Abstract: PUB030
Feasibility of Point-of-Lab Ultrasonography (POLUS) During Preclinical Research to Simulate Real-World Clinical Scenarios
Session Information
Category: Bioengineering
- 400 Bioengineering
Authors
- Stavas, Joseph, ProKidney LLC, Morrisville, North Carolina, United States
- Conway, Anthony, ProKidney LLC, Morrisville, North Carolina, United States
- Czerwinski, Michael J., ProKidney LLC, Morrisville, North Carolina, United States
- Bruce, Andrew T., ProKidney LLC, Morrisville, North Carolina, United States
Background
The clinical use of Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) has increased in nephrology practices to manage patient care and improve accuracy during invasive procedures. In pre-clinical trials that involve kidney biopsies or cell delivery, lab-based ultrasound use (POLUS) may offer similar benefits. A proof-of-concept model used POLUS to assess whether simulating a clinically precise, image-guided, cell injection into the kidney cortex in an ex vivo lab experiment is feasible.
Methods
In a cell biodistribution study of rilparencel, an autologous cell therapy containing selected renal cells (SRC) (NCT05099770), a commercially available high frequency linear array ultrasound probe attached to an android tablet, was used to perform image-guided SRC injections in two donor kidneys with CKD. SRC with trypan blue (kidney 1) and EdU+ SRC (kidney 2) were manually injected through a 25-gauge needle that was inserted into the lower pole cortex with ultrasound guidance (Fig. 1A, B). A board-certified interventional radiologist performed the scans and procedures. Post-injection, kidney 1 was longitudinally bisected to identify areas of distribution (Fig. 1C). After fixation, sections of kidney 2 were stained using Click-iT EdU AF488 to detect EdU+ SRC in the deposition zones (Fig. 2A).
Results
he pre-injection POLUS scans accurately identified the cortical strip and central renal anatomy. The gross SRC+trypan distribution pattern correlated with the POLUS deposits and confirmed staining in the renal cortex extending to the pyramids, but devoid elsewhere (Fig. 1C). EdU+ SRC were also detected in the kidney cortex following injection (Fig. 2B, C).
Conclusion
POLUS allowed accurate cortex needle placement and SRC deposits during this ex-vivo proof of concept experiment. SRC sites correlated with gross pathologic staining and EdU+ detection. This pilot study determined that POLUS is feasible and may be useful for ex vivo kidney experiments.
Funding
- Commercial Support – ProKidney LLC.