Numerical model fully depicting nanoparticle uptake within brain after ultrasound induced Blood-Brain Barrier opening

Low intensity Focused Ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles open locally and not invasively the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) allowing passage of nanoparticles into the brain [Hynynen et al. 2001]. However, since the quantity of particles that can be delivered with this technique depends on tissue properties, on particle properties as well as on acoustic parameters, so far a model fully predicting the result of a FUS induced BBB opening experiment is missing. Here, we introduce a mathematical model depicting both the vascular permeability as a function of time and the diffusion process occurring in brain tissue. This model takes into account acoustic pressure, particle size, blood pharmacokinetics and diffusion rates.