Involved researchers: Olivier COUTURE and Jean-Michel CORREAS

One of the main objectives of Team MU is to improve the imaging of microcirculation. These small vessels, measuring from a few microns to about a hundred microns in diameter, play a crucial role in the exchanges between blood and cells. It is at this level that oxygen and nutrients pass through to sustain life within tissues.

In nature, form follows function, and the structure of microcirculation is no exception. Its configuration adapts within the lungs to optimize exchanges in the alveoli, or in the kidneys to efficiently eliminate waste. In the brain, the flow of microcirculation is regulated to better nourish neurons and support their functions.

Unfortunately, many diseases affect microcirculation. For example, cancer partly develops through the formation of new blood vessels during the process of angiogenesis. Additionally, diabetes gradually impairs the vitality of microcirculation. This system is also involved in conditions such as arteriosclerosis, dementia, and strokes.

Our research has demonstrated that ultrasound can directly visualize microcirculation. The introduction of super-resolved ultrasound, which utilizes the tracking of microbubbles injected into the blood, has achieved resolutions at the capillary scale, even at depth. These microbubbles, already validated in clinical settings, provide an unprecedented non-invasive imaging method to reconstruct the vascular tree.

Super-resolved ultrasound has now been around for over 15 years, and its development continues through the expansion of its applications, exploration of new organs, transition to 3D imaging, identification of biomarkers, and increasing involvement of laboratories in an open science approach. In particular, Team MU focuses on the use of super-resolved ultrasound for monitoring brain and kidney diseases.