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Vessel Rupture Thresholds for Vessel-Bubble Interactions Using an Earthworm Vasculature Model.
Asis Lopez1, Jenna Osborn2, Rachael Irwin3
1Bioinnovation Ph.D. Program, Biomedical Engineering Department, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
|January 30, 2023
Summary
This study quantified vessel damage from microbubble oscillation during ultrasound therapy using earthworms. A modified mechanical index (MMI) effectively predicted rupture thresholds, aiding safer therapeutic ultrasound development.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Acoustic Cavitation
- Vascular Mechanics
Background:
- Therapeutic ultrasound with microbubbles offers benefits but risks vessel damage.
- Quantifying mechanical effects of microbubble oscillation is crucial for safety.
- Earthworm vasculature serves as a suitable model due to elastic properties similar to human arteries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanical effects of microbubble oscillation on blood vessels under ultrasound.
- To quantify vessel rupture probability and time as a function of ultrasound parameters.
- To develop a predictive model for vascular safety in microbubble-based therapies.
Main Methods:
- Infusing microbubbles into earthworm vasculature.
- Sonicating vessels at varying ultrasound frequencies, pulse repetition frequencies, and acoustic pressures.
- Recording microbubble rupture time and correlating it with ultrasound parameters.
Main Results:
- A modified mechanical index (MMI) was developed to correlate with microbubble rupture probability and time.
- A database of vessel rupture thresholds was established.
- A potential radiation-force effect was observed in the absence of bubbles.
Conclusions:
- The MMI effectively correlates with vessel rupture in the presence of microbubbles.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the mathematical dependence of MMI on rupture.
- Findings will inform future studies in vertebrate models and computational simulations for safer ultrasound therapies.
