Photo-mediated ultrasound therapy (PUT) holds potential as a novel antivascular method. In this work, we applied PUT to precisely remove corneal neovascularization in a rabbit eye model. A stable corneal suture-induced corneal neovascularization model was established in rabbits. These rabbits were later treated by PUT or used as controls. The treatment outcomes were evaluated through red-free photography and fluorescein angiography along with histology and immunohistochemistry. The experimental results demonstrated that PUT shows promise in improving the management of eye diseases by delivering selective treatment to pathologic vessels with minimized side effects.
Ocular neovascularization occurs in various eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, neovascular macular degeneration, and retinopathy of prematurity. Current treatment methods including conventional laser ablation therapy and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection each has drawbacks including collateral tissue damages, frequent administration, high cost, and drug toxicity. We recently developed a novel noninvasive image-guided photo-mediated ultrasound therapy (PUT) which concurrently applies nanosecond laser pulses and millisecond ultrasound bursts to precisely and safely remove pathologic microvessels in the eye. Relying on the mechanism of photoacoustic cavitation, PUT takes advantages of high optical contrast among biological tissues, and can selectively remove microvessels without causing collateral tissue damage.
To achieve personalized treatment with optimal treatment outcome, a multi-modality eye imaging system involving advanced photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been integrated with the PUT system to provide real-time feedback and online evaluation of the treatment outcome. To assess the performance of this image-guided PUT system, experiments have been conducted on rabbit eye models. During the treatment, cavitation signals were observed and monitored by OCT with good sensitivity, suggesting that OCT can be used to evaluate treatment effect in real time. The PAM was capable of mapping the 3D distributed microvessels with excellent image quality, demonstrating that PAM can help to quantitatively evaluate the treatment outcome. As indicated by the initial results from this study, imaging guidance involving both PAM and OCT could further improve the efficacy and safety of the newly invented PUT, accelerating its translation to ophthalmology clinic.
We have developed a safe, noninvasive imaging-guided localized antivascular method, namely photo-mediated ultrasound therapy (PUT), by applying synchronized laser and ultrasound pulses. Through our experimental and theoretical studies, we demonstrate that cavitation plays a key role in PUT. PUT promotes cavitation activity in blood vessels by concurrently applying ultrasound bursts and nanosecond laser pulses. The collapse of cavitation can induce damage to blood vessel endothelial cells, resulting in occlusion of microvessels. This study presents the effect of laser pulse energy, laser pulse length, ultrasound intensity, and synchronization time between laser and ultrasound. We found that, in order to produce controllable blood vessel occlusion, linear oscillation of cavitation (or non-inertial cavitation) might be the key, while strong collapse of cavitation (inertial cavitation) might induce bleeding. Under the guidance an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, we utilized PUT to remove microvessels in the rabbit choroid. We were able to monitor cavitation activity in real-time in vivo during PUT treatment, and predict treatment outcome. Histology findings confirmed that fibrin clots were developed in the microvessels in the treated region, while no damage was found in the surrounding tissue.
Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in the United States. Choroidal neovascularization (CNV), the creation of new blood vessels in the choroid layer of the eye, plays a central role in the pathophysiology of wAMD. Despite advanced anti-VEGF therapy, 20% of patients become legally blind and other 30% suffer significant vision loss after 5 years. Given the significant burden imposed by wAMD on a growing aging population, there is an urgent need for developing new therapeutic techniques to remove microvessels induced by CNV. We developed a safe, noninvasive imaging-guided photo-mediated ultrasound therapy (PUT) technique as a localized antivascular method, and applied it to remove microvessels in the rabbit choroid. This technique promotes cavitation activity in blood vessels by concurrently applying ultrasound bursts and nanosecond laser pulses. The collapse of cavitation can induce damage to blood vessel endothelial cells, resulting in occlusion of microvessels. PUT takes advantages of the high native optical contrast among biological tissues, and has the unique capability to self-target microvessels without causing surrounding damages. Under the guidance of a fundus camera and an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, our PUT system now has the capability to precisely target the treating area before the treatment procedure (through the fundus camera), and real-time intra-treatment cavitation monitor to evaluate the therapeutic effect (through the OCT system). Additionally, the safety of PUT technique is confirmed by histopathological studies.
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