractured long bones is presented. The so-called USBone system consists of a pair of ultrasound transducers, implanted into the fracture region, a wearable device and a centralized unit. The wearable device is responsible to carry out ultrasound measurements using the axial-transmission technique and initiate therapy sessions of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound. The acquired measurements and other data are wirelessly transferred from the patient-site to the centralized unit, which is located in a clinical setting. The evaluation of the system on an animal tibial osteotomy model is also presented. A dataset was constructed for monitoring purposes consisting of serial ultrasound measurements, follow-up radiographs, quantitative computed tomography-based densitometry and biomechanical data. The animal study demonstrated the ability of the system to collect ultrasound measurements in an effective and reliable fashion and participating orthopaedic surgeons accepted the system for future clinical application. Analysis of the acquired measurements showed that the pattern of evolution of the ultrasound velocity through healing bones over the postoperative period monitors a dynamic healing process. Furthermore, the ultrasound velocity of radiographically healed bones returns to 80% of the intact bone value, whereas the correlation coefficient of the velocity with the material and mechanical properties of the healing bone ranges from 0.699 to 0.814. The USBone system constitutes the first telemedicine system for the out-hospital management of patients sustained open fractures and treated with external fixation devices.

Combining transrectal ultrasound and CT for image-guided adaptive brachytherapy of cervical cancer: Proof of concept.

PubMed

Nesvacil, Nicole; Schmid, Maximilian P; Pötter, Richard; Kronreif, Gernot; Kirisits, Christian

To investigate the feasibility of a treatment planning workflow for three-dimensional image-guided cervix cancer brachytherapy, combining volumetric transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) for target definition with CT for dose optimization to organs at risk (OARs), for settings with no access to MRI. A workflow for TRUS/CT-based volumetric treatment planning was developed, based on a customized system including ultrasound probe, stepper unit, and software for image volume acquisition. A full TRUS/CT-based workflow was simulated in a clinical case and compared with MR- or CT-only delineation. High-risk clinical target volume was delineated on TRUS, and OARs were delineated on CT. Manually defined tandem/ring applicator positions on TRUS and CT were used as a reference for rigid registration of the image volumes. Treatment plan optimization for TRUS target and CT organ volumes was performed and compared to MRI and CT target contours. TRUS/CT-based contouring, applicator reconstruction, image fusion, and treatment planning were feasible, and the full workflow could be successfully demonstrated. The TRUS/CT plan fulfilled all clinical planning aims. Dose-volume histogram evaluation of the TRUS/CT-optimized plan (high-risk clinical target volume D 90 , OARs D 2cm³ for) on different image modalities showed good agreement between dose values reported for TRUS/CT and MRI-only reference contours and large deviations for CT-only target parameters. A TRUS/CT-based workflow for full three-dimensional image-guided cervix brachytherapy treatment planning seems feasible and may be clinically comparable to MRI-based treatment planning. Further development to solve challenges with applicator definition in the TRUS volume is required before systematic applicability of this workflow. Copyright © 2016 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transverse vs torsional ultrasound: prospective randomized contralaterally controlled study comparing two phacoemulsification-system handpieces

PubMed Central

Assil, Kerry K; Harris, Lindsay; Cecka, Jeannie

2015-01-01

Purpose To compare surgical efficiency and multiple early clinical outcome variables in eyes undergoing phacoemulsification using either transversal or torsional ultrasound systems. Setting Assil Eye Institute, Beverly Hills, CA, USA. Design Prospective, randomized, clinician-masked, contralaterally controlled single-center evaluation. Patients and methods Patients seeking cataract removal in both eyes with implantation of multifocal intraocular lenses were randomly assigned to one of two treatment rooms for phacoemulsification with either a transverse ultrasound system or torsional handpiece system. The contralateral eye was treated at a later date with the alternate device. A total of 54 eyes of 27 patients having similar degrees of cataract, astigmatism, and visual potential were included. All operative data were collected for analysis, and patients were followed for 3 months after surgery. Results Similar visual acuity was reported at all postoperative visits between the two groups. Mean phacoemulsification time and total power required were both significantly lower with the transverse system than with the torsional technique (P<0.05 for both). Similarly, mean total balanced salt solution used was significantly less with the transverse system vs torsional (P<0.05). Postoperative safety demonstrated significantly lower endothelial cell loss at 1 day and 1 month (P<0.05) with transverse vs torsional. Macular swelling was less at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months with transverse vs torsional, although the difference did not achieve significance (P=0.1) at any single time point. Clinically detectable corneal edema was reported less frequently at all postoperative time points with the transverse system. Conclusion The transverse ultrasound system was found to be possibly associated with less balanced salt-solution use, less phacoemulsification time, and less power required than the torsional phaco system. Postoperative data suggested that improved phaco efficiency may translate to a better overall safety profile for the patient. PMID:26345628

Localised hyperthermia in rodent models using an MRI-compatible high-intensity focused ultrasound system

PubMed Central

Bing, Chenchen; Nofiele, Joris; Staruch, Robert; Ladouceur-Wodzak, Michelle; Chatzinoff, Yonatan; Ranjan, Ashish; Chopra, Rajiv

2015-01-01

Purpose Localised hyperthermia in rodent studies is challenging due to the small target size. This study describes the development and characterisation of an MRI-compatible high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system to perform localised mild hyperthermia treatments in rodent models. Material and methods The hyperthermia platform consisted of an MRI-compatible small animal HIFU system, focused transducers with sector-vortex lenses, a custom-made receive coil, and means to maintain systemic temperatures of rodents. The system was integrated into a 3T MR imager. Control software was developed to acquire images, process temperature maps, and adjust output power using a proportional-integral-derivative feedback control algorithm. Hyperthermia exposures were performed in tissue-mimicking phantoms and in a rodent model (n = 9). During heating, an ROI was assigned in the heated region for temperature control and the target temperature was 42 °C; 30 min mild hyperthermia treatment followed by a 10-min cooling procedure was performed on each animal. Results 3D-printed sector-vortex lenses were successful at creating annular focal regions which enables customisation of the heating volume. Localised mild hyperthermia performed in rats produced a mean ROI temperature of 42.1 ± 0.3 °C. The T10 and T90 percentiles were 43.2 ± 0.4 °C and 41.0 ± 0.3 °C, respectively. For a 30-min treatment, the mean time duration between 41–45 °C was 31.1 min within the ROI. Conclusions The MRI-compatible HIFU system was successfully adapted to perform localised mild hyperthermia treatment in rodent models. A target temperature of 42 °C was well-maintained in a rat thigh model for 30 min. PMID:26540488

A novel technology using transscleral ultrasound to deliver protein loaded nanoparticles.

PubMed

Huang, Di; Wang, Lili; Dong, Yixuan; Pan, Xin; Li, Ge; Wu, Chuanbin

2014-09-01

This study was designed to investigate the feasibility of silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNs) for sustained drug delivery in transscleral ultrasound. Fluorescein isothiocynate labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA, MW 66.45 kDa) was chosen as a model macromolecular protein drug and SFNs were used as nano-carrier systems suitable for ocular drug delivery. Drug loaded nanoparticles (FITC-BSA-SFNs) were first prepared and characterized. In vitro transscleral study under ultrasound exposure (1MHz, 0.5 W/cm(2), 5 min continuous wave) using isolated sclera of rabbit was performed. The posterior eye segment of rabbit was examined for adverse effect by slit-lamp and histology. It was found that FITC-BSA-SFNs possessed sustained release, bioadhesive, and co-permeation characteristics. The ultrasound application significantly improved the penetration efficiency of FITC-BSA-SFNs as compared with passive delivery, meanwhile caused no damages to the ocular tissue and particles themselves. The distribution profile of SFNs revealed rapid and lasting adhesion on the outer scleral tissues, followed by migration into the interior up to one week after treatment. This research suggested a novel non-invasive transscleral administration of macromolecular protein drugs using SFN carriers combining with ultrasound technology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-Mediated Transdermal Drug Delivery: Mechanisms, Scope, and Emerging Trends

PubMed Central

Polat, Baris E.; Hart, Douglas; Langer, Robert; Blankschtein, Daniel

2012-01-01

The use of ultrasound for the delivery of drugs to, or through, the skin is commonly known as sonophoresis or phonophoresis. The use of therapeutic and high frequencies of ultrasound (≥ 0.7 MHz) for sonophoresis (HFS) dates back to as early as the 1950s, while low-frequency sonophoresis (LFS, 20 – 100 kHz) has only been investigated significantly during the past two decades. Although HFS and LFS are similar because they both utilize ultrasound to increase the skin penetration of permeants, the mechanisms associated with each physical enhancer are different. Specifically, the location of cavitation and the extent to which each process can increase skin permeability are quite dissimilar. Although the applications of both technologies are different, they each have strengths that could allow them to improve current methods of local, regional, and systemic drug delivery. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms associated with both HFS and LFS, specifically concentrating on the key mechanistic differences between these two skin treatment methods. Background on the relevant physics associated with ultrasound transmitted through aqueous media will also be discussed, along with implications of these phenomena on sonophoresis. Finally, a thorough review of the literature is included, dating back to the first published reports of sonophoresis, including a discussion of emerging trends in the field. PMID:21238514

Ultrasound-Guided Transesophageal High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Cardiac Ablation in a Beating Heart: A Pilot Feasibility Study in Pigs.

PubMed

Bessiere, Francis; N'djin, W Apoutou; Colas, Elodie Constanciel; Chavrier, Françoise; Greillier, Paul; Chapelon, Jean Yves; Chevalier, Philippe; Lafon, Cyril

2016-08-01

Catheter ablation for the treatment of arrhythmia is associated with significant complications and often-repeated procedures. Consequently, a less invasive and more efficient technique is required. Because high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) enables the generation of precise thermal ablations in deep-seated tissues without harming the tissues in the propagation path, it has the potential to be used as a new ablation technique. A system capable of delivering HIFU into the heart by a transesophageal route using ultrasound (US) imaging guidance was developed and tested in vivo in six male pigs. HIFU exposures were performed on atria and ventricles. At the time of autopsy, visual inspection identified thermal lesions in the targeted areas in three of the animals. These lesions were confirmed by histologic analysis (mean size: 5.5 mm(2) × 11 mm(2)). No esophageal thermal injury was observed. One animal presented with bradycardia due to an atrio-ventricular block, which provides real-time confirmation of an interaction between HIFU and the electrical circuits of the heart. Thus, US-guided HIFU has the potential to minimally invasively create myocardial lesions without an intra-cardiac device. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in Cytokines, Sensory Tests, and Self-reported Pain Levels After Manual Treatment of Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Degenhardt, Brian F; Johnson, Jane C; Fossum, Christian; Andicochea, Chad T; Stuart, Melissa K

2017-07-01

Unbalanced 3-factor design with repeated measures on 1 factor. To determine the effect of manual treatment (MT) on cytokine and pain sensations in those with and without low back pain (LBP). Evidence suggests that MT reduces LBP but by unknown mechanisms. Certain cytokines have been elevated in patients with LBP and may be affected by MT. Participants aged 20-60 years with chronic LBP or without LBP were recruited and randomly assigned to MT, sham ultrasound treatment, or no treatment groups. Venous blood samples were collected and pain levels assessed at baseline, 1 hour later, and 24 hours later. Blood was analyzed for interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein. Pain levels were measured by pressure pain threshold (PPT), mechanical detection threshold (MDT), dynamic mechanical allodynia, and self-report. Forty (30 women, age 36±11 y) participants completed the study, 33 with LBP (13 MT, 13 sham ultrasound treatment, and 7 no treatment) and 7 without LBP. Participants with or without LBP could not be differentiated on the basis of serum cytokine levels, PPT, or MDT (P≥0.08). There were no significant differences between the groups at 1 hour or 24 hours on serum cytokines, PPT, or MDT (P≥0.07). There was a significant decrease from baseline in IL-6 for the no treatment (LBP) group (P=0.04), in C-reactive protein for the sham ultrasound treatment group (P=0.03), in MDT for all 3 LBP groups (P≤0.02), and in self-reported pain for the MT and sham ultrasound treatment groups (P=0.03 and 0.01). Self-reported pain was reduced with MT and sham ultrasound treatment 24 hours after treatment, but inflammatory markers within venous circulation and quantitative sensory tests were unable to differentiate between study groups. Therefore, we were unable to characterize mechanisms underlying chronic LBP.

Evaluation of Chest Ultrasound Integrated Teaching of Respiratory System Physiology to Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paganini, Matteo; Bondì, Michela; Rubini, Alessandro

2017-01-01

Ultrasound imaging is a widely used diagnostic technique, whose integration in medical education is constantly growing. The aim of this study was to evaluate chest ultrasound usefulness in teaching respiratory system physiology, students' perception of chest ultrasound integration into a traditional lecture in human physiology, and short-term…

Targeted Ultrasound-Guided Perineural Hydrodissection of the Sciatic Nerve for the Treatment of Piriformis Syndrome.

PubMed

Burke, Christopher J; Walter, William R; Adler, Ronald S

2018-05-01

Piriformis syndrome is a common cause of lumbar, gluteal, and thigh pain, frequently associated with sciatic nerve symptoms. Potential etiologies include muscle injury or chronic muscle stretching associated with gait disturbances. There is a common pathological end pathway involving hypertrophy, spasm, contracture, inflammation, and scarring of the piriformis muscle, leading to impingement of the sciatic nerve. Ultrasound-guided piriformis injections are frequently used in the treatment of these pain syndromes, with most of the published literature describing injection of the muscle. We describe a safe, effective ultrasound-guided injection technique for the treatment of piriformis syndrome using targeted sciatic perineural hydrodissection followed by therapeutic corticosteroid injection.

Relapses in three patients with Takayasu arteritis under tocilizumab treatment detected by contrast enhanced ultrasound.

PubMed

Czihal, Michael; Lottspeich, Christian; Schröttle, Angelika; Treitl, Karla Maria; Treitl, Marcus; Leipe, Jan; Schulze-Koops, Hendrik; Hoffmann, Ulrich; Dechant, Claudia

2018-02-01

Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a rare large vessel vasculitis, affecting the aorta and its major branches, typically in young women. In this case report, we present three cases of young women of Caucasian descent who experienced relapses while under treatment with the monoclonal humanized antibody to the interleukin 6 receptor, tocilizumab. Active vasculitic lesions of the supraaortic (common carotid and axillary) arteries were detected and characterized via high resolution contrast enhanced ultrasound. Based on these cases, we discuss the potential role of contrast enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis and follow-up of TA as well as the current data on the efficacy of tocilizumab in the treatment of TA.

Study of efficacy of esthetic High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound system on Iranian skin for reducing the laxity and wrinkles of aging.

PubMed

Saket, Parvaneh; Shobeihi, Shobeir; Mehrdadi, Soroush

2017-09-01

Ultrasound is a mechanical wave that transmitted in a straight line and it can be focused at frequencies of 1-7 MHz with a high degree of precision. An important aspect of HIFU is that damaging focal point is located several millimeters below the surface of the skin and tissue above and below the focal point remains unaffected. Due to absorption of this energy, temperature of tissue rises to more than 60°C and this stimulates the cells for collagen production and tissue rejuvenation. To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound on Skin Laxity and wrinkles. The study involved 22 women aged 35-62 with skin type II-IV. HIFU device with three transducers was employed. Various focal depths with different energies were used in accordance with skin thickness. Improvement for seven regions of face and whole face were evaluated by two dermatologists and patients 3 months after treatment. All of the patients completed the study. Three months after treatment, there was a highly statistical improvement in skin laxity for all of the patients. Also, the average percentage of improvement by doctor's opinion and patients was 58% and 60%, respectively. The experimental data obtained from dermatologists and patients showed that HIFU appears to be a safe and effective modality for skin laxity treatment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A comparison of the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave and ultrasound therapy in the management of heel pain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheing, G. L. Y.; Chang, H.; Lo, S. K.

2007-11-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) and ultrasound therapy (US) for managing heel pain. Thirty-seven subjects received either: ESWT (once a week), US (three times a week), or CONTROL (no treatment) for 3 consecutive weeks and were followed-up for 3 more weeks. A visual analogue scale (VAS), the maximum tolerable duration for prolonged walking or standing, and the Mayo clinical scoring system (MCSS) were evaluated. Mixed models treating baseline measures as covariates were adopted for statistical analysis. By week 3, intensity of heel pain on palpation was reduced by 37% (VAS score from 7.5 to 4.6) in the ESWT group, 24% (from 5.3 to 4.2) in the US group, and increased by 3% (5.6-5.7) in the control group; this difference was significant after adjusting for baseline VAS scores ( p = 0.022). The improvements in the maximum tolerable duration of prolonged walking or standing was only significant in the ESWT group (157% increase, p = 0.043) but not the other two groups. Both active treatment groups maintained the treatment effect at the three-week follow-up. We conclude that ESWT is potentially more effective in reducing heel pain than ultrasound therapy but additional evidence is needed due to the various limitations of the study.

Effect of high intensity ultrasound on the fermentation profile of Lactobacillus sakei in a meat model system.

PubMed

Ojha, Kumari Shikha; Kerry, Joseph P; Alvarez, Carlos; Walsh, Des; Tiwari, Brijesh K

2016-07-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of high intensity ultrasound on the fermentation profile of Lactobacillus sakei in a meat model system. Ultrasound power level (0-68.5 W) and sonication time (0-9 min) at 20 °C were assessed against the growth of L. sakei using a Microplate reader over a period of 24h. The L. sakei growth data showed a good fit with the Gompertz model (R(2)>0.90; SE<0.042). Second order polynomial models demonstrated the effect of ultrasonic power and sonication time on the specific growth rate (SGR, μ, h(-1)) and lag phase (λ, h). A higher SGR and a shorter lag phase were observed at low power (2.99 W for 5 min) compared to control. Conversely, a decrease (p<0.05) in SGR with an increase in lag phase was observed with an increase in ultrasonic power level. Cell-free extracts obtained after 24h fermentation of ultrasound treated samples showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium at lower concentrations compared to control. No significant difference (p<0.05) among treatments was observed for lactic acid content after a 24h fermentation period. This study showed that both stimulation and retardation of L. sakei is possible, depending on the ultrasonic power and sonication time employed. Hence, fermentation process involving probiotics to develop functional food products can be tailored by selection of ultrasound processing parameters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimized Hyperthermia Treatment of Prostate Cancer Using a Novel Intracavitary Ultrasound Array

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

many problems Introduction involved with transducer fabrication. Focused ultrasound surgery ( FUS ) has been shown to give promising results in treating...low frequencies are used) (Hutchinson 1997). With focused ultrasound ( FUS ), tissue is noninvasively necrosed by elevating the temperature at the focal...curved 1.5 dimensional (1.5-D) array that could, but had of a 1.75 dimensional (1.75-D) tapered ultrasound phased array restrictions to the focusing

Iodine-enhanced ultrasound degradation of sulfamethazine in water.

PubMed

Yang, Xiao-Yu; Wei, Hong; Li, Ke-Bin; He, Qiang; Xie, Jian-Cang; Zhang, Jia-Tong

2018-04-01

This study investigated sulfamethazine (SMT) ultrasound degradation, enhanced by iodine radicals, generated by potassium iodide (KI) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in situ. The results showed that the ultrasound/H 2 O 2 /KI (US/H 2 O 2 /KI) combination treatment achieved an 85.10 ± 0.45% SMT removal (%) in 60 min under the following conditions: pH = 3.2, ultrasound power of 195 W, initial SMT concentration of 0.04 mmol·L -1 , H 2 O 2 concentration of 120 mmol·L -1 , and KI concentration of 2.4 mmol·L -1 . UV-Vis spectrophotometric monitoring of molecular iodine (I 2 ) and triiodide (I 3 - ) revealed a correlation between the SMT degradation and the iodine change in the solution. Quenching experiments using methanol, t-butanol and thiamazole as radical scavengers indicated that iodine radicals, such as I and I 2 - , were more important than hydroxyl radicals (HO) for SMT degradation. SMT degradation under the US/H 2 O 2 /KI treatment followed pseudo-first order reaction kinetics. The activation energy (E a ) of SMT degradation was 7.75 ± 0.61 kJ·mol -1 , which suggested the reaction was controlled by the diffusion step. Moreover, TOC removal was monitored, and the obtained results revealed that it was not as effective as SMT degradation under the US/H 2 O 2 /KI system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Focused Ultrasound-Induced Neurogenesis Requires an Increase in Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability.

PubMed

Mooney, Skyler J; Shah, Kairavi; Yeung, Sharon; Burgess, Alison; Aubert, Isabelle; Hynynen, Kullervo

2016-01-01

Transcranial focused ultrasound technology used to transiently open the blood-brain barrier, is capable of stimulating hippocampal neurogenesis; however, it is not yet known what aspects of the treatment are necessary for enhanced neurogenesis to occur. The present study set out to determine whether the opening of blood-brain barrier, the specific pressure amplitudes of focused ultrasound, and/or the intravenous administration of microbubbles (phospholipid microspheres) are necessary for the enhancement of neurogenesis. Specifically, mice were exposed to burst (10ms, 1Hz burst repetition frequency) focused ultrasound at the frequency of 1.68MHz and with 0.39, 0.78, 1.56 and 3.0MPa pressure amplitudes. These treatments were also conducted with or without microbubbles, at 0.39 + 0.78MPa or 1.56 + 3.0MPa, respectively. Only focused ultrasound at the ~0.78 MPa pressure amplitude with microbubbles promoted hippocampal neurogenesis and was associated with an increase in blood-brain barrier permeability. These results suggest that focused ultrasound -mediated neurogenesis is dependent upon the opening of the blood-brain barrier.

Ultrasound guided double injection of blood into cisterna magna: a rabbit model for treatment of cerebral vasospasm.

PubMed

Chen, Yongchao; Zhu, Youzhi; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Zixuan; Lian, Juan; Luo, Fucheng; Deng, Xuefei; Wong, Kelvin K L

2016-02-06

Double injection of blood into cisterna magna using a rabbit model results in cerebral vasospasm. An unacceptably high mortality rate tends to limit the application of model. Ultrasound guided puncture can provide real-time imaging guidance for operation. The aim of this paper is to establish a safe and effective rabbit model of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage with the assistance of ultrasound medical imaging. A total of 160 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups of 40 each: (1) manual control group, (2) manual model group, (3) ultrasound guided control group, and (4) ultrasound guided model group. The subarachnoid hemorrhage was intentionally caused by double injection of blood into their cisterna magna. Then, basilar artery diameters were measured using magnetic resonance angiography before modeling and 5 days after modeling. The depth of needle entering into cisterna magna was determined during the process of ultrasound guided puncture. The mortality rates in manual control group and model group were 15 and 23 %, respectively. No rabbits were sacrificed in those two ultrasound guided groups. We found that the mortality rate in ultrasound guided groups decreased significantly compared to manual groups. Compared with diameters before modeling, the basilar artery diameters after modeling were significantly lower in manual and ultrasound guided model groups. The vasospasm aggravated and the proportion of severe vasospasms was greater in ultrasound guided model group than that of manual group. In manual model group, no vasospasm was found in 8 % of rabbits. The ultrasound guided double injection of blood into cisterna magna is a safe and effective rabbit model for treatment of cerebral vasospasm.

Detecting breast microcalcifications using super-resolution ultrasound imaging: a clinical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lianjie; Labyed, Yassin; Hanson, Kenneth; Sandoval, Daniel; Pohl, Jennifer; Williamson, Michael

2013-03-01

Imaging breast microcalcifications is crucial for early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. It is challenging for current clinical ultrasound to image breast microcalcifications. However, new imaging techniques using data acquired with a synthetic-aperture ultrasound system have the potential to significantly improve ultrasound imaging. We recently developed a super-resolution ultrasound imaging method termed the phase-coherent multiple-signal classification (PC-MUSIC). This signal subspace method accounts for the phase response of transducer elements to improve image resolution. In this paper, we investigate the clinical feasibility of our super-resolution ultrasound imaging method for detecting breast microcalcifications. We use our custom-built, real-time synthetic-aperture ultrasound system to acquire breast ultrasound data for 40 patients whose mammograms show the presence of breast microcalcifications. We apply our super-resolution ultrasound imaging method to the patient data, and produce clear images of breast calcifications. Our super-resolution ultrasound PC-MUSIC imaging with synthetic-aperture ultrasound data can provide a new imaging modality for detecting breast microcalcifications in clinic without using ionizing radiation.

Ultrasound Stimulation of Insulin Release from Pancreatic Beta Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suarez Castellanos, Ivan M.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) mellitus is a complex metabolic disease that has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and around the world. Controlling T2D is often difficult as pharmacological management routinely requires complex therapy with multiple medications, and loses its effectiveness over time. The objective of this dissertation was to explore a novel, non-pharmacological approach that utilizes the application of ultrasound energy to stimulate insulin release. Our experiments have focused on determination of effectiveness and safety of ultrasound application in stimulation of insulin release from the pancreatic beta cells. Our results showed that ultrasound treatment, applied at frequencies of 800 kHz and 1 MHz and intensities of 0.5 W/cm2 and 1 W/cm2, did not produce any significant effects on cell viability compared to sham group as assessed with trypan blue dye exclusion test and MTT cytotoxicity assay. ELISA quantification of insulin release from beta cells resulting from ultrasound treatment showed clinically-significant amounts of released insulin as compared to sham-treated beta cells. Carbon fiber amperometry detection of secretory events from dopamine-loaded beta cells treated with ultrasound showed that release of secretory content could be temporally controlled by careful selection of ultrasound parameters. Both ELISA and amperometry experiments demonstrated that ultrasound-stimulated insulin release is a calcium-dependent process, potentially mediated by the mechanical effects of ultrasound. This study demonstrated that therapeutic ultrasound is a technique capable of stimulating the release of insulin from pancreatic beta cells in a safe, effective and controlled manner.

A successful model to learn and implement ultrasound-guided venous catheterization in apheresis.

PubMed

Gopalasingam, Nigopan; Thomsen, Anna-Marie Eller; Folkersen, Lars; Juhl-Olsen, Peter; Sloth, Erik

2017-12-01

Apheresis treatments can be performed with peripheral venous catheters (PVC), although central venous catheters (CVC) are inserted when PVCs fail or patient with history of difficult vascular access prior to the apheresis. Ultrasound guidance for PVC has shown promising results in other settings. To investigate if ultrasound guidance for PVC could be implemented among apheresis nurses. Second, how implementation of ultrasound guidance affected the number of CVCs used for apheresis per patient. Apheresis nurses completed a systematic training program for ultrasound-guided vascular access. All independent catheterizations were registered during the implementation stage. The number of CVCs in the pre- and postimplementation stages of the ultrasound guidance was compared. Six nurses completed the training program within a median of 48 days (range 38-83 days). In 77 patients, 485 independent ultrasound-guided PVC placements were performed during the implementation stage. All apheresis treatments (485/485) were accomplished using PVCs without requiring CVC as rescue. During the preimplementation stage, 125 of 273 (45.8%) procedures required a CVC for completion of apheresis procedures; during the postimplementation stage only 30 of 227 (13.2%) procedures required a CVC (p < 0.001). In the postimplementation stage, no CVCs were placed as rescue caused by failed PVCs but were only placed for patients where the ultrasound machine was unavailable. It indicates an effective success rate of 100% for ultrasound-guided PVC use. This study showed that ultrasound guidance could be implemented among apheresis nurses as a routine tool eliminating the need of CVC as a rescue. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Treatment Option Overview (Cervical Cancer)

MedlinePlus

... inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). Ultrasound exam : A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues ...

Treatment Option Overview (Penile Cancer)

MedlinePlus

... in the picture. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). Ultrasound exam : A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues ...

Mixed reality ultrasound guidance system: a case study in system development and a cautionary tale.

PubMed

Ameri, Golafsoun; Baxter, John S H; Bainbridge, Daniel; Peters, Terry M; Chen, Elvis C S

2018-04-01

Real-time ultrasound has become a crucial aspect of several image-guided interventions. One of the main constraints of such an approach is the difficulty in interpretability of the limited field of view of the image, a problem that has recently been addressed using mixed reality, such as augmented reality and augmented virtuality. The growing popularity and maturity of mixed reality has led to a series of informal guidelines to direct development of new systems and to facilitate regulatory approval. However, the goals of mixed reality image guidance systems and the guidelines for their development have not been thoroughly discussed. The purpose of this paper is to identify and critically examine development guidelines in the context of a mixed reality ultrasound guidance system through a case study. A mixed reality ultrasound guidance system tailored to central line insertions was developed in close collaboration with an expert user. This system outperformed ultrasound-only guidance in a novice user study and has obtained clearance for clinical use in humans. A phantom study with 25 experienced physicians was carried out to compare the performance of the mixed reality ultrasound system against conventional ultrasound-only guidance. Despite the previous promising results, there was no statistically significant difference between the two systems. Guidelines for developing mixed reality image guidance systems cannot be applied indiscriminately. Each design decision, no matter how well justified, should be the subject of scientific and technical investigation. Iterative and small-scale evaluation can readily unearth issues and previously unknown or implicit system requirements. We recommend a wary eye in development of mixed reality ultrasound image guidance systems emphasizing small-scale iterative evaluation alongside system development. Ultimately, we recommend that the image-guided intervention community furthers and deepens this discussion into best practices in developing image-guided interventions.

Ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion blocks combined with pharmacological and occupational therapy in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): a pilot case series ad interim.

PubMed

Wei, Karin; Feldmann, Robert E; Brascher, Anne-Kathrin; Benrath, Justus

2014-12-01

This preliminary and retrospective pilot case series examines a treatment concept consisting of ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs) combined with pharmacological and occupational therapy in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) of the hand. Efficacy of combined treatment concepts and safety of ultrasound-guided SGB have not been sufficiently investigated yet. A total number of 156 blocks were evaluated in 16 patients with CRPS in a retrospective analysis. All patients received pharmacotherapy and a standard regimen of occupational therapy offered simultaneously to the SGBs. Changes in both spontaneous and evoked pain levels were assessed by numerical pain rating score before and after the last blockade of a series. Side effects were documented. The overall mean pain reduction was 63.2% regarding spontaneous and 45.3% regarding evoked pain. Mild complications, such as hoarseness or dysphagia, occurred in 13.5% of the blocks (21 SGBs). Serious complications, such as plexus paresis or accidental puncture of vessels or other structures, did not occur. Time between symptom onset and start of treatment did not affect the extent of pain reduction. The combination of ultrasound-guided SGB and simultaneous pharmacological and occupational therapy showed encouraging treatment results under conditions of this pilot case series. Assessment of efficacy of this combined treatment concept and safety of ultrasound-guided SGB require further prospective clinical studies with larger number of participants. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Inactivation of norovirus surrogates on surfaces and raspberries by steam-ultrasound treatment.

PubMed

Schultz, Anna Charlotte; Uhrbrand, Katrine; Nørrung, Birgit; Dalsgaard, Anders

2012-02-01

Human disease outbreaks caused by norovirus (NoV) following consumption of contaminated raspberries are an increasing problem. An efficient method to decontaminate the fragile raspberries and the equipment used for processing would be an important step in ensuring food safety. A potential surface treatment that combines pressurized steam and high-power ultrasound (steam-ultrasound) was assessed for its efficacy to inactivate human NoV surrogates: coliphage (MS2), feline calicivirus (FCV), and murine norovirus (MNV) inoculated on plastic surfaces and MS2 inoculated on fresh raspberries. The amounts of infectious virus and viral genomes were determined by plaque assay and reverse transcription-real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), respectively. On plastic surfaces, an inactivation of >99.99% was obtained for both MS2 and FCV, corresponding to a 9.1-log and >4.8-log reduction after 1 or 3 s of treatment, respectively; while a 3.7-log (99.9%) reduction of MNV was reached after 3 s of treatment. However, on fresh raspberries only a 1-log reduction (∼89%) of MS2 could be achieved after 1 s of treatment, at which point damage to the texture of the fresh raspberries was evident. Increasing treatment time (0 to 3 s) resulted in negligible reductions of viral genome titers of MS2, FCV, and MNV on plastic surfaces as well as of MS2 inoculated on raspberries. Steam-ultrasound treatment in its current format does not appear to be an appropriate method to achieve sufficient decontamination of NoV-contaminated raspberries. However, steam-ultrasound may be used to decontaminate smooth surface areas and utensils in food production and processing environments.

Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: Percutaneous Tendon Fenestration Versus Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection for Treatment of Gluteal Tendinosis.

PubMed

Jacobson, Jon A; Yablon, Corrie M; Henning, P Troy; Kazmers, Irene S; Urquhart, Andrew; Hallstrom, Brian; Bedi, Asheesh; Parameswaran, Aishwarya

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study was to compare ultrasound-guided percutaneous tendon fenestration to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for treatment of greater trochanteric pain syndrome. After Institutional Review Board approval was obtained, patients with symptoms of greater trochanteric pain syndrome and ultrasound findings of gluteal tendinosis or a partial tear (<50% depth) were blinded and treated with ultrasound-guided fenestration or autologous PRP injection of the abnormal tendon. Pain scores were recorded at baseline, week 1, and week 2 after treatment. Retrospective clinic record review assessed patient symptoms. The study group consisted of 30 patients (24 female), of whom 50% were treated with fenestration and 50% were treated with PRP. The gluteus medius was treated in 73% and 67% in the fenestration and PRP groups, respectively. Tendinosis was present in all patients. In the fenestration group, mean pain scores were 32.4 at baseline, 16.8 at time point 1, and 15.2 at time point 2. In the PRP group, mean pain scores were 31.4 at baseline, 25.5 at time point 1, and 19.4 at time point 2. Retrospective follow-up showed significant pain score improvement from baseline to time points 1 and 2 (P< .0001) but no difference between treatment groups (P= .1623). There was 71% and 79% improvement at 92 days (mean) in the fenestration and PRP groups, respectively, with no significant difference between the treatments (P >.99). Our study shows that both ultrasound-guided tendon fenestration and PRP injection are effective for treatment of gluteal tendinosis, showing symptom improvement in both treatment groups. © 2016 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Modeling of endoluminal and interstitial ultrasound hyperthermia and thermal ablation: applications to device design, feedback control, and treatment planning

PubMed Central

Prakash, Punit; Salgaonkar, Vasant A.; Diederich, Chris J.

2014-01-01

Endoluminal and catheter-based ultrasound applicators are currently under development and are in clinical use for minimally invasive hyperthermia and thermal ablation of various tissue targets. Computational models play a critical role in in device design and optimization, assessment of therapeutic feasibility and safety, devising treatment monitoring and feedback control strategies, and performing patient-specific treatment planning with this technology. The critical aspects of theoretical modeling, applied specifically to endoluminal and interstitial ultrasound thermotherapy, are reviewed. Principles and practical techniques for modeling acoustic energy deposition, bioheat transfer, thermal tissue damage, and dynamic changes in the physical and physiological state of tissue are reviewed. The integration of these models and applications of simulation techniques in identification of device design parameters, development of real time feedback-control platforms, assessing the quality and safety of treatment delivery strategies, and optimization of inverse treatment plans are presented. PMID:23738697

Selected chemical composition changes in microwave-convective dried parsley leaves affected by ultrasound and steaming pre-treatments - An optimization approach.

PubMed

Dadan, Magdalena; Rybak, Katarzyna; Wiktor, Artur; Nowacka, Malgorzata; Zubernik, Joanna; Witrowa-Rajchert, Dorota

2018-01-15

Parsley leaves contain a high amount of bioactive components (especially lutein), therefore it is crucial to select the most appropriate pre-treatment and drying conditions, in order to obtain high quality of dried leaves, which was the aim of this study. The optimization was done using response surface methodology (RSM) for the following factors: microwave power (100, 200, 300W), air temperature (20, 30, 40°C) and pre-treatment variant (ultrasound, steaming and dipping as a control). Total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, chlorophyll and lutein contents (using UPLC-PDA) were determined in dried leaves. The analysed responses were dependent on the applied drying parameters and the pre-treatment type. The possibility of ultrasound and steam treatment application was proven and the optimal processing conditions were selected. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of high intensity focused ultrasound ablation of prostate tumor with hyperpolarized 13C imaging biomarkers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jessie E.; Diederich, Chris J.; Salgaonkar, Vasant A.; Bok, Robert; Taylor, Andrew G.; Kurhanewicz, John

2015-03-01

Real-time hyperpolarized (HP) 13C MR can be utilized during high-intensity focal ultrasound (HIFU) therapy to improve treatment delivery strategies, provide treatment verification, and thus reduce the need for more radical therapies for lowand intermediate-risk prostate cancers. The goal is to develop imaging biomarkers specific to thermal therapies of prostate cancer using HIFU, and to predict the success of thermal coagulation and identify tissues potentially sensitized to adjuvant treatment by sub-ablative hyperthermic heat doses. Mice with solid prostate tumors received HIFU treatment (5.6 MHz, 160W/cm2, 60 s), and the MR imaging follow-ups were performed on a wide-bore 14T microimaging system. 13C-labeled pyruvate and urea were used to monitor tumor metabolism and perfusion accordingly. After treatment, the ablated tumor tissue had a loss in metabolism and perfusion. In the regions receiving sub-ablative heat dose, a timedependent change in metabolism and perfusion was observed. The untreated regions behaved as a normal untreated TRAMP prostate tumor would. This promising preliminary study shows the potential of using 13C MR imaging as biomarkers of HIFU/thermal therapies.

Breast ultrasound in the management of gynecomastia in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome in monozygotic twins: two case reports.

PubMed

Di Grezia, Graziella; Romano, Tiziana; De Francesco, Francesco; Somma, Francesco; Rea, Gaetano; Grassi, Roberto; Gatta, Gianluca

2014-12-18

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is an autosomal dominant disease with incomplete penetrance and variable expression caused by germline mutation of serine threonine kinase 11/liver kinase B1; it is characterized by hamartomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract, mucocutaneous melanin pigmentation, and increased predisposition to neoplasms. In Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, bilateral Sertoli cell testicular tumors cause endocrine manifestations including gynecomastia and feminization. This study aimed to assess the role of breast ultrasound in the evaluation of the effectiveness of an innovative surgical approach. This report presents a pair of European 9-year-old identical male twins with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, bilateral prepubertal gynecomastia, and testicular multifocal calcifications. Both twins were treated with anastrozole for 2 years. After finishing treatment, both underwent subcutaneous mastectomy performed by the "modified" Webster technique. Breast examination and ultrasound were performed before and after the pharmacological and surgical treatment. A breast ultrasound scan before surgery showed bilateral gynecomastia in both patients. No solid nodular or cystic formations were present on either side. After pharmacological therapy and surgical glandular removal, a breast examination showed a significant reduction in breast volume; 1 year after surgery, a breast ultrasound scan of both patients showed a total absence of glandular parenchyma, with muscle planes well represented. Breast examination and ultrasound have proved to be a valid approach in the assessment of the treatment of prepubertal gynecomastia because they allow the efficacy of the pharmacological and surgical treatment to be evaluated in a multidisciplinary approach to one of the most frequent endocrine manifestations of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

Updates on ultrasound research in implant dentistry: a systematic review of potential clinical indications.

PubMed

Bhaskar, Vaishnavi; Chan, Hsun-Liang; MacEachern, Mark; Kripfgans, Oliver D

2018-05-23

Ultrasonography has shown promising diagnostic value in dental implant imaging research; however, exactly how ultrasound was used and at what stage of implant therapy it can be applied has not been systematically evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this review is to investigate potential indications of ultrasound use in the three implant treatment phases, namely planning, intraoperative and postoperative phase. Eligible manuscripts were searched in major databases with a combination of key words related to the use of ultrasound imaging in implant therapy. An initial search yielded 414 articles, after further review, 28 articles were finally included for this systematic review. Ultrasound was found valuable, though at various development stages, for evaluating (1) soft tissues, (2) hard tissues (3) vital structures and (4) implant stability. B-mode, the main function to image anatomical structures of interest, has been evaluated in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Quantitative ultrasound parameters, e.g. sound speed and amplitude, are being developed to evaluate implant-bone stability, mainly in simulation and pre-clinical studies. Ultrasound could be potentially useful in all 3 treatment phases. In the planning phase, ultrasound could evaluate vital structures, tissue biotype, ridge width/density, and cortical bone thickness. During surgery, it can provide feedback by identifying vital structures and bone boundary. At follow-up visits, it could evaluate marginal bone level and implant stability. Understanding the current status of ultrasound imaging research for implant therapy would be extremely beneficial for accelerating translational research and its use in dental clinics.

Factors affecting tumor ablation during high intensity focused ultrasound treatment.

PubMed

Hassanuddin, Aizan; Choi, Jun-Ho; Seo, Dong-Wan; Ryu, Choong Heon; Kim, Su-Hui; Park, Do Hyun; Lee, Sang Soo; Lee, Sung Koo; Kim, Myung-Hwan

2014-07-01

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) utilizes a targeted extracorporeal focused ultrasound beam to ablate neoplastic pancreatic tissue. We used an in vitro model to examine the effects of bone, metallic stents, plastic stents, metal plates, and cyst-like lesions on HIFU treatment. HIFU was delivered to the phantom models implanted with foreign bodies, and the location, shape, and size of the ablated zones were evaluated. Bone and metallic plates reflected the ultrasound beam, shifting the ablation zone from the focal zone to the prefocal area. In the phantoms containing metal stent, plastic stent, and cyst, most of the ablative energy was reflected to the prefocal area by the surface, with the remainder penetrating through the phantom. The area of the ablated margins was significantly larger in size and volume than the intended focal ablation zone. During HIFU therapy, artificial or anatomical barriers could affect the direction of the ultrasound beams, shifting the ablation zone from the focal area to a prefocal site with a larger than expected ablation zone. These factors should be considered prior to HIFU treatment for pancreatic tumors because they could limit ablation success, in addition to causing complications.

Transcranial cavitation-mediated ultrasound therapy at sub-MHz frequency via temporal interference modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Tao; Sutton, Jonathan T.; Power, Chanikarn; Zhang, Yongzhi; Miller, Eric L.; McDannold, Nathan J.

2017-10-01

Sub-megahertz transmission is not usually adopted in pre-clinical small animal experiments for focused ultrasound (FUS) brain therapy due to the large focal size. However, low frequency FUS is vital for preclinical evaluations due to the frequency-dependence of cavitation behavior. To maximize clinical relevance, a dual-aperture FUS system was designed for low-frequency (274.3 kHz) cavitation-mediated FUS therapy. Combining two spherically curved transducers provides significantly improved focusing in the axial direction while yielding an interference pattern with strong side lobes, leading to inhomogeneously distributed cavitation activities. By operating the two transducers at slightly offset frequencies to modulate this interference pattern over the period of sonication, the acoustic energy was redistributed and resulted in a spatially homogenous treatment profile. Simulation and pressure field measurements in water were performed to assess the beam profiles. In addition, the system performance was demonstrated in vivo in rats via drug delivery through microbubble-mediated blood-brain barrier disruption. This design resulted in a homogenous treatment profile that was fully contained within the rat brain at a clinically relevant acoustic frequency.

Validation of an ultrasound dilution technology for cardiac output measurement and shunt detection in infants and children.

PubMed

Lindberg, Lars; Johansson, Sune; Perez-de-Sa, Valeria

2014-02-01

To validate cardiac output measurements by ultrasound dilution technology (COstatus monitor) against those obtained by a transit-time ultrasound technology with a perivascular flow probe and to investigate ultrasound dilution ability to estimate pulmonary to systemic blood flow ratio in children. Prospective observational clinical trial. Pediatric cardiac operating theater in a university hospital. In 21 children (6.1 ± 2.6 kg, mean ± SD) undergoing heart surgery, cardiac output was simultaneously recorded by ultrasound dilution (extracorporeal arteriovenous loop connected to existing arterial and central venous catheters) and a transit-time ultrasound probe applied to the ascending aorta, and when possible, the main pulmonary artery. The pulmonary to systemic blood flow ratio estimated from ultrasound dilution curve analysis was compared with that estimated from transit-time ultrasound technology. Bland-Altman analysis of the whole cohort (90 pairs, before and after surgery) showed a bias between transit-time ultrasound (1.01 ± 0.47 L/min) and ultrasound dilution technology (1.03 ± 0.51 L/min) of -0.02 L/min, limits of agreement -0.3 to 0.3 L/min, and percentage error of 31%. In children with no residual shunts, the bias was -0.04 L/min, limits of agreement -0.28 to 0.2 L/min, and percentage error 19%. The pooled co efficient of variation was for the whole cohort 3.5% (transit-time ultrasound) and 6.3% (ultrasound dilution), and in children without shunt, it was 2.9% (transit-time ultrasound) and 4% (ultrasound dilution), respectively. Ultrasound dilution identified the presence of shunts (pulmonary to systemic blood flow ≠ 1) with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 92%. Mean pulmonary to systemic blood flow ratio by transit-time ultrasound was 2.6 ± 1.0 and by ultrasound dilution 2.2 ± 0.7 (not significant). The COstatus monitor is a reliable technique to measure cardiac output in children with high sensitivity and specificity for detecting the presence of shunts.

TH-A-207B-01: Basics and Current Implementations of Ultrasound Imaging of Shear Wave Speed and Elasticity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, S.

Imaging of tissue elastic properties is a relatively new and powerful approach to one of the oldest and most important diagnostic tools. Imaging of shear wave speed with ultrasound is has been added to most high-end ultrasound systems. Understanding this exciting imaging mode aiding its most effective use in medicine can be a rewarding effort for medical physicists and other medical imaging and treatment professionals. Assuring consistent, quantitative measurements across the many ultrasound systems in a typical imaging department will constitute a major step toward realizing the great potential of this technique and other quantitative imaging. This session will targetmore » these two goals with two presentations. A. Basics and Current Implementations of Ultrasound Imaging of Shear Wave Speed and Elasticity - Shigao Chen, Ph.D. Learning objectives-To understand: Introduction: Importance of tissue elasticity measurement Strain vs. shear wave elastography (SWE), beneficial features of SWE The link between shear wave speed and material properties, influence of viscosity Generation of shear waves External vibration (Fibroscan) ultrasound radiation force Point push Supersonic push (Aixplorer) Comb push (GE Logiq E9) Detection of shear waves Motion detection from pulse-echo ultrasound Importance of frame rate for shear wave imaging Plane wave imaging detection How to achieve high effective frame rate using line-by-line scanners Shear wave speed calculation Time to peak Random sample consensus (RANSAC) Cross correlation Sources of bias and variation in SWE Tissue viscosity Transducer compression or internal pressure of organ Reflection of shear waves at boundaries B. Elasticity Imaging System Biomarker Qualification and User Testing of Systems – Brian Garra, M.D. Learning objectives-To understand: Goals Review the need for quantitative medical imaging Provide examples of quantitative imaging biomarkers Acquaint the participant with the purpose of the RSNA Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Alliance and the need for such an organization Review the QIBA process for creating a quantitative biomarker Summarize steps needed to verify adherence of site, operators, and imaging systems to a QIBA profile Underlying Premise and Assumptions Objective, quantifiable results are needed to enhance the value of diagnostic imaging in clinical practice Reasons for quantification Evidence based medicine requires objective, not subjective observer data Computerized decision support tools (eg CAD) generally require quantitative input. Quantitative, reproducible measures are more easily used to develop personalized molecular medical diagnostic and treatment systems What is quantitative imaging? Definition from Imaging Metrology Workshop The Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Alliance Formation 2008 Mission Structure Example Imaging Biomarkers Being Explored Biomarker Selection Groundwork Draft Protocol for imaging and data evaluation QIBA Profile Drafting Equipment and Site Validation Technical Clinical Site and Equipment QA and Compliance Checking Ultrasound Elasticity Estimation Biomarker US Elasticity Estimation Background Current Status and Problems Biomarker Selection-process and outcome US SWS for Liver Fibrosis Biomarker Work Groundwork Literature search and analysis results Phase I phantom testing-Elastic phantoms Phase II phantom testing-Viscoelastic phantoms Digital Simulated Data Protocol and Profile Drafting Protocol: based on UPICT and existing literature and standards bodies protocols Profile-Current claims, Manufacturer specific appendices What comes after the profile Profile Validation Technical validation Clinical validation QA and Compliance Possible approaches Site Operator testing Site protocol re-evaluation Imaging system Manufacturer testing and attestation User acceptance testing and periodic QA Phantom Tests Digital Phantom Based Testing Standard QA Testing Remediation Schemes Profile Evolution Towards additional applications Towards higher accuracy and precision Supported in part by NIH contract HHSN268201300071C from NIBIB. Collaboration with GE Global Research, no personal support.; S. Chen, Some technologies described in this presentation have been licensed. Mayo Clinic and Dr. Chen have financial interests these technologies.« less

Treatment Option Overview (Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma)

MedlinePlus

... inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). Ultrasound exam : A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues ...

Treatment Options by Stage (Cervical Cancer)

MedlinePlus

... inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). Ultrasound exam : A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues ...

Treatment Options by Stage (Penile Cancer)

MedlinePlus

... in the picture. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). Ultrasound exam : A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues ...

An ultrasound transient elastography system with coded excitation.

PubMed

Diao, Xianfen; Zhu, Jing; He, Xiaonian; Chen, Xin; Zhang, Xinyu; Chen, Siping; Liu, Weixiang

2017-06-28

Ultrasound transient elastography technology has found its place in elastography because it is safe and easy to operate. However, it's application in deep tissue is limited. The aim of this study is to design an ultrasound transient elastography system with coded excitation to obtain greater detection depth. The ultrasound transient elastography system requires tissue vibration to be strictly synchronous with ultrasound detection. Therefore, an ultrasound transient elastography system with coded excitation was designed. A central component of this transient elastography system was an arbitrary waveform generator with multi-channel signals output function. This arbitrary waveform generator was used to produce the tissue vibration signal, the ultrasound detection signal and the synchronous triggering signal of the radio frequency data acquisition system. The arbitrary waveform generator can produce different forms of vibration waveform to induce different shear wave propagation in the tissue. Moreover, it can achieve either traditional pulse-echo detection or a phase-modulated or a frequency-modulated coded excitation. A 7-chip Barker code and traditional pulse-echo detection were programmed on the designed ultrasound transient elastography system to detect the shear wave in the phantom excited by the mechanical vibrator. Then an elasticity QA phantom and sixteen in vitro rat livers were used for performance evaluation of the two detection pulses. The elasticity QA phantom's results show that our system is effective, and the rat liver results show the detection depth can be increased more than 1 cm. In addition, the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) is increased by 15 dB using the 7-chip Barker coded excitation. Applying 7-chip Barker coded excitation technique to the ultrasound transient elastography can increase the detection depth and SNR. Using coded excitation technology to assess the human liver, especially in obese patients, may be a good choice.

Transvaginal Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy of Deep Pelvic Masses: How We Do It.

PubMed

Plett, Sara K; Poder, Liina; Brooks, Rebecca A; Morgan, Tara A

2016-06-01

The purpose of this review is to discuss the rationale and indications for transvaginal ultrasound-guided biopsy. Transvaginal ultrasound-guided biopsy can be a helpful tool for diagnosis and treatment planning in the evaluation of pelvic masses, particularly when the anatomy precludes a transabdominal or posterior transgluteal percutaneous biopsy approach. A step-by-step summary of the technique with preprocedure and postprocedure considerations is included. © 2016 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Clinical application of multiphoton tomography in combination with high-frequency ultrasound for evaluation of skin diseases.

PubMed

König, Karsten; Speicher, Marco; Köhler, Martin J; Scharenberg, Rüdiger; Kaatz, Martin

2010-12-01

The first-ever application of high-frequency ultrasound combined with multiphoton tomography (MPT) and dermoscopy in a clinical trial is reported. 47 patients with different dermatoses such as benign and malign skin cancers, connective tissue diseases, inflammatory skin diseases, and autoimmune bullous skin diseases have been investigated with (i) state-of-the-art and highly sophisticated ultrasound systems for dermatology, (ii) the femtosecond laser multiphoton tomograph and (iii) dermoscopes. Dermoscopy provides two-dimensional color images of the skin surface with a magnification up to 70 x. Depending on the ultrasonic frequencies from 7.5 MHz to 100 MHz, the signal depth varies from about 1 mm to 80 mm. Vertical ultrasound wide-field images provide fast information on depth and volume of the lesion. The 100 MHz ultrasound allows imaging with resolutions down to 16 μm (axial) and 32 μm (lateral). Multiphoton tomography provides 0.36 x 0.36 x 0.001 mm³ horizontal optical sections of a particular region of interest with submicron resolution down to 200 μm tissue depth. The autofluorescence of mitochondrial coenzymes, keratin, melanin, and elastin as well as the network of collagen structures can be imaged. The combination of ultrasound and MPT opens novel synergistic possibilities in diagnostics of skin diseases with a special focus on the early detection of skin cancer as well as the evaluation of treatments. Copyright © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultrasound- versus Palpation-Guided Injection of Corticosteroid for Plantar Fasciitis: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Yu, Aixi; Qi, Baiwen

2014-01-01

Background It is controversial whether ultrasound-guided injection of corticosteroid is superior to palpation-guided injection for plantar fasciitis. This meta-analysis was performed to compare the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided and palpation-guided injection of corticosteroid for the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Methods Databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane library and EMBASE) and reference lists were searched from their establishment to August 30, 2013 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ultrasound-guided with palpation-guided injection for plantar fasciitis. The Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) tool was used to assess the methodological quality. Outcome measurements were visual analogue scale (VAS), tenderness threshold (TT), heel tenderness index (HTI), response rate, plantar fascia thickness (PFT), hypoechogenicity and heel pad thickness (HPT). The statistical analysis was performed with software RevMan 5.2 and Stata 12.0. When I2<50%, the fixed-effects model was adopted. Otherwise the randomized-effects model was adopted. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to assess the quality of evidence. Results Five RCTs with 149 patients were identified and analyzed. Compared with palpation-guided injection, ultrasound-guided injection was superior with regard to VAS, TT, response rate, PFT and hypoechogenicity. However, there was no statistical significance between the two groups for HPT and HTI. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided injection of corticosteroid tends to be more effective than palpation-guided injection. However, it needs to be confirmed by further research. PMID:24658102

Dendrimer-coupled sonophoresis-mediated transdermal drug-delivery system for diclofenac.

PubMed

Huang, Bin; Dong, Wei-Jiang; Yang, Gao-Yi; Wang, Wei; Ji, Cong-Hua; Zhou, Fei-Ni

2015-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to develop a novel transdermal drug-delivery system comprising a polyamidoamine dendrimer coupled with sonophoresis to enhance the permeation of diclofenac (DF) through the skin. The novel transdermal drug-delivery system was developed by using a statistical Plackett-Burman design. Hairless male Wistar rat skin was used for the DF-permeation study. Coupling media concentration, ultrasound-application time, duty cycle, distance from probe to skin, and a third-generation polyamidoamine-dendrimer concentration were selected as independent variables, while in vitro drug release was selected as a dependent variable. Independent variables were found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). DF gel without dendrimer and ultrasound treatment to skin (passive delivery, run 13) showed 56.69 µg/cm(2) cumulative drug permeated through the skin, while the DF-dendrimer gel without sonophoresis treatment (run 14) showed 257.3 µg/cm(2) cumulative drug permeated through the skin after 24 hours. However, when the same gel was applied to sonophoresis-treated skin, drastic permeation enhancement was observed. In the case of run 3, the cumulative drug that permeated through the skin was 935.21 µg/cm(2). It was concluded that dendrimer-coupled sonophoresis-mediated transdermal drug delivery system has the potential to enhance the permeation of DF through the skin.

The Role of Ultrasound Imaging of Callus Formation in the Treatment of Long Bone Fractures in Children.

PubMed

Wawrzyk, Magdalena; Sokal, Jan; Andrzejewska, Ewa; Przewratil, Przemysław

2015-01-01

In the process of diagnosis and treatment of fractures, an X-ray study is typically performed. In modern medicine very important is the development of new diagnostic methods without adverse effects on the body. One of such techniques is ultrasound imaging. It has a high value in imaging most areas of the body, including the musculoskeletal system. Reports on the use of ultrasound in the evaluation of the callus are rare and this could be a method equivalent to or even better than standard radiographs. The aim of the study was to analyze the correlation of ultrasound with radiographs in imaging of callus formation after fractures of long bones in children and to analyze the correlation of vascular resistance index (RI) and the degree of vascularization of the callus with a subjective radiological assessment of the bone union quality. The prospective study was planned to qualify 50 children treated for long bones fractures of the arm, forearm, thigh and lower leg. Ultrasound diagnosis was carried out using a Philips iU22 camera equipped with a linear probe with 17-5-MHz resolution and MSK Superficial program. During ultrasound examination measurements of the callus were performed. Using the Power Doppler callus vascularity was visualized and vascular resistance index (RI) was measured. The same measurements were made within the corresponding area of the healthy limb. The results obtained by ultrasound were compared with radiograph measurements and with the subjective assessment of the callus quality. Preliminary results were developed on a group of 24 patients, where 28 fractured bones and 28 corresponding healthy bones were examined. Fifteen boys and 9 girls participated in the study. The average age at injury was, respectively, 11 and 9 years. In both groups fractures without displacement were the most frequent. A similar frequency was observed in fractures requiring reposition and subperiosteal fractures. In contrast, fractures with a slight displacement of the fragments, were 3 times more common in girls. Statistical analysis of the measurements of length and width of the callus demonstrated that the differences between results obtained in the ultrasound in comparison with X-rays were not statistically significant. Moreover, preliminary results showed a significantly higher degree of vascularization of the callus than of the healthy periosteum. Preliminary results indicate the high efficacy of ultrasound in the evaluation of callus formation after fractures of long bones in children and the possibility of its alternative use to X-ray examinations.

Security of patient data when decommissioning ultrasound systems.

PubMed

Moggridge, James

2017-02-01

Although ultrasound systems generally archive to Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), their archiving workflow typically involves storage to an internal hard disk before data are transferred onwards. Deleting records from the local system will delete entries in the database and from the file allocation table or equivalent but, as with a PC, files can be recovered. Great care is taken with disposal of media from a healthcare organisation to prevent data breaches, but ultrasound systems are routinely returned to lease companies, sold on or donated to third parties without such controls. In this project, five methods of hard disk erasure were tested on nine ultrasound systems being decommissioned: the system's own delete function; full reinstallation of system software; the manufacturer's own disk wiping service; open source disk wiping software for full and just blank space erasure. Attempts were then made to recover data using open source recovery tools. All methods deleted patient data as viewable from the ultrasound system and from browsing the disk from a PC. However, patient identifiable data (PID) could be recovered following the system's own deletion and the reinstallation methods. No PID could be recovered after using the manufacturer's wiping service or the open source wiping software. The typical method of reinstalling an ultrasound system's software may not prevent PID from being recovered. When transferring ownership, care should be taken that an ultrasound system's hard disk has been wiped to a sufficient level, particularly if the scanner is to be returned with approved parts and in a fully working state.

Treatment Options for Hodgkin Lymphoma during Pregnancy

MedlinePlus

... inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). Ultrasound exam : A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues ...

Study on Power Ultrasound Optimization and Its Comparison with Conventional Thermal Processing for Treatment of Raw Honey

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Summary The present study was done to optimize the power ultrasound processing for maximizing diastase activity of and minimizing hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content in honey using response surface methodology. Experimental design with treatment time (1-15 min), amplitude (20-100%) and volume (40-80 mL) as independent variables under controlled temperature conditions was studied and it was concluded that treatment time of 8 min, amplitude of 60% and volume of 60 mL give optimal diastase activity and HMF content, i.e. 32.07 Schade units and 30.14 mg/kg, respectively. Further thermal profile analyses were done with initial heating temperatures of 65, 75, 85 and 95 ºC until temperature of honey reached up to 65 ºC followed by holding time of 25 min at 65 ºC, and the results were compared with thermal profile of honey treated with optimized power ultrasound. The quality characteristics like moisture, pH, diastase activity, HMF content, colour parameters and total colour difference were least affected by optimized power ultrasound treatment. Microbiological analysis also showed lower counts of aerobic mesophilic bacteria and in ultrasonically treated honey than in thermally processed honey samples complete destruction of coliforms, yeasts and moulds. Thus, it was concluded that power ultrasound under suggested operating conditions is an alternative nonthermal processing technique for honey. PMID:29540991

Feasibility study of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the treatment of hydatid cysts of the liver.

PubMed

Imankulov, S B; Fedotovskikh, G V; Shaimardanova, G M; Yerlan, M; Zhampeisov, N K

2015-11-01

This study evaluates the feasibility of using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the treatment of hydatid cysts of the liver. HIFU ablation was carried out in 62 patients with echinococcosis of the liver. The mean age of patients was 40.76±14.84 (range: 17-72 years). The effectiveness of the treatment was monitored in real-time by changes in the gray-scale, and by morphological studies, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound. Criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of treatment in real time were outlines. Cytomorphological picture of destructive changes of parasitic elements was presented as well. Loss of embryonic elements of the parasite was observed at the subcellular level after HIFU-ablation and underlines the effectiveness of HIFU. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Development of a portable therapeutic and high intensity ultrasound system for military, medical, and research use

PubMed Central

Lewis, George K.; Olbricht, William L.

2008-01-01

We have developed a portable high power ultrasound system with a very low output impedance amplifier circuit (less than 0.3 Ω) that can transfer more than 90% of the energy from a battery supply to the ultrasound transducer. The system can deliver therapeutic acoustical energy waves at lower voltages than those in conventional ultrasound systems because energy losses owing to a mismatched impedance are eliminated. The system can produce acoustic power outputs over the therapeutic range (greater then 50 W) from a PZT-4, 1.54 MHz, and 0.75 in diameter piezoelectric ceramic. It is lightweight, portable, and powered by a rechargeable battery. The portable therapeutic ultrasound unit has the potential to replace “plug-in” medical systems and rf amplifiers used in research. The system is capable of field service on its internal battery, making it especially useful for military, ambulatory, and remote medical applications. PMID:19045903

Preliminary Clinical Experience with a Combined Automated Breast Ultrasound and Digital Breast Tomosynthesis System.

PubMed

Larson, Eric D; Lee, Won-Mean; Roubidoux, Marilyn A; Goodsitt, Mitchell M; Lashbrook, Chris; Davis, Cynthia E; Kripfgans, Oliver D; Carson, Paul L

2018-03-01

We analyzed the performance of a mammographically configured, automated breast ultrasound (McABUS) scanner combined with a digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system. The GE Invenia ultrasound system was modified for integration with GE DBT systems. Ultrasound and DBT imaging were performed in the same mammographic compression. Our small preliminary study included 13 cases, six of whom had contained invasive cancers. From analysis of these cases, current limitations and corresponding potential improvements of the system were determined. A registration analysis was performed to compare the ease of McABUS to DBT registration for this system with that of two systems designed previously. It was observed that in comparison to data from an earlier study, the McABUS-to-DBT registration alignment errors for both this system and a previously built combined system were smaller than those for a previously built standalone McABUS system. Copyright © 2018 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suppression of human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) augments ultrasound-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells.

PubMed

Xu, Tao; Nie, Yongli; Bai, Jiao; Li, Linjun; Yang, Bo; Zheng, Guangmei; Zhang, Jun; Yu, Jianyun; Cheng, Xiongfei; Jiao, Jiao; Jing, Hongxia

2016-12-01

Human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) is a major base excision repair enzyme, and it was reported to suppress the activation of intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway in response to oxidative stress. In this study, our aim was to investigate the effects of OGG1 downregulation on ultrasound-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. OGG1 expression was silenced by shRNA in the cervical cancer SW756 and CaSki cells. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay after OGG1 knockdown following ultrasound treatment. Ultrasound-induced apoptosis was measured by Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and Ca(2+) concentration were detected using a fluorescent probe, 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) and a green fluorescent dye fluo-4AM, respectively. Western blotting was used to analyze the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65). The results indicated that OGG1 knockdown did not suppress cell proliferation, but significantly augmented ultrasound-induced inhibitory effects on the cell viability, and increased ultrasound-induced early apoptosis and late apoptosis and necrosis in the SW756 and CaSki cells when exposure to ultrasound (1MHz) at 1.5W/cm(2) for 30 and 60s. OGG1 knockdown significantly increased intracellular ROS production and Ca(2+) concentration after incubation of 6, 24, and 48h post-ultrasound treatment. The downregulation of Bcl-2 protein and the upregulation of Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and NF-κB p65 protein levels were observed in the shRNA-OGG1 cells and mock-shRNA cells, but no significant change of these protein levels was found between of them. These results indicate that downregulation of OGG1 expression can augment ultrasound-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells, which suggests that OGG1 suppression might provide a new insight for ultrasound-induced therapeutic effects on cervical cancer treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Novel Combination of Thermal Ablation and Heat-Inducible Gene therapy for Breast Cancer Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

intensity focused ultrasound ( HIFU ) has been developed as an emerging non-invasive strategy for cancer treatment by thermal ablation of tumor tissue. The...Leenders, G., et al., Histopathological changes associated with high intensity focused ultrasound ( HIFU ) treatment for localised adenocarcinoma of...invasive strategy for cancer therapy [1, 2]. Through HIFU exposure, acoustic energy is focused into a deep-sited tumor volume and converted into heat

Using the ATL HDI 1000 to collect demodulated RF data for monitoring HIFU lesion formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anand, Ajay; Kaczkowski, Peter J.; Daigle, Ron E.; Huang, Lingyun; Paun, Marla; Beach, Kirk W.; Crum, Lawrence A.

2003-05-01

The ability to accurately track and monitor the progress of lesion formation during HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) therapy is important for the success of HIFU-based treatment protocols. To aid in the development of algorithms for accurately targeting and monitoring formation of HIFU induced lesions, we have developed a software system to perform RF data acquisition during HIFU therapy using a commercially available clinical ultrasound scanner (ATL HDI 1000, Philips Medical Systems, Bothell, WA). The HDI 1000 scanner functions on a software dominant architecture, permitting straightforward external control of its operation and relatively easy access to quadrature demodulated RF data. A PC running a custom developed program sends control signals to the HIFU module via GPIB and to the HDI 1000 via Telnet, alternately interleaving HIFU exposures and RF frame acquisitions. The system was tested during experiments in which HIFU lesions were created in excised animal tissue. No crosstalk between the HIFU beam and the ultrasound imager was detected, thus demonstrating synchronization. Newly developed acquisition modes allow greater user control in setting the image geometry and scanline density, and enables high frame rate acquisition. This system facilitates rapid development of signal-processing based HIFU therapy monitoring algorithms and their implementation in image-guided thermal therapy systems. In addition, the HDI 1000 system can be easily customized for use with other emerging imaging modalities that require access to the RF data such as elastographic methods and new Doppler-based imaging and tissue characterization techniques.

Biological response in vitro of skeletal muscle cells treated with different intensity continuous and pulsed ultrasound fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abrunhosa, Viviane M.; Mermelstein, Claudia S.; Costa, Manoel L.; Costa-Felix, Rodrigo P. B.

2011-02-01

Therapeutic ultrasound has been used in physiotherapy to accelerate tissue healing. Although the ultrasonic wave is widely used in clinical practice, not much is known about the biological effects of ultrasound on cells and tissues. This study aims to evaluate the biological response of ultrasound in primary cultures of chick myogenic cells. To ensure the metrological reliability of whole measurement process, the ultrasound equipment was calibrated in accordance with IEC 61689:2007. The skeletal muscle cells were divided in four samples. One sample was used as a control group and the others were submitted to different time and intensity and operation mode of ultrasound: 1) 0.5 W/cm2 continuous for 5 minutes, 2) 0.5 W/cm2 pulsed for 5 minutes, 3) 1.0 W/cm2 pulsed for 10 minutes. The samples were analyzed with phase contrast optical microscopy before and after the treatment. The results showed alignment of myogenic cells in the sample treated with 0.5 W/cm2 continuous during 5 minutes when compared with the control group and the other samples. This study is a first step towards a metrological and scientific based protocol to cells and tissues treatment under different ultrasound field exposures.

Efficacy of Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery for Bone Metastases Pain Palliation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawasaki, Motohiro; Nanba, Hirofumi; Kato, Tomonari; Tani, Toshikazu; Ushida, Takahiro

2011-09-01

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is a novel treatment method that achieves non-invasive thermal ablation by focusing many ultrasound waves on a target tissue with real-time monitoring of the location and temperature of the target during the procedure. We investigated the palliative effect on pain and safety of MRgFUS in painful bone metastases. Six patients (mean age, 65.8 years) who met eligibility criteria for the clinical study approved by our Institutional Ethics Committee based on the cooperative protocol were treated with MRgFUS. Targeted sites included the sacrum (n = 1), ilium (n = 2), scapula (n = 2), and femur (n = 1). The mean follow-up period was 9.2 months. All procedures were performed as a single-session treatment using the treatment system that is integrated into the patient table of a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner. Endpoints were change in the intensity of pain due to bone metastases from before to after the treatment, as measured on a numerical rating scale, pain interference with daily activities as determined by the Brief pain inventory (BPI), change in images, and safety. Pain relief was obtained in all patients early after treatment, with a reduction in the mean pain score from 6.0±1.3 at baseline to 1.2±1.0 at the end of follow-up as well as in pain interference with daily activities. The mean time required for a single-session treatment was 83.7±37.0 min, with a mean number of sonications required of 13.3±3.7 and mean energy applied of 846.4±273.5 J. No significant growth of tumors was observed, nor were there treatment-related adverse events. These results suggest that MRgFUS has a non-invasive palliative effect on the localized pain in patients with bone metastasis. MRgFUS could become an option in treatment strategies for painful bone metastases in the future.

Effect of low frequency ultrasound on combined rt-PA and eptifibatide thrombolysis in human clots.

PubMed

Meunier, Jason M; Holland, Christy K; Pancioli, Arthur M; Lindsell, Christopher J; Shaw, George J

2009-01-01

Fibrinolytics such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) are used to treat thrombotic disease such as acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischemic stroke. Interest in increasing efficacy and reducing side effects has led to the study of adjuncts such as GP IIb-IIIa inhibitors and ultrasound (US) enhanced thrombolysis. Currently, GP IIb-IIIa inhibitor and fibrinolytic treatment are often used in AMI, and are under investigation for stroke treatment. However, little is known of the efficacy of combined GP IIb-IIIa inhibitor, fibrinolytic and ultrasound treatment. We measure the lytic efficacy of rt-PA, eptifibatide (Epf) and 120 kHz ultrasound treatment in an in-vitro human clot model. Blood was drawn from 15 subjects after IRB approval. Clots were made in 20 microL pipettes, and placed in a water tank for microscopic visualization during lytic treatment. Clots were exposed to control, rt-PA (rt-PA), eptifibatide (Epf), or rt-PA+eptifibatide (rt-PA + Epf), with (+US) or without (-US) ultrasound for 30 minutes at 37 degrees C in human plasma. Clot lysis was measured over time, using a microscopic imaging technique. The fractional clot loss (FCL) and initial lytic rate (LR) were used to quantify lytic efficacy. LR values for (- US) treated clots were 0.8+/-0.1(control), 1.8+/-0.3 (Epf), 1.5+/-0.2 (rt-PA), and 1.3+/-0.4 (rt-PA + Epf) (% clot width/minute) respectively. In comparison, the (+ US) group exhibited LR values of 1.6+/-0.2 (control), 4.3+/-0.4 (Epf), 6.3+/-0.4 (rt-PA), and 4.6+/-0.6 (rt-PA + Epf). For (- US) treated clots, FCL was 6.0+/-0.8 (control), 9.2+/-2.5 (Epf), 15.6+/-1.7 (rt-PA), and 28.0+/-2.2% (rt-PA + Epf) respectively. FCL for (+ US) clots was 13.5+/-2.4 (control), 20.7+/-6.4 (Epf), 44.4+/-3.6 (rt-PA) and 30.3+/-3.6% (rt-PA + Epf) respectively. Although the addition of eptifibatide enhances the in-vitro lytic efficacy of rt-PA in the absence of ultrasound, the efficacy of ultrasound and rt-PA is greater than that of combined ultrasound, rt-PA and eptifibatide exposure.

Effect of Low Frequency Ultrasound on Combined rt-PA and Eptifibatide Thrombolysis in Human Clots

PubMed Central

Meunier, Jason M.; Holland, Christy K.; Pancioli, Arthur M.; Lindsell, Christopher J.; Shaw, George J.

2009-01-01

Introduction Fibrinolytics such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) are used to treat thrombotic disease such as acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischemic stroke. Interest in increasing efficacy and reducing side effects has led to the study of adjuncts such as GP IIb-IIIa inhibitors and ultrasound (US) enhanced thrombolysis. Currently, GP IIb-IIIa inhibitor and fibrinolytic treatment are often used in AMI, and are under investigation for stroke treatment. However, little is known of the efficacy of combined GP IIb-IIIa inhibitor, fibrinolytic and ultrasound treatment. We measure the lytic efficacy of rt-PA, eptifibatide (Epf) and 120 kHz ultrasound treatment in an in-vitro human clot model. Materials and Methods Blood was drawn from 15 subjects after IRB approval. Clots were made in 20 μL pipettes, and placed in a water tank for microscopic visualization during lytic treatment. Clots were exposed to control, rt-PA (rt-PA), eptifibatide (Epf), or rt-PA+eptifibatide (rt-PA+Epf), with or without ultrasound for 30 minutes at 37°C in human plasma. Clot lysis was measured over time, using a microscopic imaging technique. The fractional clot loss (FCL) and initial lytic rate (LR) were used to quantify lytic efficacy. Results and Conclusions LR values for (−US) treated clots were 0.8±0.1(control), 1.8±0.3 (Epf), 1.5±0.2 (rt-PA), and 1.3±0.4 (rt-PA+Epf) (% clot width/minute) respectively. In comparison, the (+US) group exhibited LR values of 1.6±0.2 (control), 4.3±0.4 (Epf), 6.3±0.4 (rt-PA), and 4.6±0.6 (rt-PA+Epf). For (−US) treated clots, FCL was 6.0±0.8 (control), 9.2±2.5 (Epf), 15.6±1.7 (rt-PA), and 28.0±2.2% (rt-PA+Epf) respectively. FCL for (+US) clots was 13.5±2.4 (control), 20.7±6.4 (Epf), 44.4±3.6 (rt-PA) and 30.3±3.6% (rt-PA+Epf) respectively. Although the addition of eptifibatide enhances the in-vitro lytic efficacy of rt-PA in the absence of ultrasound, the efficacy of ultrasound and rt-PA is greater than that of combined ultrasound, rt-PA and eptifibatide exposure. PMID:18619651

Comparison of Tissue Injury from Focused Ultrasonic Propulsion of Kidney Stones Versus Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

PubMed Central

Connors, Bret A.; Evan, Andrew P.; Blomgren, Philip M.; Hsi, Ryan S.; Harper, Jonathan D.; Sorensen, Mathew D.; Wang, Yak-Nam; Simon, Julianna C.; Paun, Marla; Starr, Frank; Cunitz, Bryan W.; Bailey, Michael R.; Lingeman, James E.

2013-01-01

Purpose Focused ultrasonic propulsion is a new non-invasive technique designed to move kidney stones and stone fragments out of the urinary collecting system. However, the extent of tissue injury associated with this technique is not known. As such, we quantitated the amount of tissue injury produced by focused ultrasonic propulsion under simulated clinical treatment conditions, and under conditions of higher power or continuous duty cycles, and compared those results to SWL injury. Materials and Methods A human calcium oxalate monohydrate stone and/or nickel beads were implanted (with ureteroscopy) into 3 kidneys of live pigs (45–55 kg) and repositioned using focused ultrasonic propulsion. Additional pig kidneys were exposed to SWL level pulse intensities or continuous ultrasound exposure of 10 minutes duration (ultrasound probe either transcutaneous or on the kidney). These kidneys were compared to 6 kidneys treated with an unmodified Dornier HM3 Lithotripter (2400 shocks, 120 SWs/min and 24 kV). Histological analysis was performed to assess the volume of hemorrhagic tissue injury created by each technique (% functional renal volume, FRV). Results SWL produced a lesion of 1.56±0.45% FRV. Ultrasonic propulsion produced no detectable lesion with the simulated clinical treatment. A lesion of 0.46±0.37% FRV or 1.15±0.49% FRV could be produced if excessive treatment parameters were used while the ultrasound probe was placed on the kidney. Conclusions Focused ultrasonic propulsion produced no detectable morphological injury to the renal parenchyma when using clinical treatment parameters and produced injury comparable in size to SWL when using excessive treatment parameters. PMID:23917165

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound treatment of facet joint pain: summary of preclinical phase

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Study design A phantom experiment, two thermocouple experiments, three in vivo pig experiments, and a simulated treatment on a healthy human volunteer were conducted to test the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) for treating facet joint pain. Objective The goal of the current study was to develop a novel method for accurate and safe noninvasive facet joint ablation using MRgFUS. Summary of background data Facet joints are a common source of chronic back pain. Direct facet joint interventions include medial branch nerve ablation and intra-articular injections, which are widely used, but limited in the short and long term. MRgFUS is a breakthrough technology that enables accurate delivery of high-intensity focused ultrasound energy to create a localized temperature rise for tissue ablation, using MR guidance for treatment planning and real-time feedback. Methods We validated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of MRgFUS for facet joint ablation using the ExAblate 2000® System (InSightec Ltd., Tirat Carmel, Israel) and confirmed the system's ability to ablate the edge of the facet joint and all terminal nerves innervating the joint. A phantom experiment, two thermocouple experiments, three in vivo pig experiments, and a simulated treatment on a healthy human volunteer were conducted. Results The experiments showed that targeting the facet joint with energies of 150–450 J provides controlled and accurate heating at the facet joint edge without penetration to the vertebral body, spinal canal, or root foramina. Treating with reduced diameter of the acoustic beam is recommended since a narrower beam improves access to the targeted areas. Conclusions MRgFUS can safely and effectively target and ablate the facet joint. These results are highly significant, given that this is the first study to demonstrate the potential of MRgFUS to treat facet joint pain. PMID:24921048

Advances in the Evaluation and Management of Esophageal Disease of Systemic Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Carlson, Dustin A.; Hinchcliff, Monique; Pandolfino, John E.

2015-01-01

Symptoms of heartburn and dysphagia, as well as objective findings of abnormal esophageal acid exposure and esophageal dysmotility are common in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Treatments for SSc esophageal disease are generally limited to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) treatment with proton pump inhibitors. Progresses made in esophageal diagnostic testing offer the potential for improved clinical characterization of esophageal disease in SSc that may help direct management decisions. In addition to reviewing GERD management in patients with SSc, present and potential uses of endoscopy, reflux monitoring, manometry, impedance planimetry, and endoscopic ultrasound are discussed. PMID:25475597

Enhanced homing permeability and retention of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) by non-invasive pulsed focused ultrasound

PubMed Central

Ziadloo, Ali; Burks, Scott R.; Gold, Eric M.; Lewis, Bobbi K.; Chaudhry, Aneeka; Merino, Maria J.; Frenkel, Victor; Frank, Joseph A.

2012-01-01

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) have shown significant promise in the treatment of disease, but their therapeutic efficacy is often limited by inefficient homing of systemically-administered cells, which results in low numbers of cells accumulating at sites of pathology. BMSC home to areas of inflammation where local expression of integrins and chemokine gradients are present. We demonstrated that non-destructive pulsed focused ultrasound (pFUS) exposures that emphasize the mechanical effects of ultrasound-tissue interactions induced local and transient elevations of chemoattractants (i.e., cytokines, integrins, and growth factors) in the murine kidney. pFUS-induced upregulation of cytokines occurred through approximately 1 day post-treatment and returned to contralateral kidney levels by day 3. This window of significant increases in cytokine expression was accompanied by local increases of other trophic factors and integrins that have been shown to promote BMSC homing. When BMSC were administered intravenously following pFUS treatment to a single kidney, enhanced homing, permeability, and retention of BMSC was observed in the treated kidney versus the contralateral kidney. Histological analysis revealed up to 8 times more BMSC in the peritubular regions of the treated kidneys on days 1 and 3 post-treatment. Furthermore, cytokine levels in pFUS-treated kidneys following BMSC administration were found to be similar to controls, suggesting modulation of cytokine levels by BMSC. pFUS could potentially improve cell-based therapies as a noninvasive modality to target BMSC homing by establishing local chemoattractant gradients and increasing expression of integrins to enhance tropism of BMSC toward treated tissues. PMID:22593018

Quality properties of pre- and post-rigor beef muscle after interventions with high frequency ultrasound.

PubMed

Sikes, Anita L; Mawson, Raymond; Stark, Janet; Warner, Robyn

2014-11-01

The delivery of a consistent quality product to the consumer is vitally important for the food industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential for using high frequency ultrasound applied to pre- and post-rigor beef muscle on the metabolism and subsequent quality. High frequency ultrasound (600kHz at 48kPa and 65kPa acoustic pressure) applied to post-rigor beef striploin steaks resulted in no significant effect on the texture (peak force value) of cooked steaks as measured by a Tenderometer. There was no added benefit of ultrasound treatment above that of the normal ageing process after ageing of the steaks for 7days at 4°C. Ultrasound treatment of post-rigor beef steaks resulted in a darkening of fresh steaks but after ageing for 7days at 4°C, the ultrasound-treated steaks were similar in colour to that of the aged, untreated steaks. High frequency ultrasound (2MHz at 48kPa acoustic pressure) applied to pre-rigor beef neck muscle had no effect on the pH, but the calculated exhaustion factor suggested that there was some effect on metabolism and actin-myosin interaction. However, the resultant texture of cooked, ultrasound-treated muscle was lower in tenderness compared to the control sample. After ageing for 3weeks at 0°C, the ultrasound-treated samples had the same peak force value as the control. High frequency ultrasound had no significant effect on the colour parameters of pre-rigor beef neck muscle. This proof-of-concept study showed no effect of ultrasound on quality but did indicate that the application of high frequency ultrasound to pre-rigor beef muscle shows potential for modifying ATP turnover and further investigation is warranted. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intensive Treatment with Ultrasound Visual Feedback for Speech Sound Errors in Childhood Apraxia

PubMed Central

Preston, Jonathan L.; Leece, Megan C.; Maas, Edwin

2016-01-01

Ultrasound imaging is an adjunct to traditional speech therapy that has shown to be beneficial in the remediation of speech sound errors. Ultrasound biofeedback can be utilized during therapy to provide clients with additional knowledge about their tongue shapes when attempting to produce sounds that are erroneous. The additional feedback may assist children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) in stabilizing motor patterns, thereby facilitating more consistent and accurate productions of sounds and syllables. However, due to its specialized nature, ultrasound visual feedback is a technology that is not widely available to clients. Short-term intensive treatment programs are one option that can be utilized to expand access to ultrasound biofeedback. Schema-based motor learning theory suggests that short-term intensive treatment programs (massed practice) may assist children in acquiring more accurate motor patterns. In this case series, three participants ages 10–14 years diagnosed with CAS attended 16 h of speech therapy over a 2-week period to address residual speech sound errors. Two participants had distortions on rhotic sounds, while the third participant demonstrated lateralization of sibilant sounds. During therapy, cues were provided to assist participants in obtaining a tongue shape that facilitated a correct production of the erred sound. Additional practice without ultrasound was also included. Results suggested that all participants showed signs of acquisition of sounds in error. Generalization and retention results were mixed. One participant showed generalization and retention of sounds that were treated; one showed generalization but limited retention; and the third showed no evidence of generalization or retention. Individual characteristics that may facilitate generalization are discussed. Short-term intensive treatment programs using ultrasound biofeedback may result in the acquisition of more accurate motor patterns and improved articulation of sounds previously in error, with varying levels of generalization and retention. PMID:27625603

Ultrasound Elasticity Imaging Predicts Therapeutic Outcomes of Patients With Crohn's Disease Treated With Anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor Antibodies.

PubMed

Orlando, Stefania; Fraquelli, Mirella; Coletta, Marina; Branchi, Federica; Magarotto, Andrea; Conti, Clara Benedetta; Mazza, Stefano; Conte, Dario; Basilisco, Guido; Caprioli, Flavio

2018-01-05

Ultrasound elasticity imaging is a non-invasive technique developed to evaluate fibrosis. Measuring tissue strain by ultrasound elasticity imaging can reliably detect severe ileal fibrosis in patients with Crohn's disease [CD]. We have hypothesised that a more severe range of fibrosis might influence the therapeutic response to anti-tumour necrosis factor [TNF] treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of ultrasound elasticity imaging to predict the therapeutic outcome for CD patients. Consecutive patients with ileal/ileocolonic CD, starting anti-TNF treatment, were enrolled for the study. These patients underwent bowel ultrasound and ultrasound elasticity imaging at baseline and at 14 and 52 weeks after anti-TNF treatment. Bowel wall stiffness was quantified by calculating the strain ratio between the mesenteric tissue and the bowel wall. Strain ratio ≥ 2 was used to identify severe ileal fibrosis. Transmural healing at 14 and 52 weeks was defined as bowel wall thickness ≤ 3 mm. Thirty patients with CD were enrolled. Five patients underwent surgery for bowel obstruction. The frequency of surgeries was significantly greater in patients with a strain ratio ≥ 2 at baseline [p = 0.003]. A significant reduction of the bowel thickness was observed after 14 and 52 weeks of anti-TNF treatment [p < 0.005]. A significant inverse correlation was observed between the strain ratio values at baseline and the thickness variations following anti-TNF therapy [p = 0.007]; 27% of patients achieved transmural healing at 14 weeks. The baseline strain ratio was significantly lower in patients with transmural healing [p < 0.05]. This study shows that ultrasound elasticity imaging predicts therapeutic outcomes for CD patients treated with anti-TNF. Copyright © 2017 European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Combined photothermal therapy and magneto-motive ultrasound imaging using multifunctional nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrmohammadi, Mohammad; Ma, Li L.; Chen, Yun-Sheng; Qu, Min; Joshi, Pratixa; Chen, Raeanna M.; Johnston, Keith P.; Emelianov, Stanislav

2010-02-01

Photothermal therapy is a laser-based non-invasive technique for cancer treatment. Photothermal therapy can be enhanced by employing metal nanoparticles that absorb the radiant energy from the laser leading to localized thermal damages. Targeting of nanoparticles leads to more efficient uptake and localization of photoabsorbers thus increasing the effectiveness of the treatment. Moreover, efficient targeting can reduce the required dosage of photoabsorbers; thereby reducing the side effects associated with general systematic administration of nanoparticles. Magnetic nanoparticles, due to their small size and response to an external magnetic field gradient have been proposed for targeted drug delivery. In this study, we investigate the applicability of multifunctional nanoparticles (e.g., magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles) and magneto-motive ultrasound imaging for image-guided photothermal therapy. Magneto-motive ultrasound imaging is an ultrasound based imaging technique capable of detecting magnetic nanoparticles indirectly by utilizing a high strength magnetic field to induce motion within the magnetically labeled tissue. The ultrasound imaging is used to detect the internal tissue motion. Due to presence of the magnetic component, the proposed multifunctional nanoparticles along with magneto-motive ultrasound imaging can be used to detect the presence of the photo absorbers. Clearly the higher concentration of magnetic carriers leads to a monotonic increase in magneto-motive ultrasound signal. Thus, magnetomotive ultrasound can determine the presence of the hybrid agents and provide information about their location and concentration. Furthermore, the magneto-motive ultrasound signal can indicate the change in tissue elasticity - a parameter that is expected to change significantly during the photothermal therapy. Therefore, a comprehensive guidance and assessment of the photothermal therapy may be feasible through magneto-motive ultrasound imaging and magnetoplasmonic nanoparticles.

PLUS: open-source toolkit for ultrasound-guided intervention systems.

PubMed

Lasso, Andras; Heffter, Tamas; Rankin, Adam; Pinter, Csaba; Ungi, Tamas; Fichtinger, Gabor

2014-10-01

A variety of advanced image analysis methods have been under the development for ultrasound-guided interventions. Unfortunately, the transition from an image analysis algorithm to clinical feasibility trials as part of an intervention system requires integration of many components, such as imaging and tracking devices, data processing algorithms, and visualization software. The objective of our paper is to provide a freely available open-source software platform-PLUS: Public software Library for Ultrasound-to facilitate rapid prototyping of ultrasound-guided intervention systems for translational clinical research. PLUS provides a variety of methods for interventional tool pose and ultrasound image acquisition from a wide range of tracking and imaging devices, spatial and temporal calibration, volume reconstruction, simulated image generation, and recording and live streaming of the acquired data. This paper introduces PLUS, explains its functionality and architecture, and presents typical uses and performance in ultrasound-guided intervention systems. PLUS fulfills the essential requirements for the development of ultrasound-guided intervention systems and it aspires to become a widely used translational research prototyping platform. PLUS is freely available as open source software under BSD license and can be downloaded from http://www.plustoolkit.org.

A Preliminary Study on the Possibility of Using Ultrasound in Driver Assistance Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Hiroshi; Honda, Hirohiko

This paper presents a preliminary study on the possibility of using ultrasound in driver assistance systems. Subjects' lap time in a driving video game was measured as an index of their performance of driving operations under acoustic conditions with and without an ultrasound signal at 23kHz, 70dB. The results show that the performance characteristics of the subjects changed when the ultrasound signal was presented. Ultrasound signal tends to concentrate on handling the vehicle and decreasing an attention to check the over speed driving, as a second task. We prove the possibility to apply ultrasound signal to control operator's attention and behavior.

Ultrasound Metrology in Mexico: a round robin test for medical diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amezola Luna, R.; López Sánchez, A. L.; Elías Juárez, A. A.

2011-02-01

This paper presents preliminary statistical results from an on-going imaging medical ultrasound study, of particular relevance for gynecology and obstetrics areas. Its scope is twofold, firstly to compile the medical ultrasound infrastructure available in cities of Queretaro-Mexico, and second to promote the use of traceable measurement standards as a key aspect to assure quality of ultrasound examinations performed by medical specialists. The experimental methodology is based on a round robin test using an ultrasound phantom for medical imaging. The physician, using its own ultrasound machine, couplant and facilities, measures the size and depth of a set of pre-defined reflecting and absorbing targets of the reference phantom, which simulate human illnesses. Measurements performed give the medical specialist an objective feedback regarding some performance characteristics of their ultrasound examination systems, such as measurement system accuracy, dead zone, axial resolution, depth of penetration and anechoic targets detection. By the end of March 2010, 66 entities with medical ultrasound facilities, from both public and private institutions, have performed measurements. A network of medical ultrasound calibration laboratories in Mexico, with traceability to The International System of Units via national measurement standards, may indeed contribute to reduce measurement deviations and thus attain better diagnostics.

Dynamic Angular Control Of Thermal Therapy With Stationary Multi-Sectored Tubular Ultrasound Applicators Under MR Temperature Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinsey, Adam M.; Diederich, Chris J.; Nau, William H.; Ross, Anthony B.; Butts Pauly, Kim; Rieke, Viola; Sommer, Graham

2006-05-01

Multi-sectored ultrasound heating applicators with dynamic angular and longitudinal control of heating profiles are being investigated for the thermal treatment of tumors in sites such as prostate, uterus, and brain. Multi-sectored tubular ultrasound transducers with independent sector power control were incorporated into interstitial and transurethral applicators and provided dynamic angular control of a heating pattern without requiring device manipulation during treatment. Acoustic beam measurements of each applicator type demonstrated a 35-40° acoustic dead zone between each independent sector, with negligible mechanical or electrical coupling. Despite the acoustic dead zone between sectors, simulations and experiments under MR temperature (MRT) monitoring showed that the variance from the maximum lesion radius (scalloping) with all elements activated on a transducer was minimal and did not affect conformal heating of a target area. A biothermal model with a multi-point controller was used to adjust the applied power and treatment time of individual transducer segments as the tissue temperature changed in simulations of thermal lesions with both interstitial and transurethral applicators. Transurethral ultrasound applicators for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treatment with either three or four sectors conformed a thermal dose to a simulated target area in the angular and radial dimensions. The simulated treatment was controlled to a maximum temperature of 85°C, and had a maximum duration of 5 min when power was turned off as the 52°C temperature contour reach a predetermined control point for each sector in the tissue. Experiments conducted with multi-sectored applicators under MRT monitoring showed thermal ablation and hyperthermia treatments had little or no border `scalloping', conformed to a pretreatment target area, and correlated very well with the simulated thermal lesions. The radial penetration of the heat treatments in tissue with interstitial (1.5-1.8 mm OD transducer) and transurethral (2.5-4.0 mm OD transducer) applicators was at least 1.5 cm and 2.0 cm, respectively, for a treatment duration of 10 min. Angular control of thermal ablation and hyperthermia therapy often relies upon non-adjustable angular power deposition patterns and/or mechanical manipulation of the heating device. The multi-sectored ultrasound applicators developed in this study provide dynamic control of the angular heating distribution during treatment without device manipulation and maintain previously reported heating penetration and spatial control characteristics of similar ultrasound devices.

Fabrication and Characterization of Quinoa Protein Nanoparticle-Stabilized Food-Grade Pickering Emulsions with Ultrasound Treatment: Interfacial Adsorption/Arrangement Properties.

PubMed

Qin, Xin-Sheng; Luo, Zhi-Gang; Peng, Xi-Chun

2018-05-02

The natural quinoa protein isolate (QPI) was largely reflected in the nanoparticle form at pH 7.0 (∼401 nm), and the ultrasound at 20 min progressively improved the contact angle (wettability) and surface hydrophobicity of the nanoparticles. Ultrasound process also modified the type of intraparticle interaction, and the internal forces of sonicated particles were largely maintained by both disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interaction forces. In emulsion system, the ultrasound progressively increased the emulsification efficiency of the QPI nanoparticles, particularly at high protein concentration ( c > 1%, w/ v) and higher emulsion stability against coalescence. As compared with the natural QPI-stabilized emulsions, the 20 min sonicated emulsions exhibited higher packing and adsorption at the protein interface. The microstructure of emulsions that occurs is bridging flocculation of droplets at low c (≤1%, w/ v), while the amount of protein particles could be high enough to cover the droplet surface at high c ( >1%, w/ v) with hexagonal array model arrangement. Thus these results illustrated that both natural and sonicated QPI nanoparticles could be performed as effective food-grade stabilizer for Pickering emulsion; however, the sonicated QPI nanoparticles exhibited much better emulsifying and interfacial properties.

Soft tissue-preserving computer-aided impression: a novel concept using ultrasonic 3D-scanning.

PubMed

Vollborn, Thorsten; Habor, Daniel; Pekam, Fabrice Chuembou; Heger, Stefan; Marotti, Juliana; Reich, Sven; Wolfart, Stefan; Tinschert, Joachim; Radermacher, Klaus

2014-01-01

Subgingival preparations are often affected by blood and saliva during impression taking, regardless of whether one is using compound impression techniques or intraoral digital scanning methods. The latter are currently based on optical principles and therefore also need clean and dry surfaces. In contrast, ultrasonic waves are able to non-invasively penetrate gingiva, saliva, and blood, leading to decisive advantages, as cleaning and drying of the oral cavity becomes unnecessary. In addition, the application of ultrasound may facilitate the detection of subgingival structures without invasive manipulation, thereby reducing the risk of secondary infection and treatment time, and increasing patient comfort. Ultrasound devices commonly available for medical application and for the testing of materials are only suitable to a limited extent, as their resolution, precision, and design do not fulfill the requirements for intraoral scanning. The aim of this article is to describe the development of a novel ultrasound technology that enables soft tissue-preserving digital impressions of preparations for the CAD/CAM-based production of dental prostheses. The concept and development of the high-resolution ultrasound technique and the corresponding intraoral scanning system, as well as the integration into the CAD/CAM process chain, is presented.

Design and validation of an MR-conditional robot for transcranial focused ultrasound surgery in infants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Price, Karl D., E-mail: karl.price@sickkids.ca

Purpose: Current treatment of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) involves cerebral shunt placement or an invasive brain surgery. Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) applied to the brains of pediatric patients presents an opportunity to treat IVH in a noninvasive manner, termed “incision-less surgery.” Current clinical and research focused ultrasound systems lack the capability to perform neonatal transcranial surgeries due to either range of motion or dexterity requirements. A novel robotic system is proposed to position a focused ultrasound transducer accurately above the head of a neonatal patient inside an MRI machine to deliver the therapy. Methods: A clinical Philips Sonalleve MRgFUS systemmore » was expanded to perform transcranial treatment. A five degree-of-freedom MR-conditional robot was designed and manufactured using MR compatible materials. The robot electronics and control were integrated into existing Philips electronics and software interfaces. The user commands the position of the robot with a graphical user interface, and is presented with real-time MR imaging of the patient throughout the surgery. The robot is validated through a series of experiments that characterize accuracy, signal-to-noise ratio degeneration of an MR image as a result of the robot, MR imaging artifacts generated by the robot, and the robot’s ability to operate in a representative surgical environment inside an MR machine. Results: Experimental results show the robot responds reliably within an MR environment, has achieved 0.59 ± 0.25 mm accuracy, does not produce severe MR-imaging artifacts, has a workspace providing sufficient coverage of a neonatal brain, and can manipulate a 5 kg payload. A full system demonstration shows these characteristics apply in an application environment. Conclusions: This paper presents a comprehensive look at the process of designing and validating a new robot from concept to implementation for use in an MR environment. An MR conditional robot has been designed and manufactured to design specifications. The system has demonstrated its feasibility as a platform for MRgFUS interventions for neonatal patients. The success of the system in experimental trials suggests that it is ready to be used for validation of the transcranial intervention in animal studies.« less

Cardiac Gene Expression Knockdown Using Small Inhibitory RNA-Loaded Microbubbles and Ultrasound.

PubMed

Kopechek, Jonathan A; Carson, Andrew R; McTiernan, Charles F; Chen, Xucai; Klein, Edwin C; Villanueva, Flordeliza S

2016-01-01

RNA interference has potential therapeutic value for cardiac disease, but targeted delivery of interfering RNA is a challenge. Custom designed microbubbles, in conjunction with ultrasound, can deliver small inhibitory RNA to target tissues in vivo. The efficacy of cardiac RNA interference using a microbubble-ultrasound theranostic platform has not been demonstrated in vivo. Therefore, our objective was to test the hypothesis that custom designed microbubbles and ultrasound can mediate effective delivery of small inhibitory RNA to the heart. Microbubble and ultrasound mediated cardiac RNA interference was tested in transgenic mice displaying cardiac-restricted luciferase expression. Luciferase expression was assayed in select tissues of untreated mice (n = 14). Mice received intravenous infusion of cationic microbubbles bearing small inhibitory RNA directed against luciferase (n = 9) or control RNA (n = 8) during intermittent cardiac-directed ultrasound at mechanical index of 1.6. Simultaneous echocardiography in a separate group of mice (n = 3) confirmed microbubble destruction and replenishment during treatment. Three days post treatment, cardiac luciferase messenger RNA and protein levels were significantly lower in ultrasound-treated mice receiving microbubbles loaded with small inhibitory RNA directed against luciferase compared to mice receiving microbubbles bearing control RNA (23±7% and 33±7% of control mice, p<0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). Passive cavitation detection focused on the heart confirmed that insonification resulted in inertial cavitation. In conclusion, small inhibitory RNA-loaded microbubbles and ultrasound directed at the heart significantly reduced the expression of a reporter gene. Ultrasound-targeted destruction of RNA-loaded microbubbles may be an effective image-guided strategy for therapeutic RNA interference in cardiac disease.

High-intensity focused ultrasound for the treatment of solid tumor: Chinese clinical experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeuchi, Akira; Zhang, Hong; Sun, Kun; Hasumura, Hiromi; Liu, Botao; Fu, Yurui; Yang, Zaocheng

2006-05-01

As a non-invasive modality, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy has been received an interest for the treatment of solid tumor. There are some makers of HIFU for the equipment in China. The Sonic CZ901 is developed from the Mianyang stream that has a great advantage for guiding by color Doppler ultrasound imaging. For the research about possibility of this equipment, we evaluate the clinical usefulness to the solid tumor of HIFU treatment at Wujing general hospital in Beijing. We elucidate the result in 28 cases with benign and malignant tumor (Uterine myoma:16, Benign prostatic hypertrophy:5, Benign breast tumor:2, Breast cancer:1, Retroperitoneal tumor:1, Pheochromocytoma:1, Liver cancer: 2) . After 14˜90days, all cases show the reduction of tumor size (Max.3.2cm, Min.1.6cm, :Mean 2.2cm reduced), and the blood flow of tumor completely reduced in 7/23, partially reduced in16/23. Clinical symptoms disappeared in 7, clearly improved in 14, improved in 7. All treatments had no adverse event except for two cases of liver cancer. They felt an abdominal pain that controllable by medicine and it improved within 6hours. It is concluded that HIFU with guide by ultrasound imaging is very safe, painless and effective as the anti-tumor treatment.