title: A general strategy for obtaining biodegradable polymer shelled microbubbles as theranostic devices.
abstract: Fabrication of multifunctional ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) has been recently addressed by several research groups. A versatile strategy for the synthesis of UCA precursors in the form of biodegradable vesicles with a biocompatible crosslinked polymer shell is described. Upon ultrasound irradiation, acoustic droplet vaporization transforms such particles into microbubbles behaving as UCAs. This proof of concept entails the features of a potential theranostic microdevice.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Capece
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiessi
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cavalli
authors.forename: Pierangela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giustetto
authors.forename: Dmitry
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grishenkov
authors.forename: Gaio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paradossi
mesh_terms: D000178:Acrylamides / Q000737:chemistry; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry; D003911:Dextrans / Q000737:chemistry; D045423:Microbubbles; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D014465:Ultrasonics
chemical_list: D000178:Acrylamides; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D011108:Polymers; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; C030613:polymethacrylic acid; C052970:poly-N-isopropylacrylamide