Patent US5115810A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5425366A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5425366A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Ultrasonic contrast agents for color Doppler imaging
Assignee: Acusphere Inc
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Filing: 1993-06-07
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Granted: 1995-06-20
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Expires: 2013-06-07
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a method for obtaining an ultrasonic image of a patient with ultrasonic color Doppler modality with microparticulate ultrasonic contrast agents in regions where the ultrasonic contrast agents are essentially motionless.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Reinhardt
- 👤 Thomas Fritzsch
- 👤 Dieter Heldmann
- 👤 Joachim Siegert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:08
CPC Classifications
B; B82; B82Y; B82Y5/00; A; A61; A61K; A61K49/00; A61K49/22; A61K49/222; A61K49/226; A61K49/228; G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8979
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of obtaining an ultrasonic image of a patient comprising administering to the patient microparticles comprising a cavity containing a gas or a volatile fluid, which particles upon exposure to an effective color Doppler sonography modality produce a Doppler signal when the particles are essentially motionless in the patient, and imaging said patient with an effective ultrasonic color Doppler modality in a region where said microparticles are essentially motionless.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of obtaining an ultrasonic image of a patient comprising administering to the patient microparticles comprising a cavity containing a gas or a volatile fluid, which particles upon exposure to an effective color Doppler sonography modality produce a Doppler signal when the particles are essentially motionless in the patient, and imaging said patient with an effective ultrasonic color Doppler modality in a region where said microparticles are essentially motionless.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of claim 1, comprising administering microparticles which comprise a polymeric material having entrapped therein gases and/or fluids having a boiling point below 60° C. in free or bonded form and/or microbubbles comprising a gelatin or albumin microcapsule having a gas or volatile fluid entrapped therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method of claim 2, comprising administering microparticles which are gas-filled gelatin microcapsules.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of claim 2, comprising administering microparticles which are gas-filled microcapsules having walls comprising denatured protein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method of claim 4, wherein the denatured protein is denatured albumin or human serum albumin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of claim 1, comprising administering microparticles which are gas- or liquid-filled microcapsules having walls of a biodegradable polyester of a gas- or liquid-filled polycyanoacrylate or a biodegradable polyester of an α-, β- or γ-hydroxycarboxylic acid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of claim 1, comprising administering microparticles which are gas- or liquid-filled microcapsules having walls of a biodegradable polyaldehyde which optionally contains additives and/or crosslinks capable of copolymerization, surfactants or surfactant mixtures, coupling agents or biomolecules or macromolecules optionally bound by these coupling agents.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method of claim 1, wherein the region where said microparticles are essentially motionless is in the reticuloendothelial system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the region where said microparticles are essentially motionless is in the myocardium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the region where said microparticles are essentially motionless is in the GI tract.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the region where said microparticles are essentially motionless is in the lymphatic system, liver or spleen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 1, comprising administering microparticles which are administered in an amount which provides 10 5 -10 7 microparticles per cm 3 of the tissue to be imaged.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 1, comprising administering microparticles by peroral, intraarticular, intravesical, transvaginal, intraperitoneal or intravenous administration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1, comprising administering microparticles which contain a gas which is air, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, ammonia, ethylene, methane, ethane, propane, butane or a mixture thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the patient is imaged with effective ultrasonic radiation and the Doppler effects are photographically recorded as a change in color.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of obtaining an ultrasonic image of a patient comprising administering to the patient, microparticles comprising a cavity containing a volatile fluid which particles become sited in tissue or a body cavity of said patient and become essentially motionless therein, irradiating such tissue or cavity with an ultrasound frequency of a strength effective to burst said particles and imaging said patient by recording the ultrasound frequencies scattered as a result of said bursting.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of obtaining an ultrasonic image of a patient comprising administering to the patient, microparticles comprising a cavity containing a volatile fluid which particles become sited in tissue or a body cavity of said patient and become essentially motionless therein, irradiating such tissue or cavity with an ultrasound frequency of a strength effective to burst said particles and imaging said patient by recording the ultrasound frequencies scattered as a result of said bursting.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of claim 16, comprising administering microparticles which are gas- or liquid-filled microcapsules having walls of a biodegradable polyester of a gas- or liquid-filled polycyanoacrylate or a biodegradable polyester of an α-, β- or γ-hydroxycarboxylic acid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of claim 16, comprising administering microparticles which are gas- or liquid-filled microcapsules having walls of a biodegradable polyaldehyde, which optionally contains additives and/or crosslinks capable of copolymerization, surfactants or surfactant mixtures, coupling agents or biomolecules or macromolecules optionally bound by these coupling agents.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of claim 16, wherein the region where said microparticles are essentially motionless is in the reticuloendothelial system, the myocardium or the GI tract.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-06-19 | 1998-12-19 | 1999-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-06-19 | 2002-12-19 | 2003-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-06-19 | 2006-12-19 | 2007-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |