Noninvasive and Continuous Monitoring of the Core Body Temperature through the Quantitative Measurement of Blood Perfusion Rate.

Core body temperature (CBT) is one of the four vital signs that must be monitored continuously. The continuous recording of CBT is possible through invasive methods by inserting a temperature probe into specific body sites. We report a novel method to monitor CBT through the quantitative measurement of skin blood perfusion rate (ωb,skin). By monitoring the skin temperature, heat flux, and ωb,skin, the arterial blood temperature, equivalent to CBT, can be extracted. ωb,skin is quantitatively evaluated thermally via sinusoidal heating with regulated thermal penetration depth so that the blood perfusion rate is acquired only in the skin. Its quantification is significant because it indicates various physiological events including hyper- or hypothermia, tissue death, and delineation of tumors. A subject showed promising results with steady values of ωb,skin and CBT of 5.2 ± 1.05 × 10-4 s-1 and 36.51 ± 0.23 °C, respectively. For periods where the subject's actual CBT (axillary temperature) did not fall within the estimated range, the average deviation from the actual CBT was only 0.07 °C. This study aims to develop a competent methodology capable of continuously monitoring the CBT and blood perfusion rate at a distant location from the core body region for the diagnosis of a patient's health condition with wearable devices.

Extended Lifetime In Vivo Pulse Stimulated Ultrasound Imaging.

An on-demand long-lived ultrasound contrast agent that can be activated with single pulse stimulated imaging (SPSI) has been developed using hard shell liquid perfluoropentane filled silica 500-nm nanoparticles for tumor ultrasound imaging. SPSI was tested on LnCAP prostate tumor models in mice; tumor localization was observed after intravenous (IV) injection of the contrast agent. Consistent with enhanced permeability and retention, the silica nanoparticles displayed an extended imaging lifetime of 3.3±1 days (mean±standard deviation). With added tumor specific folate functionalization, the useful lifetime was extended to 12 ± 2 days; in contrast to ligand-based tumor targeting, the effect of the ligands in this application is enhanced nanoparticle retention by the tumor. This paper demonstrates for the first time that IV injected functionalized silica contrast agents can be imaged with an in vivo lifetime ~500 times longer than current microbubble-based contrast agents. Such functionalized long-lived contrast agents may lead to new applications in tumor monitoring and therapy.

Feasibility of in vivo transesophageal cardiac ablation using a phased ultrasound array.

Over 2.2 million Americans suffer from atrial fibrillation making it one of the most common arrhythmias. Cardiac ablation has shown a high rate of success in treating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Prevailing modalities for this treatment are catheter based radio-frequency ablation or surgery. However, there is measurable morbidity and significant costs and time associated with these invasive procedures. Due to these issues, developing a method that is less invasive to treat atrial fibrillation is needed. In the development of such a device, a transesophageal ultrasound applicator for cardiac ablation was designed, constructed and evaluated. A goal of this research was to create lesions in myocardial tissue using a phased array. Based on multiple factors from array simulations, transesophageal imaging devices and throat anatomy, a phased ultrasound transducer that can be inserted into the esophagus was designed and tested. In this research, a two-dimensional sparse phased array with the aperture size of 20.7 mm x 10.2 mm with flat tapered elements as a transesophageal ultrasound applicator was fabricated and evaluated with in vivo experiments. Five pigs were anesthetized; the array was passed through the esophagus and positioned over the heart. The array was operated for 8-15 min at 1.6 MHz with the acoustic intensity of 150-300 W/cm(2) resulting in both single and multiple lesions on atrial and ventricular myocardium. The average size of lesions was 5.1 +/- 2.1 mm in diameter and 7.8 +/- 2.5 mm in length. Based on the experimental results, the array delivered sufficient power to the focal point to produce ablation while not grossly damaging nearby tissue outside the target area. These results demonstrate a potential application of the ultrasound applicator to transesophageal cardiac surgery in atrial fibrillation treatment.

MR thermometry characterization of a hyperthermia ultrasound array designed using the k-space computational method.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound induced hyperthermia is a useful adjuvant to radiation therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer. A uniform thermal dose (43 degrees C for 30 minutes) is required within the targeted cancerous volume for effective therapy. This requires specific ultrasound phased array design and appropriate thermometry method. Inhomogeneous, acoustical, three-dimensional (3D) prostate models and economical computational methods provide necessary tools to predict the appropriate shape of hyperthermia phased arrays for better focusing. This research utilizes the k-space computational method and a 3D human prostate model to design an intracavitary ultrasound probe for hyperthermia treatment of prostate cancer. Evaluation of the probe includes ex vivo and in vivo controlled hyperthermia experiments using the noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) thermometry. METHODS: A 3D acoustical prostate model was created using photographic data from the Visible Human Project. The k-space computational method was used on this coarse grid and inhomogeneous tissue model to simulate the steady state pressure wavefield of the designed phased array using the linear acoustic wave equation. To ensure the uniformity and spread of the pressure in the length of the array, and the focusing capability in the width of the array, the equally-sized elements of the 4 x 20 elements phased array were 1 x 14 mm. A probe was constructed according to the design in simulation using lead zerconate titanate (PZT-8) ceramic and a Delrin plastic housing. Noninvasive MRI thermometry and a switching feedback controller were used to accomplish ex vivo and in vivo hyperthermia evaluations of the probe. RESULTS: Both exposimetry and k-space simulation results demonstrated acceptable agreement within 9%. With a desired temperature plateau of 43.0 degrees C, ex vivo and in vivo controlled hyperthermia experiments showed that the MRI temperature at the steady state was 42.9 +/- 0.38 degrees C and 43.1 +/- 0.80 degrees C, respectively, for 20 minutes of heating. CONCLUSION: Unlike conventional computational methods, the k-space method provides a powerful tool to predict pressure wavefield in large scale, 3D, inhomogeneous and coarse grid tissue models. Noninvasive MRI thermometry supports the efficacy of this probe and the feedback controller in an in vivo hyperthermia treatment of canine prostate.