UTHealth Ultrasound Service Core

Overview of Services

Background
The Ultrasound Service Core facility at McGovern Medical School, part of UTHealth Houston’s Center for Advanced Ultrasound Imaging, Translational Research, and Innovations, is equipped with a state-of-the-art functional ultrasound (fUS) imaging system. This advanced technology uses multi-plane-wave ultrasound to capture 2D images of blood flow across the brain within seconds, offering significantly greater spatial and temporal resolution than conventional ultrasound. The fUS system is particularly versatile, as its compact probes allow imaging in mobile animals, and it is highly sensitive, making it capable of detecting subtle changes in neuronal activation more effectively than fMRI.

Functional ultrasound imaging has numerous applications in neuroscience, including basic brain research, drug development, and studies of neurodegenerative disorders and stroke. Beyond neuroimaging, fUS can also scan other organs, with or without contrast agents. The system offers both functional and vascular imaging capabilities, with key uses including:

• Resting-State Functional Connectivity: Similar to fMRI, fUS can map intrinsic brain connectivity (resting-state networks) by detecting correlated blood flow fluctuations.
• Functional Neuroimaging: With its high spatial resolution, fUS is ideal for task-based neuroimaging (functional activation mapping), allowing detailed investigation of brain responses to various stimuli.
• Vascular Imaging: The sensitivity of fUS to blood flow enables quick and comprehensive visualization of the entire vascular network, from major cerebral arteries to minor arterioles, including tracking changes over time.
• Neuropharmacology: Functional ultrasound can be used in neuropharmacology to assess the time- and dose-dependent effects of drugs on the brain. This “pharmaco-fUS” approach is faster, more sensitive, more reproducible, and compatible with awake animals, reducing bias from anesthesia.
• Additional Applications: Beyond neuroimaging, fUS can also scan other organs, with or without contrast agents.

Our expert team is available to assist you in implementing various imaging methods and optimizing protocols to suit your research needs. We also offer image analysis services to help derive quantitative metrics. Additionally, we support investigators with IRB and AWC protocols and grant preparation.

Services
• Preclinical Research
• Clinical Research
• Data Analysis/Post-Processing

Getting Started
All imaging studies must have an AWC-approved animal protocol for preclinical research and an IRB-approved protocol for clinical research studies. Imaging procedures must be covered by these protocols, and we cannot conduct scans without approved documentation.

Cancellation and No-Show Policy
Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the reservation or no-shows will incur a setup fee of $150.

Contrast Agent Usage
An additional charge will apply if the use of Microbubble contrast agents is required for your study.

Billing Policy
Instrument use is billed in half-hour increments unless otherwise specified. Sessions exceeding 30 minutes will be rounded up to the next 30-minute slot. Billing occurs monthly, with PIs given one week to review their invoices before submission. Invoices are accessible through each PI’s iLab account.

Leadership

Alireza Akhbardeh, PhD|Director of the Ultrasound Center
713-500-7678

Juan Herrera, PhD|Pre-clinical Research Lead
713-500-7628

Eduardo J. Matta, MD|Clinical Research Lead
713-500-7700

Michael A. Jacobs|Translational Research Lead
713-500-5925

Location and hours of operation

Hours	Location
Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm	6431 Fannin St. Ste. G604 Houston, TX 77030

Links and Resources

https://med.uth.edu/radiology/uthealthsonix-ultrasound-center/

Contacts