Nanodroplet-Mediated Sonothrombolysis

Ultrasound facilitates minimally invasive blood clot-busting, which is called sonothrombolysis. The conventional sonothrombolysis techniques showed limited efficacy for retracted blood clots since clot retraction entails contractile forces in the fibrin network of a thrombus that increases clot density and decreases clot size over time. We aim to increase the sonothrombolysis efficacy by using low-boiling point nanodroplets as cavitation nuclei to enhance cavitation effects at a target clot. In vitro test results showed that nanodroplets provide significantly higher thrombolysis efficacy compared to conventional microbubbles, and the nanodroplet-mediated cavitation showed features of high cavitation level and cavitation cloud locations close to the center of a target clot.

Figure reference: J. Kim et al., 2021 IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 69 (2).