New Ultrasound Technique Images Living Cells Deep Within Tissues

A new ultrasound technique can now image living cells deep within tissues. Scientists from TU Delft, the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, and Caltech developed the method. It overcomes limitations of light-based microscopes, which struggle with opaque tissues. This innovation, called nonlinear sound-sheet microscopy, uses sound-reflecting probes. These probes, nanoscale gas-filled vesicles, make cells visible in ultrasound images. The technique allows imaging of whole organs, providing insights into cell behavior in their natural environment. The team successfully imaged living cells inside whole organs and detected brain capillaries. This breakthrough could diagnose small vessel diseases and aid cancer research. The technique may be deployed in hospitals in a few years, as microbubble probes are already approved for human use.