title: In vitro acoustic characterization of three phospholipid ultrasound contrast agents from 12 to 43 MHz.
abstract: The acoustic properties of two clinical (Definity, Lantheus Medical Imaging, North Billerica, MA, USA; SonoVue, Bracco S.P.A., Milan, Italy) and one pre-clinical (MicroMarker, untargeted, Bracco, Geneva, Switzerland; VisualSonics, Toronto, ON, Canada) ultrasound contrast agent were characterized using a broadband substitution technique over the ultrasound frequency range 12-43 MHz at 20 ± 1°C. At the same number concentration, the acoustic attenuation and contrast-to-tissue ratio of the three native ultrasound contrast agents are comparable at frequencies below 30 MHz, though their size distributions and encapsulated gases and shells differ. At frequencies above 30 MHz, native MicroMarker has higher attenuation values and contrast-to-tissue ratios than native Definity and SonoVue. Decantation was found to be an effective method to alter the size distribution and concentration of native clinical microbubble populations, enabling further contrast enhancement for specific pre-clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Institute of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sboros
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Institute of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mairead B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Electronic address: carmel.moran@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Carmel M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Moran
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D019220:High-Energy Shock Waves; D006801:Humans; D010316:Particle Size; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; C042852:perflutren
keywords: Attenuation; Contrast-to-tissue ratio; Decantation; High-frequency ultrasound; Microbubble; Pre-clinical