August 2017 Research Roundup

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This month’s research highlights include three different mechanisms of focused ultrasound: drug delivery, histotripsy, and bubble generation. Two preclinical brain studies – one for glioblastoma and one for intracranial blood clots – may offer improved treatment options. The third study describes a new way that the technology could change tumor treatment.

researchroundup

Enhanced Delivery of Paclitaxel Liposomes Using Focused Ultrasound with Microbubbles for Treating Nude Mice Bearing Intracranial Glioblastoma Xenografts
A collaborative group in Shenzhen, China, used focused ultrasound and microbubbles to deliver drug-loaded liposomes across the blood-brain barrier and the blood-tumor barrier to mice with glioblastoma multiforme. The study protocol resulted in a two-fold higher drug accumulation three hours after treatment, suppressed the progression of tumor growth for four weeks compared to the untreated group, and prolonged survival. See International Journal of Nanomedicine.

Effect of Frequency and Focal Spacing on Transcranial Histotripsy Clot Liquefaction, Using Electronic Focal Steering
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new technique to use electronic steering to improve their ability to perform transcranial clot liquefaction using histotripsy. See Ultrasound in Biology and Medicine.

High-intensity Focused Ultrasound-triggered Nanoscale Bubble-generating Liposomes for Efficient and Safe Tumor Ablation under Photoacoustic Imaging Monitoring
Dr. Wang’s group in Chongqing, China, has performed tumor ablation using bubble-generating liposomes triggered with focused ultrasound and imaged with photoacoustics. See the International Journal of Nanomedicine.