Observations of translation and jetting of ultrasound-activated microbubbles in mesenteric microvessels

Hong Chen, Andrew A. Brayman, Wayne Kreider, Michael R. Bailey, Thomas J. Matula

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

86 Scopus citations

Abstract

High-speed photomicrography was used to study the translational dynamics of single microbubbles in microvessels of ex vivo rat mesenteries. The microbubbles were insonated by a single 2 μs ultrasound pulse with a center frequency of 1 MHz and peak negative pressures spanning the range of 0.8-4 MPa. The microvessel diameters ranged from 10-80 μm. The high-speed image sequences show evidence of ultrasound-activated microbubble translation away from the nearest vessel wall; no microbubble showed a net translation toward the nearest vessel wall. Microbubble maximum translation displacements exceeded 20 μm. Microjets with the direction of the jets identifiable were also observed; all microjets appear to have been directed away from the nearest vessel wall. These observations appear to be characteristic of a strong coupling between ultrasound-driven microbubbles and compliant microvessels. Although limited to mesenteric tissues, these observations provide an important step in understanding the physical interactions between microbubbles and microvessels.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2139-2148
Number of pages10
JournalUltrasound in Medicine and Biology
Volume37
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2011

Keywords

  • Acoustic cavitation
  • High speed photomicrography
  • Inertial cavitation
  • Mechanical bioeffects
  • Mesentery blood vessels
  • Microbubble dynamics
  • Microbubble translation
  • Microbubbles
  • Microjets
  • Microvessels
  • Ultrasound
  • Ultrasound contrast agent

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