US5735281A
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US
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Method of enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents
Assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
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Filing: 1996-08-09
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Granted: 1998-04-07
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Expires: 2016-08-09
Abstract
Abstract Ultrasound energy has been observed to rapidly destroy a large quantity of microbubbles. The duration and intensity of the contrast effect is greatly diminished by conventional imaging frame rates and power levels. Altering the imaging sequence by strategically shooting ultrasound image frames at various transmit powers and reducing the number of transmit lines per frame allows for enhancement of the contrast effect (increasing maximum intensity and duration).
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick G. Rafter
- 👤 Ronald D. Gatzke
- 👤 Alwyn P. D'Sa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 22:12
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/52017; G01S7/52023; G01S7/52036; G01S7/52038; A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/24; A61B5/316; A61B5/318; A61B5/346; A61B5/349; A61B5/352; A61B8/00; A61B8/48; A61B8/481; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8979; G01S15/8988; A61B8/54; A61B8/543
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents comprising the steps of: introducing an ultrasound contrast agent into a patient; applying a high power stimulus each period to generate a high power stimulus image; receiving and processing the high power stimulus image; applying M (M≧0) low power stimuli each period to generate multiple low power stimulus images; and receiving and processing the multiple low power stimulus images.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents comprising the steps of: introducing an ultrasound contrast agent into a patient; applying a high power stimulus each period to generate a high power stimulus image; receiving and processing the high power stimulus image; applying M (M≧0) low power stimuli each period to generate multiple low power stimulus images; and receiving and processing the multiple low power stimulus images.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 1, wherein the high power stimulus begins each period.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 2, wherein the high power stimulus is synchronized to the patient's EGG and the period duration is N (N≧1) cardiac cycles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 3, wherein the period is gated by the respiration signal of the patient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 2, wherein each subsequent period is incrementally delayed from an EGG synchronized trigger and the trigger occurs every N (N≧1) cardiac cycles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 5, wherein the EGG synchronized trigger is further gated off the patient's respiration signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 2, wherein a series of periods is synchronized to an EGG based trigger and the trigger occurs every N (N≧1) cardiac cycles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 7, wherein each period duration is a fixed fractional number of cardiac cycles for the series.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 8, wherein the series is further gated by a respiration signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 9, wherein N=1 cardiac cycle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 10, wherein the number of low power frames, M=0.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 8, wherein the series consists of two periods, with one period beginning at end-diastole and the second period beginning at end systole.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 8, wherein N=1 cardiac cycles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 13, wherein the number of low power frames, M=0.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 1, wherein the low power stimulus is ≧3 dB down from the high power stimulus.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
137 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents comprising the steps of: introducing an ultrasound contrast agent into a patient; applying Q (Q≧1) high power stimuli each period to destroy the contrast agent and to generate multiple high power stimulus baseline images; receiving and processing the multiple high power stimulus baseline images; applying M (M≧0) low power stimuli each period to generate multiple low power stimulus images; receiving and processing the multiple low power stimulus images; applying an additional high power stimulus in the same period which is delayed relative to the Q high power stimuli; receiving and processing the second high power stimulus image; applying a second group of S (S≧0) low power stimuli each period to generate multiple low power stimulus images; and receiving and processing the multiple low power stimulus images.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
137 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents comprising the steps of: introducing an ultrasound contrast agent into a patient; applying Q (Q≧1) high power stimuli each period to destroy the contrast agent and to generate multiple high power stimulus baseline images; receiving and processing the multiple high power stimulus baseline images; applying M (M≧0) low power stimuli each period to generate multiple low power stimulus images; receiving and processing the multiple low power stimulus images; applying an additional high power stimulus in the same period which is delayed relative to the Q high power stimuli; receiving and processing the second high power stimulus image; applying a second group of S (S≧0) low power stimuli each period to generate multiple low power stimulus images; and receiving and processing the multiple low power stimulus images.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 16, wherein a period is a sequence beginning with Q (Q≧1) multiple high power stimuli followed by M (M≧0) low power stimuli, subsequently followed by one high power stimulus, and ending with S (S≧0) low power stimuli, with the period synchronized to a specific point of the ECG and having a duration of N (N≧1) cardiac cycles and wherein a stimulus is a group of transit lines forming an image.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 17, wherein the second high power stimulus is incrementally delayed relative to the first Q high power stimuli.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 18, wherein the sequence is further gated by a respiration signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method enhancing and prolonging the effect of ultrasound contrast agents, as defined in claim 18, wherein the low power stimulus is ≧3 dB down from the high power stimulus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5410205A
Cited
US5577505A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-04-06 | 2001-10-06 | 2002-04-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-06 | 2005-10-06 | 2006-04-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-06 | 2009-10-06 | 2010-04-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |