Microbubble Imaging

Microbubble imaging represents a multidisciplinary group of researchers based at the Hammersmith and Charing Cross Campuses with interests in the development of non-targeted and targeted microbubbles for clinical diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic purposes in oncology and cardiovascular diseases. Microbubbles, which are typically of the order of 2 to 6 microns, are true intravascular agents and therefore ideal for the assessment of tissue perfusion. Research has been directed towards therapy monitoring of novel biological agents targeting angiogenesis, providing an early indicator of effectiveness at a functional and molecular level through evaluation of changes in blood volume and flow. Success has been achieved in providing an accurate and reproducible quantitative technique in measuring tumour vascular growth reduction and in distinguishing new tumour vascular growth from existing vascularity. We have also established a clinical research program to enhance drug delivery in subjects resistant to standard therapy using ultrasound guided microbubbles imaging. More recently, we have also been able to image clinically passively targeted microbubbles to inflammatory sites in bowel, skin, and vascular tree and in particular the carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Using quantitative methods we have developed microbubble imaging surrogate markers for carotid plaque instability.