Iconeus One functional ultrasound system

Iconeus’s functional ultrasound (fUS) technology affords neuroscience and preclinical researchers the ability to non-invasively image the blood vessels in the brain and observe brain activity in real time. Embodied in the Iconeus One system, it is designed to combine sensitivity, speed and high resolution, producing detailed vascular maps of the brain. The direct correlation between brain activity and blood flow allows the technology to be used to study such things as neuropharmacology, neurovascular imaging, resting state functional connectivity and functional neuroimaging, as well as drug and treatment therapies.

Functional ultrasound uses high-frequency soundwaves similar to conventional ultrasound except that it uses plane waves as opposed to point focused waves; thus, a full 2D image can be generated with every pulse. By sending a sequence of plane waves from different angles, it improves signal-to-noise ratio, allowing visualisation of the brain vasculature at a fine scale and the detection of subtle changes in blood flow with high sensitivity. Higher-resolution studies are also possible by performing Ultrasound Localised Microscopy (ULM). The Iconeus One can track microbubbles that are injected into the subject, providing detailed images of the brain vasculature down to the capillary scale.