News in Brief Health & Medicine

Blood-brain barrier jiggled loose to deliver medicine

scan of brain of patient

Focused ultrasounds allowed a contrast agent called gadolinium (light area the doctor is pointing to) to enter a woman’s brain.

Courtesy of Sunnybrook (Doug Nicholson/Media Source)

By Laura Sanders

- More than 2 years ago

In its job protecting the brain from would-be invaders, the blood-brain barrier also blocks medicines from reaching the brain. But on November 5, ultrasound zaps shook loose that tight barrier in a woman who has a brain tumor, potentially granting entry to a chemotherapy drug.