title: Use of ultrasound contrast agent microbubbles in preclinical research: recommendations for small animal imaging.
abstract: Ultrasound contrast imaging techniques represent a real opportunity to improve efficiency in the preclinical drug discovery and development process. Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) combined with specific ultrasound contrast detection modes provide real-time, high spatial resolution of both organ and lesion blood perfusion, the so-called dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging. With the advent of targeted UCA, ultrasound molecular imaging is gaining momentum in molecular imaging, particularly because of the simultaneous real-time anatomical and functional/molecular imaging capabilities. In preclinical research, contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging, with either nontargeted or targeted UCA, is a fast-growing imaging modality that has not yet been standardized compared with other imaging modalities. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging is an operator-dependent imaging modality, requiring adherence to rigorous step-by-step protocols. In this article, which is intended for advanced, hands-on researchers, we report key factors that can lead to variability in preclinical results and recommend some preventive methods to limit or cancel their effect on the final results. Standardized procedures are a prerequisite for acceptance of new contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging methods to eliminate factors that could distort results, improve the reproducibility between different centers and studies, and, therefore, allow translation to clinical application.
authors.affiliation: Bracco Suisse SA, Geneva, Switzerland. jean-marc.hyvelin@bracco.com
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hyvelin
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tardy
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arbogast
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Emmel
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helbert
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theraulaz
authors.forename: Adrian D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Nunn
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tranquart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D045423:Microbubbles; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D051381:Rats; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media