Ultrasound contrast agent is a medical reagent used for ultrasound contrast imaging. After more than 50 years of development, with the continuous deepening of research, the composition, physicochemical properties, functions and application directions of contrast agents have undergone significant changes. paper describes the generation, development stage, classification, main clinical applications and the latest technical progress of ultrasound contrast agents relatively comprehensively, reviews imaging principles, safety, tumor targeted imaging and treatment of UCA, introduces the classification of ultrasound contrast agents and their clinical applications in the whole body in detail, and compares the physical characteristics and diagnostic performance of SonoVue and Sonazoid, the two most widely used contrast agents in clinical practice. This paper reviews the types and clinical use of ultrasound contrast agents for those who may be new to the field.
GramiakRShahPM.Echocardiography of the aortic root. Investig Radiol. 1968;3(5):356-88.
2.
LiJ.In vitro and in vivo evaluation of ultrasound contrast agents. Master dissertation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 2013.
3.
XinYZhouHZhangY, et alResearch progress of nanoscale targeted ultrasound contrast agents in cancer diagnosis and treatment. J Med Imaging. 2021;31:1067-70.
4.
WangJWangYZhongLYanFZhengH.Nanoscale contrast agents: a promising tool for ultrasound imaging and therapy. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2024;207:207.
5.
NtouliaAAnupindiSABackSJDidierRAHwangMJohnsonAM, et alContrast-enhanced ultrasound: a comprehensive review of safety in children. Pediatr Radiol. 2021;51(12):2161-80.
6.
ChengLChenXDongDHuHHuangWHuangY, et alExpert consensus on standardized nursing of contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Chin Res Hosp. 2022;03:3-12.
7.
DietrichCFNolsøeCPBarrRGBerzigottiABurnsPNCantisaniV, et alGuidelines and good clinical practice recommendations for contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the liver - update 2020 - WFUMB in cooperation with EFSUMB, AFSUMB, AIUM, and FLAUS. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2020;46(10):2579-604.
8.
MaoYDongTZhangH, et alResearch progress of photothermal ultrasound contrast agent in the treatment of tumors. Chin Med Imag Technol. 2021;37:612-5.
9.
ChowdhurySMAbou-ElkacemLLeeTDahlJLutzAM.Ultrasound and microbubble mediated therapeutic delivery: underlying mechanisms and future outlook. J Control Release. 2020;326:75-90.
10.
WischhusenJCChowdhurySMLeeTWangHBachawalSDevulapallyR, et alUltrasound-mediated delivery of miRNA-122 and anti-miRNA-21 therapeutically immunomodulates murine hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo. J Control Release. 2020;321:272-84.
11.
FrinkingPSegersTLuanYTranquartF.Three decades of ultrasound contrast agents: a review of the past, present and future improvements. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2020;46(4):892-908.
12.
XuLDuJWanC, et al. Preparation of photothermal nanogold-copolymer ultrasound contrast agent and its experimental study on imaging in vitro and rat breast cancer models. J Clin Ultrasound Med. 2017;19:145-9.
13.
ZhouYZengMXuF, et al. Preliminary study of magnetic thermal phase variant ultrasound contrast agent in the treatment of liver cancer. Chin J Ultrasound Med. 2021;37:97-100.
14.
PorterTRMulvaghSLAbdelmoneimSSBecherHBelcikJTBierigM, et alClinical applications of ultrasonic enhancing agents in echocardiography: 2018 American Society of Echocardiography Guidelines Update. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2018;31(3):241-74.
15.
XieFWuJQianL.Clinical application of ultrasound enhancer in echocardiography: 2018 American echocardiography guidelines updated. Chin J Ultrasound Imag. 2019;28:553-80.
16.
RinaldoCGrimaldiDDi SerafinoMIacobellisFVerdeFCarusoM, et alAn update on pyelonephritis: role of contrast enhancement ultrasound (CEUS). J Ultrasound. 2022;26(2):333-42.
17.
RübenthalerJNegrãodeFigueiredoGMueller-PeltzerKClevertDA.Evaluation of renal lesions using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS); a 10-year retrospective European single-centre analysis. Eur Radiol. 2018;28(11):4542-9.
18.
ZhangWYangGZhangXNiT.The role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differentiating splenic tuberculosis from splenic lymphoma. Front Oncol. 2022;12:891815.
19.
SchwarzeVLindnerFMarschnerCNegrão de FigueiredoGRübenthalerJClevertDA. Single-center study: the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for assessing focal splenic lesions compared to CT and MRI. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2019;73(1):65-71.
20.
TagliatiCArgaliaGPolonaraGGiovagnoniAGiuseppettiGM.Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in delayed splenic vascular injury and active extravasation diagnosis. Radiol Med. 2018;124(3):170-5.
21.
WangYLiGYanKFanZLongRShanJ, et alClinical value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound enhancement patterns for differentiating solid pancreatic lesions. Eur Radiol. 2022;32(3):2060-9.
22.
SofuniATsuchiyaTItoiT.Ultrasound diagnosis of pancreatic solid tumors. J Med Ultrason. 2022;49(3):217-35.
23.
SwenssonJNagarajuSO'BrienDTannMShahAMangusR, et alContrast-enhanced ultrasound of the transplant pancreas in the post-operative setting. Clin Transplant. 2019;33(12):e13733.
24.
SwenssonJHillDTirkesTFridellJPatelA.Contrast-enhanced ultrasound versus Doppler ultrasound for detection of early vascular complications of pancreas grafts. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2020;215(5):1093-7.
25.
WeiYYuXLLiangPChengZGHanZYLiuFY, et alGuiding and controlling percutaneous pancreas biopsies with contrast-enhanced ultrasound: target lesions are not localized on B-mode ultrasound. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2015;41(6):1561-9.
26.
SidhuPCantisaniVDietrichCGiljaOSaftoiuABartelsE, et alThe EFSUMB guidelines and recommendations for the clinical practice of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in non-hepatic applications: update 2017 (long version). Eur J Ultrasound. 2018;39(02):e2-44.
27.
DanyanLQianLGuozhuWU, et alContrast-enhanced ultrasound in diagnosis of prostate cancer: a meta-analysis. J Ultrasound Med. 2019;21(09):651-5.
28.
PereraRHde LeonAWangXWangYRamamurthyGPeirisP, et alReal time ultrasound molecular imaging of prostate cancer with PSMA-targeted nanobubbles. Nanomed. 2020;28:102213.
29.
WangYDe LeonACPereraRAbenojarEGopalakrishnanRBasilionJP, et alMolecular imaging of orthotopic prostate cancer with nanobubble ultrasound contrast agents targeted to PSMA. Sci Rep. 2021;11:4726.
30.
ZhaoHXuROuyangQChenLDongBHuihuaY.Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is helpful in the differentiation of malignant and benign breast lesions. Eur J Radiol. 2010;73(2):288-93.
31.
WangZLLiNLiMWanWB.Non-mass-like lesions on breast ultrasound: classification and correlation with histology. Radiol Med. 2015;120(10):905-10.
32.
ZhangFJinLLiGJiaCShiQDuL, et alThe role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of malignant non-mass breast lesions and exploration of diagnostic criteria. Br J Radiol. 2021;94(1120):20200880.
33.
HeYWangXYHuQChenXXLingBWeiHM.Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Front Pharmacol. 2018;9:1363.
34.
XuYQiXZhaoXRenWDingW.Clinical diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and TI-RADS classification for benign and malignant thyroid tumors: one comparative cohort study. Medicine. 2019;98(4):e14051.
35.
RadzinaMRatnieceMPutrinsDSSauleLCantisaniV.Performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in thyroid nodules: review of current state and future perspectives. Cancers. 2021;13(21):5469.
36.
XuHXuGLLiXDSuQHDongCZ.Correlation between the contrast-enhanced ultrasound image features and axillary lymph node metastasis of primary breast cancer and its diagnostic value. Clin Transl Oncol. 2021;23(1):155-63.
37.
JiangWXueHWangQZhangXWangZZhaoC.Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and PET/CT in assessment of extramedullary lymphoma. Eur J Radiol. 2018;99:88-93.
38.
DargeKBackSJBulasDIFeinsteinSBNtouliaAVolbergFM, et alPediatric contrast-enhanced ultrasound: shedding light on the pursuit of approval in the United States. Pediatr Radiol. 2021;51:2128-11.
39.
DuranCBeltránVPGonzálezAGómezCdel RiegoJ.Contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography for vesicoureteral reflux diagnosis in children. Radiographics. 2017;37(6):1854-69.
40.
ZhangWYiHCaiB, et alApplication of excretory urography in the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux in children. J Huazhong Univ Sci Technol (Med Ed). 2018;47:105-8.
41.
LiSLiangTTuB.Diagnostic value of ultrasonography with oral SonoVue contrast agent for gastric lesions. Shandong Med J. 2018;58:49-51.
42.
MedellinAMerrillCWilsonSR.Role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in evaluation of the bowel. Abdom Radiol. 2018;43(4):918-33.
43.
WangS.Clinical application and progress of hysterosalpingography. Chin J Med Ultrasound. 2020;17:100-2.
44.
LudwinILudwinAWiechecMNocunABanasTBastaP, et alAccuracy of hysterosalpingo-foam sonography in comparison to hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography with air/saline and to laparoscopy with dye. Hum Reprod. 2017;32(4):758-769.
45.
BressandDNovellAGiraultARaoulWFromont-HankardGEscoffreJM, et alEnhancing nab-paclitaxel delivery using microbubble-assisted ultrasound in a pancreatic cancer Model. Mol Pharm. 2019;16(9):3814-22.
46.
WuX.Experimental Study of Targeted VEGFR2 Ultrasound Molecular Imaging in Murine H22 Xenografts. Chongqing: Chongqing Medical University; 2009.
47.
ZhangXLvKLiJ, et alProgress in targeted ultrasound contrast agent BR55. J Chin Acad Med Sci. 2022;44:118-22.
48.
HaiderTSandhaKKSoniVGuptaPN.Recent advances in tumor microenvironment associated therapeutic strategies and evaluation models. Mater Sci Eng. 2020;116:111229.
49.
ChongWKPapadopoulouVDaytonPA.Imaging with ultrasound contrast agents: current status and future. Abdom Radiol. 2018;43(3):762-72.
50.
WangYLuHHuangLLiDQiuWLiL, et alNoninvasive estimation of tumor interstitial fluid pressure from subharmonic scattering of ultrasound contrast microbubbles. Biosensors. 2023;13(5):2079-6374.
51.
GoelLJiangX.Advances in sonothrombolysis techniques using piezoelectric transducers. Sensors. 2020;20(5):1288.
52.
DoelareSANJean PierreDMNederhoedJHSmorenburgSPMLelyRJJongkindV, et alMicrobubbles and ultrasound accelerated thrombolysis for peripheral arterial occlusions: the outcomes of a single arm Phase II trial. Korean J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2021;62:463-8.
53.
WangZPanYHuangHZhangYLiYZouC, et alEnhanced thrombolysis by endovascular low-frequency ultrasound with bifunctional microbubbles in venous thrombosis. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022;10:965769.
54.
ZhangQLiangXZhangYNieHChenZ.A review of contrast-enhanced ultrasound using SonoVue® and Sonazoid™ in non-hepatic organs. Eur J Radiol. 2023;167:111060.
55.
BarrRGHuangPLuoYXieXZhengRYanK, et alContrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging of the liver: a review of the clinical evidence for sonovue and sonazoid. Abdom Radiol. 2020;45(11):3779-88.
56.
LvKZhaiHJiangYLiangPXuHXDuL, et alProspective assessment of diagnostic efficacy and safety of Sonazoid and SonoVue ultrasound contrast agents in patients with focal liver lesions. Abdom Radiol. 2021;46(10):4647-59.
57.
HaoYSunYLeiYZhaoHCuiL.Percutaneous sonazoid-enhanced ultrasonography combined with in vitro verification for detection and characterization of sentinel lymph nodes in early breast cancer. Eur Radiol. 2021;31(8):5894-901.
58.
SunLYinSXingBLiZFanZYanK.Contrast enhanced ultrasound with sonovue and sonazoid for the diagnosis of colorectal liver metastasis after chemotherapy. J Ultrasound Med. 2023;42(2):355-62.
