Microbubble Formulations: Synthesis, Stability, Modeling and Biomedical Applications

Awaneesh Upadhyay; Sameer V Dalvi

doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2018.09.022

Microbubble Formulations: Synthesis, Stability, Modeling and Biomedical Applications

Ultrasound Med Biol. 2019 Feb;45(2):301-343. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2018.09.022. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Authors

Awaneesh Upadhyay¹, Sameer V Dalvi²

Affiliations

¹ Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India.
² Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India. Electronic address: sameervd@iitgn.ac.in.

PMID: 30527395
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2018.09.022

Abstract

Microbubbles are increasingly being used in biomedical applications such as ultrasonic imaging and targeted drug delivery. Microbubbles typically range from 0.1 to 10 µm in size and consist of a protective shell made of lipids or proteins. The shell encapsulates a gaseous core containing gases such as oxygen, sulfur hexafluoride or perfluorocarbons. This review is a consolidated account of information available in the literature on research related to microbubbles. Efforts have been made to present an overview of microbubble synthesis techniques; microbubble stability; microbubbles as contrast agents in ultrasonic imaging and drug delivery vehicles; and side effects related to microbubble administration in humans. Developments related to the modeling of microbubble dissolution and stability are also discussed.

Keywords: Cancer therapeutic; Contrast enhancement; Dissolution; Immunogenicity; Lipids; Microbubbles; Modeling; Ostwald ripening; Proteins; Stability; Targeted drug delivery.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Contrast Media / chemistry*
Drug Delivery Systems*
Humans
Image Enhancement*
Microbubbles*
Ultrasonography*

Substances

Contrast Media