ABSTRACT
Objective:To study the predictive value of superb microvascular imaging(SMI) in evaluating therapeutic efficacy of hepatic cancer treated by percutaneous radiofrequency ablation(PRFA).Methods:From Feb 2017 to Feb 2018, 55 patients (male: 31, female: 24, age range: 37-68 years, mean age: 56years) with 72 hepatic carcinoma lesions (length: 21.3-45.6 mm, average: 31.2 mm) were detected by SMI and contrast-enhanced CT(CECT)before PRFA. One month after treatment, more than two imaging examinations (CECT, CEMR, ultrasonic imaging) were used as the "gold standard" to evaluate the complete ablation rates. Consistency between the SMI grading and the arterial phase enhancement of CECT was analyzed by the Kappa-test.Results:Before PRFA, SMI showed 12 lesions (16.7%) to be in grade Ⅰ, 28 lesions (38.9%) in grade Ⅱ and 32 lesions (44.4%) in grade Ⅲ. The arterial phase of CECT showed 37 lesions (51.4%) to have no obvious enhancement and 35 lesions (48.6%) to have obvious enhancement. Consistency analysis showed that there was a high consistency between SMI and CECT(Kappa=0.861, P<0.001). The higher the SMI grading, the more obvious the enhancement on CECT. The complete ablation rates of the grade Ⅰ, grade Ⅱ and grade Ⅲ lesions were 100%(12/12), 92.9%(26/28) and 71.9%(23/32), respectively. The complete ablation rate of the lesions in grade Ⅲ was significantly lower than that in grade Ⅰ and grade Ⅱ (both P<0.05). Conclusion:SMI showed a good consistency with CECT in evaluating the blood flow signals of hepatic cancer, SMI grading could be used in predicting the therapeutic efficacy of hepatic cancer treated by PRFA.
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Objective To prepare the folate receptor-targeted and paclitaxel-loaded ultrasound contrast agent (folate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-paclitaxel,FOL-PLGA-PTX) and to investigate its targeting and imaging performance in vitro.Methods Paclitaxel-loaded PLGA-COOH micmcapsules with a core of liquid perfluorocarbon (PLGA-PTX) were prepared using single emulsion technique and then conjugated with folate by carbodiimide method.The size,surface potential,entrapment efficiency and drug loading efficiency were measured by Malvern laser detector and HPLC.The connectivity condition of PLGA-PTX with folate and the binding rate of fluorescent antibody were detected by immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.The targeting performance of FOL-PLGA-PTX was checked after co-incubated with human SKOV3cell lines in vitro and compared with that of non-targeted group and free folic acid intervention group.In vitro experiments were performed to explore the effects of FOL-PLGA-PTX on the enhancement of ultrasound imaging after irradiation by high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).Two-sample t test and one-way analysis of variance were used to analyze data.Results The average diameter of FOL-PLGA-PTX was (244.43 ±13.32) nm,with the drug entrapment efficiency of (86.23 ± 1.23)％ and loading amount of (8.62±0.12)％.The binding rate of folate was as high as (98.49± 1.28)％.The connection rate of FOL-PLGAPTX on SKOV3 cells was higher than that of non-targeted group ((84.32±4.25) ％ vs (16.45±2.89) ％; F289.45,t=10.654,P＜0.01) and the free folic acid intervention group ((36.33±3.23)％; t=8.923,P＜0.01).During in vitro ultrasound imaging,the average grey scale of FOL-PLGA-PTX before HIFU irradiation was significantly lower than that after HIFU irradiation (39.32±3.64 vs 126.44±7.15 ; t =4.829,P＜0.01).Conclusion FOL-PLGA-PTX has been prepared successfully,with high entrapment efficiency and much drug loading,which can target to SKOV3 cells specifically and effectively in vitro,and enhance the ultrasound imaging greatly after HIFU irradiation.
ABSTRACT
Objective To prepare a novel extravascular human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)-COOH ultrasound contrast agent with liquid perfluorocarbons(PFH-PLGA-tra),and to observe it's general properties and it's effects on ultrasound imaging in vitro.Methods Polymeric nanocapsules of liquid perfluorocarbons were prepared by the single emulsion technique and conjugated with trastuzumab monoclonal antibody by EDC/NHS.The general characteristics were observed.The conjugation was demonstrated by immunofluorescence and the targeting performance of the agent was checked in human MCF-7 cells line in vitro.The encapsulation of liquid fluorocarbons was detected by heating in vitro.The effects on ultrasound imaging were observed in vitro.Results The mean diameter of agents was (261 ± 28)nm.The targeted nanocapsules were positive in immunofluorescence.In the targeted study,it was shown that a number of targeted nanocapsules conjugated with MCF-7 cells in vitro.Droplet-to-bubble transition experiment in vitro showed that there were no nano/microbubbles formed by heating in control groups at 80℃,while there were a lot of nano/microbubbles appeared in nanocapsules formulations at 80 ℃.The agents presented a good ultrasound imaging in vitro.Conclusions The HER2-targeted polymeric nanocapsules of liquid perfluorocarbons are successfully prepared,which may become a novel extravascular targeted ultrasound contrast agents.