Gene therapy has continuously evolved throughout the years since its first proposal to develop more specific and effective transfection, capable of treating a myriad of health conditions. Viral vectors are some of the most common and most efficient vehicles for gene transfer. However, the safe and effective delivery of gene therapy remains a major obstacle. Ultrasound contrast agents in the form of microbubbles have provided a unique solution to fulfill the need to shield the vectors from the host immune system and the need for site specific targeted therapy. Since the discovery of the biophysical and biological effects of microbubble sonification, multiple developments have been made to enhance its applicability in targeted drug delivery. The concurrent development of viral vectors and recent research on dual vector strategies have shown promising results. This review will explore the mechanisms and recent advancements in the knowledge of ultrasound-mediated microbubbles in targeting gene and drug therapy.

Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DF), also known as desmoid tumor, is an extremely rare, benign, mesenchymal fibrous tumor with no potential for metastasis. It can arise from any part of the body, most commonly extra-abdominally. Intra-abdominal DF can present sporadically, in sites of previous trauma, surgical scars and irradiation, or in association with familial adenomatous polyposis and Gardner syndrome. Intra-abdominal DF is uncommon and especially rare after a common surgery like cholecystectomy. We report a rare case of a 67-year-old male who presented with a locally aggressive intra-abdominal DF in the gallbladder fossa, status post cholecystectomy. This progressively enlarging infiltrative enhancing solid mass in the gallbladder fossa on serial computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated gastric outlet obstruction, biliary obstruction, portal vein narrowing and encasement of hepatic artery. Diagnosis of DF in this postoperative setting was delayed and challenging due to uncharacteristic clinical presentation. Radiologists should be aware of this unusual diagnosis and spectrum of imaging findings to help in timely surgical management and planning.

A left ventricle pseudoaneurysm (LV PSA) is defined as a free wall rupture of the left ventricle contained by the adjacent pericardial tissue. This rare complication is most commonly encountered following myocardial infarction, trauma, or infection. Surgery is typically warranted to avoid progression to spontaneous rupture, which may potentially lead to cardiac tamponade and death. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is the modality of choice to characterize left ventricle morphology and function. Accurate distinction between a pseudoaneurysm and a true aneurysm is crucial, since management and prognosis are significantly different between these 2 entities. We present a case of a 63-year-old male heart transplant recipient, admitted for suspicion of acute cellular rejection, with an unexpected finding of a LV PSA.