Retention and Transport of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Drug Surrogate Molecules in Coronary Arteries Measured Nondestructively With Photoacoustic Ultrasound

The design and implementation of local drug delivery mechanisms in cardiovascular applications provides a method by which localized action can occur without potentially problematic systemic effects. This has been especially relevant in the case of drug-eluting stents (DESs). It has been previously shown that the degree of chemical polarization can significantly change the degree of transport and the degree of vascular retention of drugs. Understanding how these differences occur in real-time, and nondestructively, can better help guide the design of such pharmaceuticals. Previous work by our laboratory has indicated differences in transport based on location within the coronary tree (Fig. 1) [1].