Sample obtained from the pancreatic juice and analysis thereof

Abstract

Methods and techniques for obtaining enriched cell samples from an organ in a subject using an ultrasound contrast agent and insonating. Contiguous fragments of epithelia are obtained which are useful for subsequent histological analysis and for informing therapy and other medical considerations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of analysis of a sample obtained from the pancreatic juice of a subject so as to determine the presence or absence of cancer or precancer, comprising:
 receiving a sample taken from pancreatic juice of a subject; and   performing analysis of the sample,   wherein a component of the sample comprises an exfoliated sheet of contiguous cells.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the method comprises performing morphological analysis of the sample so as to determine the presence or absence of cancer or precancer. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the method comprises performing molecular analysis of the sample so as to determine the presence or absence of cancer or precancer. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the method comprises performing both morphological analysis and molecular analysis of the sample so as to determine the presence or absence of cancer or precancer. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sample was obtained by insonation of a pancreas. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein the sample comprises a large fragment of pancreatic epithelial tissue collected from the subject subsequent to the insonation. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sheet of contiguous cells comprises epithelial cells. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sheet of contiguous cells comprises 20 contiguous cells. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the method comprises;
 receiving the sample, and 
 wherein the sample was obtained by performing insonation of the pancreas; and 
 the insonation was performed using Low Intensity Non-Focused Ultrasound (LINFU) so as to thereby elicit exfoliation of the sample from the target organ. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sample was obtained by insonation of the pancreas with LINFU using a Mechanical Index (MI) in a range of 0.03 to 1.3. 
     
     
         11 . An isolated sample of pancreatic juice comprising a sheet of contiguous epithelial cells. 
     
     
         12 . The sample according to  claim 11  wherein the sheet of contiguous epithelial cells comprises 20 contiguous cells. 
     
     
         13 . The sample according to  claim 11  wherein the sample comprises a sheet of contiguous pancreatic ductal cells. 
     
     
         14 . A sample of pancreatic fluid comprising a sheet of contiguous cells produced by performing insonation of a pancreas of a subject with Low Intensity Non-Focused Ultrasound (LINFU). 
     
     
         15 . The sample according to  claim 14  wherein the sample was produced by:
 administering an amount of an ultrasound contrast agent to a subject before or during insonation; and 
 the insonation comprises insonation of the ultrasound contrast agent. 
 
     
     
         16 . The sample according to  claim 14  wherein the insonation of the pancreas comprises insonation with an amount of ultrasonic energy at a Mechanical Index in a range from 0.03 to 1.3. 
     
     
         17 . The sample according to  claim 15  wherein the sample comprising the sheet of contiguous cells was obtained by removing fluid containing the sample from the subject.