There is a need for cancer imaging to provide “real-time” information about the cellular responses of tumours in contrast to standard evaluations of tumour size. Quantitative ultrasound techniques have recently been demonstrated to be a potential method of assessing tumour response at the cellular level through the analysis of radiofrequency backscatter data.
In this thesis, prostate cancer xenografts were evaluated in vivo using high-frequency ultrasound analysis techniques to assess tumour response. The anti-cancer treatments consisted of radiotherapy and also a novel anti-vascular therapy utilizing encapsulated microbubble agents in the presence of ultrasound. Quantitative ultrasound results demonstrated a statistically significant change in backscatter parameters in tumours treated with high doses of radiotherapy or a high concentration of microbubbles during treatments. Histopathological assessment demonstrated that tumour cell death due to apoptosis and necrosis correlated with increases in ultrasound parameters.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/25778 |
| Date | 10 January 2011 |
| Creators | Lee, Justin |
| Contributors | Czarnota, Gregory J. |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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