Which properties of the vascular architecture are reflected by dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging of dispersion and wash-in rate? A comparison with acoustic angiography

摘要

Tumor growth requires formation of new angiogenic vessels, which differ in their morphology from those of healthy tissue. These vascular abnormalities result in altered blood flow dynamics, which can be assessed by dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US). Two distinct approaches are typically employed in DCE-US following an intravenous injection of ultrasound contrast agent: assessment of perfusion or dispersion parameters from the measured time intensity curves [1]. In this paper, we compare maps of dispersion and perfusion with those of acoustic angiography (AA), a 3D high-resolution technique capable of capturing the vascular morphology [2]. We aim at determining those properties of the vascular architecture that are reflected by perfusion and dispersion parameters, as well as their evolution over time as tumor grows. To this end, a longitudinal study has been performed with tumor models in 3 rats.