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Health and Social Welfare
Published in José Guadix Martín, Milica Lilic, Marina Rosales Martínez, AI Knowledge Transfer from the University to Society, 2022
José Guadix Martín, Milica Lilic, Marina Rosales Martínez
Focused ultrasound is an innovative technology for potential non-invasive, preventive cleaning of shunts and infusion systems (valves, catheters) implanted in patients with different pathologies. Artificial Intelligence tools are used to determine optimal parameters for their application in various clinical settings, tailored to the individual circumstances and the specific devices used in neurosurgery, oncology, and other clinical areas.
Diagnostic Test with Targeted Therapy for Cancer: The Theranostic Nanomedicine
Published in Paula V. Messina, Luciano A. Benedini, Damián Placente, Tomorrow’s Healthcare by Nano-sized Approaches, 2020
Paula V. Messina, Luciano A. Benedini, Damián Placente
The description of theranostic therapy based on sound application is addressed in this section. Particularly, ultrasound is used for diagnosis and therapy. This oscillating sound pressure wave has a greater frequency than human beings can hear. This technique also uses high echogenicity agents such as gas-filled micro-bubbles. The enhancement of ultrasound backscatter or reflection of the ultrasound waves can be carried out by means of contrast agents which provide a high difference of echogenicity of ultrasound and a sonogram with an increased contrast is obtained (Postema 2011). Thus, this improved ultrasound can be used for studying blood perfusion and its flow. From this concept emerges the high-intensity focused ultrasound which is used as a therapeutic application of ultrasound for destroying cancerous tissues by heating (Malietzis et al. 2013). Many ultrasound-responsive nanocarriers based on traditional pharmaceutical formulations such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, microbubbles among other systems, have been designed for delivering chemotherapy agents within tumour tissues and in this way improve the pharmacological response (Quirolo et al. 2014). These systems, developed with an average diameter between 0.8 and 10 μm, are loaded with active principles but they also contain a small percentage of gas. This co-encapsulation yields in acoustically active particles allowing their contraction and expansion in response to ultrasound waves; therefore, the expansion of the system through the application of ultrasound waves will produce the breakdown of the system, at a certain point, and will permit the release of its content locally (Sirsi and Borden 2012).
Thermal damage during ablation of biological tissues
Published in Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A: Applications, 2018
Bruna R. Loiola, Helcio R. B. Orlande, George S. Dulikravich
Thermal ablation in clinical applications consists of removal or destruction of specific tissue by heat [1–4]. Different heat sources can be used to increase the temperature of biological tissues during thermal ablation, such as radio frequency, ultrasound, microwaves, and lasers at various wavelengths [4–6]. Lasers are normally selected for superficial thermal ablation, because of their compatibility with magnetic resonance devices used for the measurement of the tissue temperature [7]. A rather common disease that affects 80% of men above the age of 75 is benign prostatic hyperplasia [7]. In order to treat this growth of the prostate, a focused laser can be used to destroy the abnormal tissue [7]. In case of cardiac arrhythmias, this kind of procedure can be performed with heating imposed by electromagnetic waves in the radio frequency range, to destroy heart tissues that cause irregular heartbeats [8]. For tumors in the prostate, liver, breast, and pancreas, focused ultrasound is also a common heat source for ablation treatment [9].