Fabrication of high-radiopaque drug-eluting microbeads for transarterial chemoembolization

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22068
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 26:Materials engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: HASEBE Terumitsu 東海大学, 医学部, 教授 (20306799)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 堀田 篤 慶應義塾大学, 理工学部(矢上), 教授 (30407142) ; 松本 知博 東海大学, 医学部, 准教授 (30710983)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: マイクロビーズ / 生分解性 / X線視認性 / 肝動脈化学塞栓療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, radiopaque/biodegradable microbeads for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) were developed. The average diameter of the microbeads was approximately 190μm, which was within the target range of 100-700μm. To evaluate the visibility of the microbeads under X-ray irradiation (radiopacity), the CT value was measured to be about 6700 HU, which was confirmed to have excellent radiopacity compared to 15 HU of existing microbeads. In addition, the microbeads showed a mass loss of 18.2% in 40 days in phosphate buffer solution, which simulates in vivo conditions, and their biodegradability was confirmed.

Free Research Field

画像診断学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

TACEは、切除不能な肝臓癌に対して適応されるカテーテル治療法であり、腫瘍に栄養を供給している血管にカテーテルと呼ばれる数mmの細い管を挿入し、塞栓物質を注入して抗腫瘍効果を狙う。TACEはX線透視下で実施されるが、従来の塞栓物質はX線視認性がないために塞栓物質の注入コントロールが困難で、意図しない正常血管を塞栓して合併症を生じる場合がある。また、塞栓物質は体内で永久残存するために合併症が重篤化しやすい。本研究で開発したマイクロビーズはX線視認性と生分解性を兼ね備えた塞栓物質であり、より低侵襲なTACE治療を実現できる。