Microbubbles and ultrasound: a bird's eye view.
Year: 2004
Type: article
Abstract: Gas-filled microbubbles were initially used as ultrasound contrast agent because of their intravascular rheology, which is similar to that of red blood cells. Their transit through tissue can thus be quantified with ultrasound. More recently, these bubbles have been successfully used for molecular imaging by incorporating ligands on their surfaces that will adhere to cellular and other components within the microvasculature and can be detected by ultrasound. These bubbles have also been used for delivery of genes and drugs which can be released locally by disruption of the bubbles with high-energy ultrasound. Finally, bioeffects produced by localized ultrasound disruption of microbubbles have been shown to induce angiogenesis. This brief review will provide a bird's eye view of these applications.
Source: PubMed Central
Author: Sanjiv Kaul
Institution: University of Virginia
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W97126879