PolySon™ H and PolySon™ L consist of micrometer-sized air-filled polymeric particles specifically formulated for pre-clinical ultrasound imaging.
Due to large differences in their density and compressibility compared to tissue or plasma, dispersed PolySon microbubbles are highly echogenic.
Upon intravenous injection, the intact microbubbles circulate in the blood pool for up to 10 minutes and are taken up by the reticuloendothelial system (RES), particularly in the liver and spleen.
Applications
PolySon can be applied in various ultrasound imaging techniques, such as harmonic, subharmonic and B-mode imaging.
Moreover, it is particularly suited for stimulated acoustic emission (SAE) imaging (bubble rupture) using a relatively
low-energy ultrasound beam (low mechanical index – PolySon L)
or using a relatively
high-energy ultrasound beam (high mechanical index – PolySon H).
PolySon is indicated for use in ultrasound imaging of small animals, for example mice, to facilitate evaluation of perfusion patterns and visualization of the liver and spleen.
Examples include sensitive particle acoustic quantification (SPAQ) studies, imaging of liver tumors and perfusion studies of the cardiovascular system, renal system, or intratumoral vessels.
Reinhardt, M. et al. (2005) Sensitive particle acoustic quantification (SPAQ): a new ultrasound-based approach for the quantification of ultrasound contrast media in high concentrations. Invest. Radiol. 40: 2-7
Tiemann, K. et al. (2000) Stimulated acoustic emission: pseudo-Doppler shifts seen during the destruction of nonmoving microbubbles. Ultrasound Med. Biol. 26: 1161-1167
Hauff, P. et al. (2004) Molecular targeting of lymph nodes with L-selectin ligand-specific US contrast agent: a feasibility study in mice and dogs. J. Immunother. 231: 667-673