Focused ultrasound enhances glioma drug delivery

Researchers at the University of Virginia (UVA) published a study in the journal Radiology demonstrating that gliomas, including glioblastomas, may be more receptive to focused ultrasound-mediated drug delivery than normal brain tissue. Using microbubbles activated by sound waves to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier, the team, led by Richard Price, developed a high-resolution MRI approach to track drug delivery. They found that medium-sized drug molecules accumulated most efficiently, identifying a 'Goldilocks' size range. The findings allay concerns that tumor vasculature would impede delivery. UVA also acquired a new MRI-guided focused ultrasound system from Insightec to accelerate clinical translation. The research was funded by the United States — National Institutes of Health and the UVA Focused Ultrasound Cancer Immunotherapy Center.