Initial experience of transcranial contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with Sonazoid in the evaluation of microvascular brain anatomy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to visualize the microvascular anatomy of the brain parenchyma using transcranial contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (TCEUS) with Sonazoid.


METHODS
TCEUS was performed in 14 subjects using the transtemporal and transnuchal approach (two patients with cerebral infarction and 12 healthy volunteers). An ultrasound system equipped with a 2- to 4-MHz sector probe set to coded phase inversion mode with a mechanical index of 0.4 was used. An intravenous bolus of Sonazoid (0.01 ml/kg) was injected. First-pass perfusion images were recorded from injection to 50 s after injection, and flush-replenishment (FR) images were recorded three times on both sides of the head from 1 to 5 min after injection.


RESULTS
Real-time perfusion images of the brain parenchyma could be observed in all cases. At first pass, the main cerebral arteries began to be visualized at 10-20 s after injection, followed by the microvasculature at 15-30 s. The microvasculature reconstructed by the FR method could be observed on both sides of the head.


CONCLUSIONS
TCEUS with Sonazoid allows effective, noninvasive evaluation of brain parenchyma microvasculature.
Department of Neurology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan. ksaito@naramed-u.ac.jp.
Kozue
K
Saito
Department of Endoscopy and Ultrasound, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
Toshiko
T
Hirai
Department of Endoscopy and Ultrasound, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
Hajime
H
Ohishi
Department of Neurology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
Satoshi
S
Ueno
Brain; Microvasculature; Sonazoid; Transcranial contrast-enhanced ultrasonography