Michelle Zhang1, Steen J. Madsen1, Henry Hirschberg1,2, H Michael Gach3
1Health Physics, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA; 2Beckman Laser Institute, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; 3Research Imaging Facility, Nevada Cancer Institute, Las Vegas, NV, USA
T2- and T1-weighted post-contrast MRI scans were acquired at 7 T to evaluate blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption from treatment-induced edema and contrast volumes. Photochemical internalization (PCI) treatment, coupling the macromolecule Clostridium perfringens (Cl p) epsilon prototoxin with AlPcS2a-photodynamic therapy (PDT), was performed on non-tumor bearing inbred Fischer rats. The result of BBB disruption from PCI was compared with a control group receiving PDT-only. PCI was found to be highly effective for inducing selective and localized disruption of the BBB. The extent of BBB opening peaked on day 3 and was completed restored by day 18 after PCI.