title: Ultrasound for drug and gene delivery to the brain.
abstract: Noninvasive, transient, and local image-guided blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) has been demonstrated with focused ultrasound exposure in animal models. Most studies have combined low pressure amplitude and low time average acoustic power burst sonications with intravascular injection of pre-formed micro-bubbles to produce BBBD without damage to the neurons. The BBB has been shown to be healed within a few hours after the exposure. The combination of focused ultrasound beams with MR image guidance allows precise anatomical targeting as demonstrated by the delivery of several marker molecules in different animal models. This method may in the future have a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Most notably, the delivery of the chemotherapy agents (liposomal Doxorubicin and Herceptin) has been shown in a rat model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada. khynynen@sri.utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Kullervo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hynynen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014465:Ultrasonics
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations