MRI-guided intraarterial catheter-based method for predicting territory of local blood brain barrier opening

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of administering a therapeutic agent directly to the brain parenchym through a compromised region of the blood-brain barrier in a subject having a brain disorder, that involves first disrupting the blood-brain barrier (BBB) at an isolated region by locally administering an effective amount of a hyperosmolar agent at said region using a catheter, followed by administering a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic agent. The step of disrupting the BBB is carried out with non-invasive MR (magnetic resonance) imaging with a contrast agent to visualize local parenchymal transcatheter perfusion at said isolated BBB region thereby indicating that the BBB region is compromised. The method of the invention allows for highly precise drug delivery to the brain through blood brain barrier disruption at specifically controlled regions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.