Super‐Resolution Ultrasound Imaging for Monitoring the Therapeutic Efficacy of a Vascular Disrupting Agent in an Animal Model of Breast Cancer

作者：Kenneth Hoyt · 发表于：Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1002/jum.16438 · 被引用次数：13 · 研究领域：Ultrasound and Hyperthermia Applications、Ultrasound Imaging and Elastography、Angiogenesis and VEGF in Cancer

Objective Evaluate the use of super‐resolution ultrasound (SRUS) imaging for the early detection of tumor response to treatment using a vascular‐disrupting agent (VDA). Methods A population of 28 female nude athymic mice (Charles River Laboratories) were implanted with human breast cancer cells (MDA‐MB‐231, ATCC) in the mammary fat pad and allowed to grow. Ultrasound imaging was performed using a Vevo 3100 scanner (FUJIFILM VisualSonics Inc) equipped with the MX250 linear array transducer immediately before and after receiving bolus injections of a microbubble (MB) contrast agent (Definity, Lantheus Medical Imaging) via the tail vein. Following baseline ultrasound imaging, VDA drug (combretastatin A4 phosphate, CA4P, Sigma Aldrich) or control saline was injected via the placed catheter. After 4 or 24 hours, repeat ultrasound imaging along the same tumor cross‐section occurred. Direct intratumoral pressure measurements were obtained using a calibrated sensor. All raw ultrasound data were saved for offline processing and SRUS image reconstruction using custom MATLAB software (MathWorks Inc). From a region encompassing the tumor space and the entire postprocessed ultrasound image sequence, time MB count (TMC) curves were generated in addition to traditional SRUS maps reflecting MB enumeration at each pixel location. Peak enhancement (PE) and wash‐in rate (WIR) were extracted from these TMC curves. At termination, intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) was quantified using tomato...