From Micro- to Nano-Multifunctional Theranostic Platform: Effective Ultrasound Imaging Is Not Just a Matter of Scale. (12th September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zullino, Sara; Argenziano, Monica; Stura, Ilaria; Guiot, Caterina; Cavalli, Roberta
• Is Part Of: Molecular imaging. Volume 17(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-09-12
• Subjects: nanobubbles -- therapeutic ultrasound -- ultrasound contrast agents -- drug delivery -- acoustic droplet vaporization; Molecular diagnosis -- Periodicals; Diagnostic imaging -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Molecular diagnosis; Diagnostic imaging; Molecular biology; Periodicals; 616.075
• DOI: 10.1177/1536012118778216
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1535-3508

Abstract

Ultrasound Contrast Agents (UCAs) consisting of gas-filled-coated Microbubbles (MBs) with diameters between 1 and 10 µm have been used for a number of decades in diagnostic imaging. In recent years, submicron contrast agents have proven to be a viable alternative to MBs for ultrasound (US)-based applications for their capability to extravasate and accumulate in the tumor tissue via the enhanced permeability and retention effect. After a short overview of the more recent approaches to ultrasound-mediated imaging and therapeutics at the nanoscale, phase-change contrast agents (PCCAs), which can be phase-transitioned into highly echogenic MBs by means of US, are here presented. The phenomenon of acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) to produce bubbles is widely investigated for both imaging and therapeutic applications to develop promising theranostic platforms.