The outcomes and bioactivities of microbubble-enhanced ultrasound combined with prothrombin on microwave ablation in rabbit VX2 liver tumors / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the sequential biological effects and outcomes of microbubble-enhanced ultrasound (MEUS) combined with prothrombin on microwave ablation (MWA) in rabbit VX2 liver tumors using examination of transmission electron microscopy ,histopathology and contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) . Methods Eighty New Zealand rabbits with VX2 liver tumors were randomly divided into 4 groups ( 20 per group ) , including physiological saline group , prothrombin group , cavitation of microbubbles group ( cavitation group ) and cavitation of microbubbles combined prothrombin group (combined group) . After treatment ,the targeted liver tumors in all groups were ablated with MWA . On the 0 ,3 ,7 and 14 d ,the volumes of coagulated areas of 5 rabbits of each group randomly were measured using CEUS . Tissues in ablated areas ,transition areas and surrounding areas were examined under light microscopy with histopathology and transmission electron microscopy to observe the differences among 4 groups . Tumor metastasis was graded using visual method . Results On the 0 ,3 ,7 and 14 d ,the coagulated volumes in combined group were larger than those in remaining 3 groups ( all P ＜ 0 .001) . Under light microscopy with HE stain ,in transition area ,the fibra band in combined group was wider than those in remaining 3 groups on the 7 and 14 d ( all P ＜ 0 .05 ) . The observations under transmission electron microscopy showed that the cellular ultrastructure disorder in ablated area on the 0 d and mitochondrial injury in transition area on the 7 d were more severe in combined group than those in remaining 3 groups . Compared with the remaining 3 groups ,the degree of tumor metastasis in combined group was less ,and the time of ocurrence was later . Conclusions MEUS combined with prothrombin can significantly expand ablation volume ,enhance the necrosis of ablated tissues ,and inhibit tumor metastasis on rabbit VX 2 liver tumors . The fibra bands in the transition areas can promote the organization and repair the surrounding tissue in the ablation areas .