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Harmonic grey scale imaging of the human brain
Summary
Ultrasound contrast agents (UCA) can image brain perfusion. This study measured ultrasound intensity in different brain regions, finding distinct time-intensity curves, suggesting UCA can assess adult human brain perfusion.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Medical Ultrasound
- Cerebrovascular Physiology
Background:
- Harmonic imaging enhances signal-to-noise ratio in ultrasound grey-scale imaging.
- Ultrasound contrast agents (UCA) show potential for imaging brain perfusion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of imaging human brain perfusion using UCA.
- To quantify ultrasound intensity and analyze time-intensity curves in different brain regions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an ultrasound system with a harmonic sector transducer and acoustic densitometry.
- Administered 10 mL of BY963 (spherosome-air-based UCA) intravenously to 12 healthy volunteers.
- Calculated time-intensity curves, mean intensity increase, area under the curve (AUC), and mean transit time (MTT) in the lateral fissure, thalamus, and temporoparietal white matter.
Main Results:
- Observed varying mean intensity increases, AUCs, and MTTs across different brain regions (LF, THAL, TPWM).
- A statistically significant difference was found in mean AUC (p = 0.02) between regions.
- No significant differences were found for mean intensity increase (p = 0.07) or MTT (p = 0.9).
Conclusions:
- Different regions of the adult human brain exhibit distinct time-intensity curves when assessed with UCA.
- These findings suggest that UCA-based ultrasound can measure parameters related to perfusion in various brain areas.