Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, University Clinic Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, CMBS, Forckenbeckstr. 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
Chair for Medical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
Nat Commun. 2018 Apr 18;9(1):1527. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-03973-8.
Super-resolution imaging methods promote tissue characterization beyond the spatial resolution limits of the devices and bridge the gap between histopathological analysis and non-invasive imaging. Here, we introduce motion model ultrasound localization microscopy (mULM) as an easily applicable and robust new tool to morphologically and functionally characterize fine vascular networks in tumors at super-resolution. In tumor-bearing mice and for the first time in patients, we demonstrate that within less than 1 min scan time mULM can be realized using conventional preclinical and clinical ultrasound devices. In this context, next to highly detailed images of tumor microvascularization and the reliable quantification of relative blood volume and perfusion, mULM provides multiple new functional and morphological parameters that discriminate tumors with different vascular phenotypes. Furthermore, our initial patient data indicate that mULM can be applied in a clinical ultrasound setting opening avenues for the multiparametric characterization of tumors and the assessment of therapy response.
超分辨率成像方法可促进组织特征分析超越设备的空间分辨率限制，并弥合组织病理学分析与非侵入性成像之间的差距。在这里，我们介绍运动模型超声定位显微镜 (mULM)，这是一种易于应用且稳健的新工具，可在超分辨率下对肿瘤中的精细血管网络进行形态和功能特征分析。在荷瘤小鼠中，我们首次在患者中证明，使用传统的临床前和临床超声设备，不到 1 分钟的扫描时间即可实现 mULM。在这种情况下，除了肿瘤微血管化的高度详细图像以及相对血液体积和灌注的可靠定量之外，mULM 还提供了多个新的功能和形态参数，可以区分具有不同血管表型的肿瘤。此外，我们的初步患者数据表明，mULM 可应用于临床超声环境中，为肿瘤的多参数特征分析和治疗效果评估开辟了新途径。
