Radiotherapy dosimetry with ultrasound contrast agents

Deviations during radiotherapy may induce excessive damage to healthy tissues, resulting in severe secondary effects. To overcome these deviations, we have investigated the combination of ultrasound contrast agents and ultrasound imaging as a novel approach for in vivo radiation dosimetry. The ultrasound contrast agents studied here are injectable particles, generally smaller than a red-blood-cell, with a gaseous (bubbles) or a liquid core (droplets). Our goal was to assess, in well-controlled in vitro environments, the effect of ionizing radiation on the acoustic response of these agents, as well as the ultrasound imaging sequences that would optimize the dosimetric performance of these agents.