High-precision, non-invasive anti-microvascular approach via concurrent ultrasound and laser irradiation

Antivascular therapy represents a proven strategy to treat angiogenesis. By applying synchronized ultrasound bursts and nanosecond laser irradiation, we developed a novel, selective, non-invasive, localized antivascular method, termed photo-mediated ultrasound therapy (PUT). PUT takes advantage of the high native optical contrast among biological tissues and can treat microvessels without causing collateral damage to the surrounding tissue. In a chicken yolk sac membrane model, under the same ultrasound parameters (1 MHz at 0.45 MPa and 10 Hz with 10% duty cycle), PUT with 4 mJ/cm2 and 6 mJ/cm2 laser fluence induced 51% (p = 0.001) and 37% (p = 0.018) vessel diameter reductions respectively. With 8 mJ/cm2 laser fluence, PUT would yield vessel disruption (90%, p < 0.01). Selectivity of PUT was demonstrated by utilizing laser wavelengths at 578 nm or 650 nm, where PUT selectively shrank veins or occluded arteries. In a rabbit ear model, PUT induced a 68.5% reduction in blood perfusion after 7 days (p < 0.001) without damaging the surrounding cells. In vitro experiments in human blood suggested that cavitation may play a role in PUT. In conclusion, PUT holds significant promise as a novel non-invasive antivascular method with the capability to precisely target blood vessels.