Sensing ultrasound localization microscopy for ultrastructural and functional imaging of neonatal kidneys Sensing Ultrasound Localization Microscopy zur ultrastrukturellen und funktionellen Sonographie von neonatalen Nieren

Mandelbaum H, Wachter F, Denis L, Reisinger C, Bühler A, Yan J, Hilger A, Jobst-Schwan T, Hebert S, Morhart P, Jüngert J, Couture O, Schiffer M, Wölfle J, Reutter HM, Knieling F, Hanslik G, Regensburger A (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Ultraschall in der Medizin Georg Thieme Verlag

DOI: 10.1055/a-2700-9184

Abstract

Purpose Sensing ultrasound localization microscopy (sULM) enables radiation-free imaging of microvascular architecture and blood flow dynamics by tracking intravasal microbubble contrast agents. This technical development aims to enable the visualization of glomeruli in the renal cortex of neonates serving as a potential imaging biopsy. Materials and Methods This technical report describes the first use of sULM in the human neonatal kidney. Neonatal subjects were examined by transabdominal contrast-enhanced ultrasound using a standard clinical ultrasound device. An image-based motion correction algorithm was implemented and the filtering, localization, and tracking of microbubbles during sULM analysis were refined. sULM algorithms were applied next to depict fast- and slow-moving microbubbles separately and to identify glomeruli by distance metric calculations. Results Five neonates were investigated. Slow-moving microbubbles were detected mainly in the cortical region, travelling a typical route through a glomerulus. By calculating the cumulative movement of every microbubble, the number of glomeruli could be counted over the entire organ. Conclusion We report an effective sULM workflow within the human neonate and the first microvascular sULM maps of neonatal renal vascularity up to the scale of a single glomerulus. The assessment of glomeruli as smallest functional units over the whole kidney has high potential to serve as a non-invasive imaging biomarker in future studies.

Authors with CRIS profile

Henriette Mandelbaum Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Chiara Reisinger Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Alina Hilger Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Tilman Jobst-Schwan Department of Medicine 4 – Nephrology and Hypertension Steven Hebert Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Jörg Jüngert Medizinische Fakultät Mario Schiffer Lehrstuhl für Innere Medizin IV Joachim Wölfle Lehrstuhl für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin Heiko Martin Reutter Professur für Neonatologie Ferdinand Knieling Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Adrian Regensburger Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

Involved external institutions

Sorbonne Université FR France (FR) Imperial College London / The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine GB United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Mandelbaum, H., Wachter, F., Denis, L., Reisinger, C., Bühler, A., Yan, J.,... Regensburger, A. (2025). Sensing ultrasound localization microscopy for ultrastructural and functional imaging of neonatal kidneys Sensing Ultrasound Localization Microscopy zur ultrastrukturellen und funktionellen Sonographie von neonatalen Nieren. Ultraschall in der Medizin. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2700-9184

MLA:

Mandelbaum, Henriette, et al. "Sensing ultrasound localization microscopy for ultrastructural and functional imaging of neonatal kidneys Sensing Ultrasound Localization Microscopy zur ultrastrukturellen und funktionellen Sonographie von neonatalen Nieren." Ultraschall in der Medizin (2025).

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