Table 1

Clinically available second-generation microbubble contrast agents and their approved diagnostic indications [7,13,14]."

Figure 1

UTMD performed during Y90-TARE treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in a 70-year-old man with a 3.1 cm segment 4A HCC (arrows), who subsequently achieved complete radiologic response on long-term follow-up imaging. Dual-screen acquisition is shown in each panel, with nonlinear contrast-mode imaging on the left and corresponding B-mode imaging on the right for anatomic reference. (A) Pre-contrast baseline; (B) Peak intratumoral and parenchymal enhancement following intravenous microbubble infusion; (C) Application of the high-mechanical-index destructive pulse; (D) Immediate post-pulse image demonstrating absence of contrast within the tumor, confirming microbubble destruction."

Figure 2

In vivo assessment of tumour perfusion using 3D Power Doppler (PD) ultrasound imaging. Left panel: Representative volumetric reconstructions of tumour vasculature (orange) are shown for each treatment group. Vascularity is visualized in a 3D overlay on B-mode grayscale anatomical images. Scale bar: 2 mm. Right panel: Average Vascular index (VI) across control (C), microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound (MB + FUS), single-dose radiation therapy (XRT, 8 Gy), and MB + FUS + XRT treatment groups. Data are presented as mean ± SD. p-values ranging from P < 0.05 (*), P < 0.01 (**), P < 0.001 (***). (Reproduced from Petchiny et al32 under the Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 license)."

Figure 3

Schematic of intraoperative LIPU/MB procedure and time course of peritumoral brain biopsy. Photo from surgical microscope shows hyperfluorescent areas of dysfunctional BBB shortly after LIPU/MB and infusion of chemotherapy with fluorescein bolus as previously described (24). Blue arrows indicate sonicated peritumoral brain and pink arrows indicate nonsonicated peritumoral brain. Sonicated peritumoral brain biopsies were collected at early time points after LIPU/MB (within 15 minutes) and at later time points (at least 45 minutes after LIPU/MB). (Reproduced from Gould, A. et al.40 under the Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 license)."

Table 2

Clinical trials of ultrasound-stimulated microbubbles in oncology (by year)."

Figure 4

Schematic diagram of ultrasound combined with targeted microvesicle therapy for PCa. (red arrow: BST-2-EGFR-STAT3/ERK1/2 pathway inhibition; green arrow: HIFU thermal effect activates immunogenic cell death (ICD); purple arrow: HIFU cavitation effect generates cellular debris; yellow arrow: apoptosis due to multiple effects of HIFU; blue arrow: activation of immune pathways). (Reproduced from Zhou. et al60 under the Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 license)"