Methods and systems for modulation and mapping of brain tissue in a subject using an ultrasound assembly are provided. An exemplary method for modulation uses an ultrasound assembly including a housing and an ultrasound transducer joined to the housing. The method includes securing the housing to the head of the subject with the ultrasound transducer aligned with a region of the brain tissue to target the region of the brain tissue for modulating, and providing focused ultrasound at an acoustic pressure to the targeted region using the ultrasound transducer to induce cavitation proximate the targeted region. The method further includes detecting a cavitation signal magnitude from the induced cavitation corresponding to the acoustic pressure and modulating the targeted region.

A diagnostic contrast composition includes a carrier fluid and a non-decaying gas-evolving fluid incorporated in the carrier fluid. The gas-evolving fluid has a vapor pressure sufficient to evolve the gas from a circulatory system within a lung of a patient. The gas-evolving fluid is a composition containing a sufficient quantity of atoms with an atomic number higher than 8 to provide an increased absorption sufficient to increase a Hounsfield Unit measurement in an image in a CT imaging system. The gas-evolving fluid is selected from the group consisting of xenon gas, krypton gas, sulfur hexafluoride, a perfluorocarbon, a brominated perfluorocarbon, and combinations thereof. The carrier fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, saline, saline comprising one or more blood proteins, and saline comprising dissolved lipids.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for predicting a disease state of a subject using ultrasound imaging and ancillary information to the ultrasound imaging. At least two quantitative measurements of a subject, including at least one measurement taken using ultrasound imaging, as part of quantified information can be identified. One of the quantitative measurements can be compared to a first predetermined standard, included as part of ancillary information to the quantified information, in order to identify a first initial value. Further, another of the quantitative measurements can be compared to a second predetermined standard, included as part of the ancillary information, in order to identify a second initial value. Subsequently, the quantitative information can be correlated with the ancillary information using the first initial value and the second initial value to determine a final value that is predictive of a disease state of the subject.

Disclosed is an ultrasonic blood perfusion imaging method for a single blood vessel, comprising: setting an ultrasound focusing label point in a blood vessel contour of a blood vessel to be measured in a region to be measured; obtaining a preactivated ultrasound image of the region to be measured when an ultrasound contrast agent is in an inactive state; activating the ultrasound contrast agent; obtaining an activated ultrasound image of the region to be measured when the ultrasound contrast agent is in an activated state; obtaining an activation map of the ultrasound contrast agent in the blood vessel to be measured; and obtaining a blood flow perfusion distribution map of the blood vessel to be measured. The ultrasound contrast agent is activated at the ultrasound focusing label point causing liquid-to-gas conversion, and the ultrasound signal changes from dark to bright.

Ultrasound-based estimation of disease activity, such as for NAS or other activity index for NAFLD for liver disease, is provided. Ultrasound measures acoustic scatter and shear wave propagation parameters, such as measuring acoustic backscatter coefficient, shear wave velocity, and shear wave damping ratio. A score for the disease activity is determined from these scatter and shear wave propagation parameters. The physician may be assisted by relatively inexpensive and rapid ultrasound as compared to biopsy or MRI based scoring in scoring activity of a disease, such as NAFLD. Ultrasound imaging is more readily available and less expensive and MRI, and is non-invasive.

Systems and methods for improving soft tissue contrast, characterizing tissue, classifying phenotype, stratifying risk, and performing multi-scale modeling aided by multiple energy or contrast excitation and evaluation are provided. The systems and methods can include single and multi-phase acquisitions and broad and local spectrum imaging to assess atherosclerotic plaque tissues in the vessel wall and perivascular space.

A system is for contrast agent-based medical imaging. In an embodiment, the system includes a gantry of a medical imaging device; a contrast agent injection device; and a support arm including a frame element, a first connecting element and a second connecting element. In an embodiment, the frame element is connected to a stationary support frame of the gantry via the first connecting element such that at least part of the frame element is mounted to be movable relative to the stationary support frame of the gantry, and the contrast agent injection device is connected to at least part of the frame element via the second connecting element such that the contrast agent injection device is mounted to be movable relative to at least part of the frame element.

Suspension of gas-filled microvesicles comprising a targeting ligand for binding to KDR or VEGF/KDR complex. The suspension is obtained by reconstituting a freeze-dried residue with a carbohydrate-containing solution in the presence of a physiologically acceptable gas and is stabilized by the presence of histidine.

Provided herein are improved methods for preparing phospholipid formulations including phospholipid UCA formulations.

Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate obtaining two dimensional (2D) ultrasound images, using two or more ultrasound imaging modes or modalities, to generate 2D multi-parametric ultrasound (mpUS) images and/or to generate a three-dimensional (3D) mpUS image. The different ultrasound imaging modes acquire images in a common frame of reference during a single procedure to facilitate their registration. The mpUS images (i.e., 2D or 3D) may be used for enhanced and/or automated detection of one or more suspicious regions. After identifying one or more suspicious regions, the mpUS images may be utilized with a real-time image to guide biopsy or therapy the region(s). All these processes may be performed in a single medical procedure.