Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Oxygen loaded microbubbles are being investigated as a means of reducing tumour hypoxia in order to improve response to cancer therapy. To optimise this approach, it is desirable to be able to measure changes in tissue oxygenation in real-time during treatment. In this study, the feasibility of using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for this purpose was investigated. Longitudinal relaxation time (T1) measurements were made in simple hydrogel phantoms containing two different concentrations of oxygen microbubbles. T1 was found to be unaffected by the presence of oxygen microbubbles at either concentration. Upon application of ultrasound to destroy the microbubbles, however, a statistically significant reduction in T1 was seen for the higher microbubble concentration. Further work is needed to assess the influence of physiological conditions upon the measurements, but these preliminary results suggest that MRI could provide a method for quantifying the changes in tissue oxygenation produced by microbubbles during therapy.

Original publication

DOI

10.1049/htl.2018.5058

Type

Journal article

Journal

Healthc Technol Lett

Publication Date

10/2019

Volume

6

Pages

138 - 142

Keywords

MRI, T1, biomedical MRI, biomedical ultrasonics, bubbles, cancer, cancer therapy, hydrogel phantoms, hydrogels, longitudinal relaxation time measurements, magnetic resonance imaging, microbubble concentration, oxygen, oxygen loaded microbubbles, patient treatment, phantoms, physiological conditions, tissue oxygenation, tumour hypoxia, tumours, ultrasound application