Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 2, 2025
MRI-guided Disruption of the Blood-brain Barrier using Transcranial Focused Ultrasound in a Rat Model
Published on: March 13, 2012
Robotic device for transcranial focussed ultrasound applications in small animal models
Anastasia Antoniou1, Marinos Giannakou2, Elena Georgiou3
1Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
Background:
Focussed Ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles (MBs) was proven a promising modality for non-invasive blood brain barrier disruption (BBBD). Herein, two devices for FUS-mediated BBBD in rodents are presented.
Methods:
A two-axes robotic device was manufactured for navigating a single element FUS transducer of 1 MHz relative to the brain of rodents. A second more compact device featuring a single motorized vertical axis was also developed. Their performance was assessed in terms of motion accuracy, MRI compatibility and trans-skull BBBD in wild type mice using MBs in synergy with pulsed FUS.
Results:
Successful BBBD was evidenced by the Evans Blue dye method, as well as by Fibronectin and Fibrinogen immunostaining. BBB permeability was enhanced when the applied acoustic intensity was increased.
Conclusions:
The proposed devices constitute a cost-effective and ergonomic solution for FUS-mediated BBBD in small animal models. Further experimentation is needed to examine the repeatability of results and optimise the therapeutic protocol.
More Related Videos
08:02A High-Throughput Image-Guided Stereotactic Neuronavigation and Focused Ultrasound System for Blood-Brain Barrier Opening in Rodents
Published on: July 16, 2020
08:37Focused Ultrasound Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Opening for Targeting Brain Structures and Evaluating Chemogenetic Neuromodulation
Published on: December 22, 2020