MRI Visualization of Intratumor Release/distribution of Liposomal Drugs Triggered by Sonication/sonoporation

Enzo Terreno¹, Pierangela Giustetto¹, Silvia Rizzitelli¹, Cinzia Boffa¹, Daniela Delli Castelli¹, Silvio Aime¹

This contribution deals with the use of different acoustic radiations able to trigger a non-thermal drug release from liposomes and to cause a permeabilization of the cell membranes in the lesion that facilitates the drug diffusion in the tumor mass and enables the drug to be internalized by most of the cell phenotypes of the tumor. MRI was used to provide the necessary non-invasive guide for assessing the drug distribution (as well as the tumor growth) through the use of liposomes encapsulating the clinically approved paramagnetic complex Gadoteridol.