Dr. Hong Chen and Dr. Eric Leuthardt, MD have laid the foundation for a revolutionary technique that noninvasively surveys the molecular and genetic information of brain tumors. This technique, termed sonobiopsy, uses focused ultrasound and microbubbles to precisely and accurately target a brain tumor lesion, temporarily disrupt the blood brain barrier at the target region, and allow for tumor-specific biomolecules to release from the brain into the blood, where they can be detected and analyzed. A recent clinical study, conducted by Chen and Leuthardt, showed that the technique is feasible and safe for use in humans. The clinical study’s findings, available online in the NPJ Precision Oncology journal, pave the way for noninvasive detection and diagnosis of brain tumors and other brain diseases using blood-based biopsy.
Chen and Leuthardt’s work has also been featured on the WashU School of Medicine’s news room. Congratulations to the team on their groundbreaking work.