Theranostics
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The blood-brain barrier (BBB) can be transiently and locally opened by focused ultrasound (FUS) in the presence of microbubbles (MBs). Various imaging modalities and contrast agents have been used to monitor this process. Unfortunately, direct ultrasound imaging of BBB opening with MBs as contrast agent is not feasible, due to the inability of MBs to penetrate brain parenchyma. ⋯ Our results showed that the scale and distribution of FUS-induced BBB opening could be determined at high resolution by ultrasound perfusion kinetic analysis. The accuracy and sensitivity of this approach was validated by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Our successful demonstration of ultrasound imaging to monitor FUS-induced BBB opening provides a new approach to assess FUS-dependent brain drug delivery, with the benefit of high temporal resolution and convenient integration with the FUS device.