Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42380586›Full record

ArticleCommunications medicine2026

Dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound predicts microsphere biodistribution in real-time during transarterial radioembolization.

J L van der Hoek, T J Snoeijink, A Visser, K D E de Bree, M E Krommendijk, J G M Greve, H R Liefers, W M Brink, M Versluis, J Arens and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Communications medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

J L van der HoekMulti-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2383-1929
T J SnoeijinkMulti-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
A VisserMulti-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
K D E de BreeMulti-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
M E KrommendijkMulti-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
J G M GreveTechMed Simulation Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
H R LiefersTechMed Simulation Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
W M BrinkMulti-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9974-7662
M VersluisPhysics of Fluids Group, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2296-1860
J ArensEngineering Organ Support Technologies Group, Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9115-0519
S ManoharMulti-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2986-6671
E Groot JebbinkMulti-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands. e.grootjebbink@utwente.nl.

Funding

ZonMw (Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development) 09150161910173
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTransarterial radioembolization (TARE) treatment efficacy critically depends on the microsphere biodistribution in the liver. Current treatment planning protocols rely on a pre-treatment scout procedure to evaluate this biodistribution for a selected catheter configuration. However, replication of the catheter configuration during treatment is challenging and often results in suboptimal tumor targeting. Here we present and experimentally validate a concept to improve tumor targeting using dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) imaging to predict the microsphere biodistribution in real-time, using ultrasound contrast microbubbles as microsphere precursors.

methodsDCE-US-guided TARE was performed in three ex vivo perfused porcine livers using a customized normothermic machine-perfusion platform. In each liver, one lobe was selected for targeting, and a 9L4 ultrasound transducer was fixed to image this location. A microcatheter was inserted in the hepatic artery under fluoroscopic guidance. Several catheter positions were analyzed in real-time using ultrasound contrast microbubbles and time-intensity curves (TICs). The catheter position was optimized based on peak TIC intensity, which was retained for subsequent injection of non-irradiated

resultsHere we show that DCE-US can be used to identify feeding arteries, enabling optimization of the catheter placement to maximize peak intensity within the target lobe. MRI confirms the relative microsphere biodistribution as predicted by DCE-US in two quantifiable cases (Case 2: 99.2% [MRI] vs. 98% [DCE-US]; Case 3: 70.2% [MRI] vs. 80.9% [DCE-US]).

conclusionsDCE-US enables accurate prediction of microsphere biodistribution, providing real-time feedback for immediate intra-operative optimization of the catheter position during TARE.

Identifiers

PMID42380586
PMCPMC13683390

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.