Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Current clinically used ultrasound contrast agents are microbubble contrast agents containing different gas components. The microbubble contrast agents allow further development of ultrasonic diagnosis and have become a study focus in contrast agents.
OBJECTIVE: To explore methods of preparing polymer ultrasound contrast agents and analyze their clinical application in disease treatment.
METHODS: Ultrasound contrast agents are composed of gas microbubble and encapsulated membrane. The membrane materials contain albumin, macromolecule liposome, polymer and various surface active agents. Imaging of ultrasound contrast is achieved through enhancing backscatter signals. The development of ultrasound contrast agents is divided into three stages, and visualization-related techniques include second harmonic, tissue specific developing, pulse inversion harmonic imaging, coherent contrast imaging, contrast pulse sequence, energy Doppler harmonic imaging, intermittent harmonic imaging, coded harmonic imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasound three-dimensional imaging.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Various ultrasound contrast agents differ in properties and designs of encapsulation. Microbubble enabled developing an image of ultrasound contrast and can play a role in transferring drugs. Novel microbubble contrast agents can provide blood perfusion information and target lesioned tissue to understand the mechanism of lesion to make the diagnosis of microbubble contrast agents more accurate. With developing preparation technique, microbubble contrast agents have good biocompatibility. They can be used for specific contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging under various conditions, increase cell membrane permeability by carrying drugs or theoretical genes through transient cavatition erosion, and improve transfection efficiency of drugs or genes. Microbubble contrast would be developed to have multiple functions, such as treatment, diagnosis and ultrasonic imaging and become a safe, high-effective, non-invasive diagnostic and targeting transfer treatment tool.