Nanobubbles: Tiny Agents Driving Huge Impacts in Contrast-Enhanced Vascular Ultrasound Imaging

Abstract: Nanobubbles (NBs) are promising ultrasound contrast agents capable of enhancing both vascular and extravascular imaging. Their spatially uniform scattering under repeated exposure enables consistent and durable enhancement. This study evaluates NB-enhanced ultrasound using compound amplitude modulation (cAM) and plane-wave imaging (PWI) on the Vevo F2 system (Fujifilm VisualSonics Inc.) in both phantoms and in vivo mice. Phospholipid-shelled NBs (~250 nm) were tested in phantoms (~10⁹ NBs/mL) and in mouse kidneys (~10¹¹ NBs/mL). While cAM was sufficient in phantoms, it was inadequate in vivo due to breathing motion and incomplete tissue suppression. To address this limitation, a new PWI-based methodology was developed for NB-enhanced imaging, integrating high-frame-rate acquisition and advanced signal processing to achieve robust vascular visualization without amplitude modulation or pulse inversion. This approach establishes a practical framework for NB-enhanced vascular ultrasound imaging and demonstrates strong potential for preclinical and clinical <a href="http://translation.

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