Ultrasound Erosion of Rabbit Liver Induced by Locally Injected Phase-Shift Acoustic Droplets and With Lauromacrogol

Our previous studies have found that low-frequency, low-pressure, weakly focused ultrasound (FUS) can induce acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) of perfluoropentane (PFP) droplets and result in localized liver and prostate tissue controllable cavitation resonance and mechanical damage. To further investigate the mechanical erosion induced by ultrasound and locally injected phase-shift acoustic droplets in rabbit liver.

The liver of each rabbit was treated with perfluoromethylcyclopentane (PFMCP) alone, FUS combined with PFMCP (FUS + PFMCP), and FUS combined with PFP (FUS + PFP).

Two-dimensional ultrasound images showed that immediately after the completion of FUS + PFP group treatments, a high echogenicity bubble cloud could be observed, while there were no significant differences in the PFMCP and FUS + PFMCP group before and after treatment. The liver necrotic area in the FUS + PFP group was 6.2 times that of the FUS + PFMCP group (P < .05), whereas no liver necrosis was observed in the PFMCP group. At the same time, the number of vacuoles in the liver in the FUS + PFP group was approximately 70 times that of the FUS + PFMCP group (P < .001), whereas no vacuoles were observed in the PFMCP group (P < .001).

Both FUS + PFMCP and PFMCP alone have poor mechanical erosion in liver tissue, and may even cause no damage. Only PFP droplets combined with FUS can cause significant mechanical destruction of liver tissue, leading to tissue necrosis in the droplet injection area.