Targeted Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging
Targeted Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging
Using the targeted contrast enhanced ultrasound imaging (CEUS) technique to help detect the preeclampsia disease in the pregnant rat. Inject the Vevo Target-Ready MicroMarkers (FUJIFILM, VisualSonics), conjugated with biotinylated arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) into the pregnant rat through the tail vein injection. RGD is a peptide binds to ανβ3, a biomarker of angiogenesis. Collect the nonlinear contrast video data through the Vevo 2100 technique for image processing in MATLAB. Acquire the linearized time intensity curve (TIC) from each pixel sequentially of each CEUS video data and fit into the bicompartmental model. Get the parameter map of dispersion parameter (K) and first-pass binding rate (Kb) for the whole placenta. K determines the microvasculature architecture of the vessel, Kb related to the contrast agent binding rate. Compare the parameter map of K and Kb for the normal pregnant rat with the preeclampsia rat. To evaluate targeted CEUS imaging techniques can detect the preeclampsia disease through using the bicompartmental model.
References
Shi, L., Alencar, A.K.N., Swan, K.F. et al. Quantifying Molecular Changes in the Preeclamptic Rat Placenta with Targeted Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging. Mol Imaging Biol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11307-025-01988-4
[DOI]Shi, L., Alencar, A.K.N., Swan, K.F., Lawrence, D.J., Pridjian, G.C., and Bayer C.L., “Bicompartmental Model of Molecular Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging Detects Placental Molecular Expression Changes During Preeclampsia” World Molecular Imaging Congress. (10 September 2024) [Poster]
Shi, L., Lawrence, D.J., Alencar, A.K.N., Swan, K.F., Bayer, C.L., “Molecular Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging (CEUS) using a Quantitative Bicompartmental Model to detect Placental Molecular Expression Changes during Preeclampsia” Tulane Research, Innovation and Creativity Summit. (24 April 2024) [Poster]
Shi, L., Lawrence, D.J., Bayer, C.L., “Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging of uterine and placental vasculature in vivo during preeclampsia,” Vasculata 2023 , (17 July 2023).
