Synthesis of ultrasound contrast agents: characteristics and size distribution analysis (secondary publication).
- Author:
Hak Jong LEE
1
;
Tae Jong YOON
;
Young Il YOON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Ultrasound; Contrast media; Synthesis; Drug delivery systems; Radiotherapy, image guided
- MeSH: Baths; Chloroform; Cholesterol; Contrast Media*; Drug Delivery Systems; Dynamic Light Scattering; Liposomes; Methods; Microbubbles; Microscopy; Molecular Imaging; Radiotherapy, Image-Guided; Sonication; Sulfur Hexafluoride; Ultrasonography*; Water
- From: Ultrasonography 2017;36(4):378-384
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to establish a method for ultrasound (US) contrast agent synthesis and to evaluate the characteristics of the synthesized US contrast agent. METHODS: A US contrast agent, composed of liposome and sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), was synthesized by dissolving 21 μmol 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC, C₄₀H₈₀NO₈P), 9 μmol cholesterol, and 1.9 μmol of dihexadecylphosphate (DCP, [CH₃(CH₂)15O]₂P(O)OH) in chloroform. After evaporation in a warm water bath and drying for 12-24 hours, the contrast agent was synthesized using the sonication process by the addition of a buffer and SF₆ gas. The size distribution of the bubbles was analyzed using dynamic light scattering measurement methods. The degradation curve was evaluated by assessing the change in the number of contrast agent bubbles using light microscopy immediately, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, and 84 hours after synthesis. The echogenicity of the synthesized microbubbles was compared with commercially available microbubbles (SonoVue, Bracco). RESULTS: contrast agent was synthesized successfully using an evaporation-drying-sonication method. Most bubbles had a mean diameter of 154.2 nm and showed marked degradation 24 hours after synthesis. Although no statistically significant differences were observed between SonoVue and the synthesized contrast agent, a difference in echogenicity was observed between the synthesized contrast agent and saline (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: We successfully synthesized a US contrast agent using an evaporation-dryingsonication method. These results may help future research in the fields of anticancer drug delivery, gene delivery, targeted molecular imaging, and targeted therapy.
