Gold-nanorod contrast-enhanced photoacoustic micro-imaging of focused-ultrasound induced blood-brain-barrier opening in a rat model.
In this study, we develop a novel photoacoustic imaging technique based on gold nanorods (AuNRs) for quantitatively monitoring focused-ultrasound (FUS) induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening in a rat model in vivo. This study takes advantage of the strong near-infrared absorption (peak at ≈ 800 nm) of AuNRs and the extravasation tendency from BBB opening foci due to their nano-scale size to passively label the BBB disruption area. Experimental results show that AuNR contrast-enhanced photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) successfully reveals the spatial distribution and temporal response of BBB disruption area in the rat brains. The quantitative measurement of contrast enhancement has potential to estimate the local concentration of AuNRs and even the dosage of therapeutic molecules when AuNRs are further used as nano-carrier for drug delivery or photothermal therapy. The photoacoustic results also provide complementary information to MRI, being helpful to discover more details about FUS induced BBB opening in small animal models.
National Tsing Hua University, Department of Electrical Engineering, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
Po-Hsun
PH
Wang
Hao-Li
HL
Liu
Po-Hung
PH
Hsu
Chia-Yu
CY
Lin
Churng-Ren Chris
CR
Wang
Pin-Yuan
PY
Chen
Kuo-Chen
KC
Wei
Tzu-Chen
TC
Yen
Meng-Lin
ML
Li
D000042:Absorption; D000162:Acoustics; D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005119:Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D023421:Models, Animal; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D061088:Photoacoustic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; D004337:Drug Carriers