microbubble (mb) contrast agent definity  (Lantheus Medical Imaging)

Journal: Scientific Reports

Article Title: Time course of focused ultrasound effects on β-amyloid plaque pathology in the TgCRND8 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-32250-3

Figure Lengend Snippet: Timelines of two-photon fluorescence microscopy and MR-guided FUS experiments. Two-photon fluorescence microscopy FUS experiments. ( a ) Cranial windows were installed in the parietal bone when mice were 6-months-old. Mice were given three to four weeks to recover to allow surgery-related inflammation to recede. On day 0 of imaging, Tg FUS animals were sonicated immediately after administration of microbubbles, whereas the transducer was disconnected during sonication for Tg CTL animals. Following sonication, XYZ image stacks of up to ten plaques per animal were collected. Subsequent imaging sessions were on days 2, 4, 7, 10, 12, 14, and 21. Each vertical line indicates a week. MR-guided FUS experiments. ( b ) Top: Mice were administered five FUS treatments biweekly, over a total of 10 weeks. Subjects were entered into the study at 7-months-old, and sacrificed at 9.5-months-old. Each vertical line indicates a week. Bottom : For each FUS treatment, three MRIs were taken. A T2-weighted MRI was taken to allow anatomical targeting of the bilateral hippocampi. Two targets were chosen for each hippocampus (T2, yellow dots). A baseline T1-weighted image was taken before FUS treatment (pre-T1). Immediately after FUS treatment, gadolinium contrast agent was injected intravenously, and a post-sonication T1-weighted image was taken to confirm BBB opening at the targeted locations (post-T1, yellow arrows). Mo = months.

Article Snippet: Animals were given an intravenous dose of Definity microbubble (MB) contrast agent (Lantheus Medical Imaging, North Billerica, MA), diluted 1:10 (v/v) in saline, at a dose of 0.02 mL/kg, prior to sonication.

Techniques: Fluorescence, Microscopy, Imaging, Sonication, Injection