Sonodynamic therapy

The term sonodynamic therapy (SDT) can be described as a treatment that combines an ultrasound source with a sonosensitizing agent (a drug that can be potentiated by ultrasound) to destroy cancer cells. This context is somewhat narrow however, and is based on the early presumption that the mechanism of action involved a chemical activation of agents against cancer cells. With several mechanisms being suggested and with many potential therapeutic applications being investigated, the scope of SDT is currently getting wider and its definition getting broader. Consequently, the emerging literature has broadened the initial context to embrace the wider scope of ultrasoundmediated enhancement of various types of agents (anticancer drugs, antibiotics, hormones, etc.) and involves different forms of therapies (cancer, infection, metabolic disorder, cardiovascular disease, degenerative disorder, etc.) This chapter will review the basic mechanisms of SDT and present a review of the work in this field involving both in vitro and in vivo studies.