archives@tulane.edu / Acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) is an attractive alternative to traditional hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatments. ADV involves injecting microdroplets into the bloodstream which then accumulate in and around the tumor’s vasculature. Once accumulated, high-power ultrasound is used to vaporize the microdroplets into larger perfluoropentane gas microbubbles which occlude blood flow and induce necrosis of the tumor without harming healthy tissue like traditional HCC treatments. This study aims to optimize ADV treatment by improving the shell composition and surface architecture of microdroplets while ensuring the treatment remains safe. In order to ensure the treatment is as effective as possible, the microdroplets must have powerful binding capabilities, guaranteeing maximum microdroplet accumulation and treatment efficacy. The binding capabilities of three microdroplet shell compositions, created by adjusting the molar percentages of the three lipids found in the shell, were investigated and found to all have equal binding abilities. The surface architecture of these microdroplets were also altered to maximise binding capabilities. Microdroplets can have either an exposed-ligand or buried-ligand surface architecture. In microdroplets with a buried-ligand surface architecture, the attached tumor-targeting ligands are hidden within a layer of longer lipid chains which allow the microdroplets to evade the immune system and circulate within the bloodstream longer, increasing treatment efficacy. It was found that microdroplets with a buried-ligand surface architecture do not have comparable binding capabilities to microdroplets with an exposed-ligand surface architecture and are therefore not a viable alternative for use in ADV. Finally, the velocity required to dislodge perfluoropentane gas microbubbles was explored to determine if the gas microbubbles can remain adhered to the tumor’s vasculature to create a strong occlusion. Since perfluoropentane gas microbubbles occlude blood flow it is imperative that the microbubbles remain in the tumor’s vasculature and do not dislodge and accumulate in other parts of the body’s vasculature. By measuring the velocity and calculating the force necessary for dislodgement and comparing those values to those found in capillaries it was concluded that the perfluoropentane gas microbubbles can withstand the force of blood flow and remain lodged in capillaries. / 1 / Chloe Celingant-Copie
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TULANE/oai:http://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/:tulane_120397 |
| Date | January 2020 |
| Contributors | Celingant-Copie, Chloe (author), Bull, Joseph (Thesis advisor), Brown, Quincy (Thesis advisor), Dancisak, Michael (Thesis advisor), School of Science & Engineering Biomedical Engineering (Degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Tulane University |
| Source Sets | Tulane University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | electronic, pages: 52 |
| Rights | No embargo, Copyright is in accordance with U.S. Copyright law. |
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