Acute increases in murine tumor echogenicity after antivascular ultrasound therapy: a pilot preclinical study.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to determine whether the echogenicity of neoplastic tissues changed as a result of low-intensity insonation and whether such alterations were related to an anti-vascular effect.


METHODS
In 21 mice, implanted melanomas were insonated at either 1, 2, or 3 MHz using low-intensity ultrasound (spatial-average temporal-average intensity, 2.1 W/cm(2)). B-mode (mean gray scale) and contrast-enhanced power Doppler (percentage area of flow) measurements were made on each tumor before and after therapy.


RESULTS
There was an increase in the echogenicity of the tumors with the increase in the frequency of the therapy beam and an accompanying decrease in tumor vascularity.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the mechanisms responsible for the echogenicity change are not fully understood, it appears that an increase in the tumor mean gray scale was, at least in part, related to tissue inhomogeneities formed after disruption of the tumor neovasculature.
Wood
Andrew K W
AK
Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Bunte
Ralph M
RM
Schultz
Susan M
SM
Sehgal
Chandra M
CM
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011897:Random Allocation; D012984:Software; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color