1 Microscopic bubbles of contrast agent are injected into patient’s bloodstream
2 Ultrasound triggers the microbubbles to oscillate, which pulls apart the cells
3 Drug molecules in the bloodstream can now pass into the brain tissue
3
Brain tissue
Tightly fused gap
between cells
Blood brain
barrier cells
1
2
Blood
vessel
Gap
opens
Ultrasound
beam
Red blood
cells
Oscillating
microbubble
1
2
3
Microscopic bubbles of contrast agent are injected into patient’s bloodstream
Ultrasound triggers the microbubbles to oscillate, which pulls apart the cells
Drug molecules in the bloodstream can now pass into the brain tissue
Brain tissue
Ultrasound
beam
Blood brain
barrier cells
Tightly fused gap
between cells
Blood
vessel
Red blood
cells
Gap
opens
Oscillating
microbubble