Method of visualizing submicron-size vesicles and particles in blood circulation

Claim 1

A method of observing a carrier in the blood in the eye of an animal at a specific site, comprising the steps of encapsulating or incorporating a fluorescent dye in a "lipid vesicle, microcapsule, or nanocapsule" particulate carrier having a particle size of at least about 0.02 microns, said fluorescent dye being capable of fluorescing within said carrier when a laser beam is applied, injecting the carrier into the blood stream of an animal so that the blood stream carries the carrier through the specific site, generating a laser beam from a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, said beam having a wavelength in the visible or infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum capable of fluorescing said dye, applying the laser beam to the carrier located at the specific site so as to fluoresce said fluorescent dye within the particulate carrier without rupturing the carrier, and visualizing and observing the particulate carrier at the specific site by fluorescing said dye.,

Claim 2

A method of observing a carrier in the blood in the eye of an animal at a specific site, comprising the steps of encapsulating or incorporating a fluorescent dye in a "lipid vesicle, microcapsule, or nanocapsule" particulate carrier having a particle size of at least about 0.02 microns, said fluorescent dye being capable of fluorescing within said carrier when a laser beam is applied, injecting the carrier into the blood stream of an animal so that the blood stream carries the carrier through the specific site, generating a laser beam from a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, said beam having a wavelength in the visible or infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum capable of fluorescing said dye, applying the laser beam to the carrier located at the specific site so as to fluoresce said fluorescent dye within the particulate carrier without rupturing the carrier, and visualizing and observing the particulate carrier at the specific site by fluorescing said dye.,

Claim 19

A method of observing a lipid vesicle carrier in the blood in the eye of an animal at a specific site, comprising the steps of encapsulating a fluorescent dye in a lipid vesicle carrier having a particle size of at least about 0.02 microns, where said fluorescent dye is at a concentration where the dye is quenched in the carrier, injecting the carrier into the blood stream of an animal so that the blood stream carries the carrier through the specific site, generating a laser beam from a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, said beam having a wavelength in the visible or infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum capable of fluorescing said dye, applying the laser beam to the carrier located at the specific site so as to fluoresce said fluorescent dye within the particulate carrier without rupturing the carrier, and visualizing and observing the fluorescing dye in the particulate carrier at the specific site, wherein said carrier comprises lipid vesicles that allow the fluorescent dye to diffuse outward therefrom so that the diffused fluorescent dye fluoresces when the laser beam is applied.

Claim 20

A method of observing a lipid vesicle carrier in the blood in the eye of an animal at a specific site, comprising the steps of encapsulating a fluorescent dye in a lipid vesicle carrier having a particle size of at least about 0.02 microns, where said fluorescent dye is at a concentration where the dye is quenched in the carrier, injecting the carrier into the blood stream of an animal so that the blood stream carries the carrier through the specific site, generating a laser beam from a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, said beam having a wavelength in the visible or infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum capable of fluorescing said dye, applying the laser beam to the carrier located at the specific site so as to fluoresce said fluorescent dye within the particulate carrier without rupturing the carrier, and visualizing and observing the fluorescing dye in the particulate carrier at the specific site, wherein said carrier comprises lipid vesicles that allow the fluorescent dye to diffuse outward therefrom so that the diffused fluorescent dye fluoresces when the laser beam is applied.

Claim 21

A method of measuring blood velocity in a blood vessel in the eye of an animal comprising the steps of encapsulating or incorporating a fluorescent dye in a particulate carrier selected from the group consisting of lipid vesicles and microcapsules and forming a suspension, said dye being capable of fluorescing within said carrier when a laser beam is applied, injecting the particulate carrier suspension into the blood stream of the animal so that the blood stream carries the particulate carrier through the blood vessels in the eye, generating a laser beam from a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, said beam having a wavelength capable of fluorescing the fluorescent dye, applying the scanning laser beam to the blood vessels so as to visualize and observe said carrier by fluorescing the fluorescent dye in the particulate carrier in the blood vessels substantially without heating or rupturing the particulate carrier, and measuring the time the fluorescing particulate carrier travels through the blood vessels in the eye and determining the velocity of the carrier through the blood vessel.

Claim 22

A method of measuring blood velocity in a blood vessel in the eye of an animal comprising the steps of encapsulating or incorporating a fluorescent dye in a particulate carrier selected from the group consisting of lipid vesicles and microcapsules and forming a suspension, said dye being capable of fluorescing within said carrier when a laser beam is applied, injecting the particulate carrier suspension into the blood stream of the animal so that the blood stream carries the particulate carrier through the blood vessels in the eye, generating a laser beam from a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, said beam having a wavelength capable of fluorescing the fluorescent dye, applying the scanning laser beam to the blood vessels so as to visualize and observe said carrier by fluorescing the fluorescent dye in the particulate carrier in the blood vessels substantially without heating or rupturing the particulate carrier, and measuring the time the fluorescing particulate carrier travels through the blood vessels in the eye and determining the velocity of the carrier through the blood vessel.

Claim 29

A method of observing and imaging blood flow in a specific site in an animal, comprising the steps of encapsulating or incorporating a fluorescent dye in lipid vesicles, injecting the lipid vesicles into the blood stream of the animal so that the blood stream carries the lipid vesicles through the specific site, generating a laser beam having a wavelength capable of fluorescing the fluorescent dye, applying the laser beam to the specific site so as to fluoresce the fluorescent dye in said lipid vesicles without heating or rupturing the lipid vesicles, observing and visualizing the fluorescing dye in the lipid vesicles by fluorescing said dye and recording an image of the lipid vesicles traveling through the specific site.

Claim 30

A method of observing and imaging blood flow in a specific site in an animal, comprising the steps of encapsulating or incorporating a fluorescent dye in lipid vesicles, injecting the lipid vesicles into the blood stream of the animal so that the blood stream carries the lipid vesicles through the specific site, generating a laser beam having a wavelength capable of fluorescing the fluorescent dye, applying the laser beam to the specific site so as to fluoresce the fluorescent dye in said lipid vesicles without heating or rupturing the lipid vesicles, observing and visualizing the fluorescing dye in the lipid vesicles by fluorescing said dye and recording an image of the lipid vesicles traveling through the specific site.