Applications and methods of incorporating acoustic particles to enhance focused ultrasound therapy outcomes

Abstract

Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a non-invasive and non-ionizing technology that can converge ultrasound beam at a point. FUS is currently FDA approved for ablating uterine fibroids, performing thalamotomies to relieve essential tremor, and for providing pain relief for bone metastasis but there are certain limitations. This dissertation overcomes these limitations by pairing FUS with acoustically active particles, such as nanodroplets (NPs) and microbubbles (MBs). One of the limitations of FUS is that to cause an ablation, high pressures are needed, which can result in off-target heating of the areas that are in the path of the FUS beam. By coupling FUS with NPs, we can lower the pressures needed to cause ablation at the intended target, thereby reducing heating of the tissues in the beam path. Another limitation of FUS is that it is primarily targeted using MRI, which is costly and cannot monitor particle activity. Monitoring activity of NPs and MBs can enhance safety of FUS therapies such that no irreversible tissue damage occurs during therapy, especially during FUS brain therapies. By combining FUS with MBs mediated ultrasound imaging, we can create all-ultrasound system which make transcranial anatomical images of the brain to target and monitor FUS with microbubble to open blood brain barrier.