Monitoring Type 2 Diabetes progression using ultrasound localization microscopy

A research paper by scientists at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine presented the application of Ultrasound Localization Microscopy (ULM) for monitoring the progression of Type 2 Diabetes and assessing the efficacy of anti-cytokine immunotherapy.

The research paper, published on Mar. 10, 2025 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, used ULM imaging to examine pancreatic microvasculature in vivo, providing insights into changes in β-cell mass and islet function over the course of Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes is considered an autoimmune inflammatory disease, where prolonged inflammation leads to the reorganization of pancreatic islet microvasculature, which is closely linked to β-cell dysfunction. The pancreas is highly vascularized, and changes in islet blood flow are crucial to understanding the progression of diabetes and the functionality of β-cells. Current imaging technologies, such as functional MRI and Doppler ultrasound, have limitations in resolution and sensitivity to microvascular details, making it difficult to monitor early-stage changes in islet function and β-cell mass. "As a novel imaging method. ULM offers high resolution and allows for real-time, in vivo monitoring of pancreatic microvascular morphology and hemodynamics." said the author Tao Zhang, PhD at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, "ULM overcomes the limitations of traditional imaging methods and provides a new opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of Type 2 Diabetes."

The study used a rat model of Type 2 Diabetes, induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin injection, to explore the application of ULM for monitoring pancreatic microvascular changes and β-cell function. ULM imaging, combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound, allowed for high-resolution visualization of microvascular morphology and hemodynamics. The researchers tracked microbubble trajectories and quantified vascular parameters such as tortuosity, fractal dimension, and vessel density to assess disease progression. Additionally, anti-cytokine immunotherapy (XOMA052) was evaluated for its potential to improve β-cell function by restoring the microvascular environment, showing significant improvements in vascular structure and function. The study concluded that ULM is a promising non-invasive tool for monitoring Type 2 Diabetes progression and evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic interventions like anti-cytokine treatment.

The study demonstrates that ULM is an effective non-invasive tool for monitoring the progression of Type 2 Diabetes and evaluating the efficacy of anti-cytokine immunotherapy. ULM was able to provide high-resolution imaging of pancreatic microvascular morphology and hemodynamics, which were closely linked to β-cell loss and islet dysfunction. Treatment with XOMA052, an anti-cytokine immunotherapy, significantly improved microvascular structure and function, suggesting its potential to restore β-cell function. However, there are some limitations. The resolution of ULM may be limited by the frame rate of the ultrasound system, potentially affecting the accuracy of blood flow measurements. Additionally, motion artifacts and signal overlap with tissue may affect image reconstruction and quantification. "Moreover, the animal model used may not fully represent human diabetes, which could impact the generalizability of the results." said Tao Zhang.

Authors of the paper include Tao Zhang, Jipeng Yan, Xinhuan Zhou, Bihan Wu, Chao Zhang, MengXing Tang, and Pintong Huang.

This study has received funding by National Natural Science Foundation of China (32201138, 82371968, 82030048, 82230069), Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province (2019C03077), EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account funding and MRC Confidence in Concept scheme at Imperial College, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/T008970/1).