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US6068600A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Use of hollow microcapsules

Assignee: LIMITED ANDARIS
•
Filing: 1996-12-06
•
Granted: 2000-05-30
•
Expires: 2016-12-06
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Abstract

Abstract A method of generating an ultrasound image comprising the steps of (i) introducing into the location to be imaged an ultrasound contrast agent obtained by spraying a solution or suspension of a wall forming material into a heated gas to form hollow microcapsules, (ii) exposing the microcapsules to ultrasound energy at an insonation frequency of less than 3.5 MHz and (iii) creating an image based on the scattering of the ultrasound energy by the microcapsules.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard Alan Johnson
  • 👤 Paulus Antonius van der Wouw

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 12:40
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61K; A61K49/00; A61K49/22; A61K49/222; A61K49/223; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/42; A61B8/4272; A61B8/4281; A61B8/54; A61B8/543; A61K9/00; A61K9/14; A61K9/16; A61K9/1605; A61K9/1629; A61K9/1658

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 76 words
A method of generating an ultrasound image comprising the steps of (i) introducing into a location to be imaged an ultrasound contrast agent obtained by spraying a solution or suspension of a wall forming material into a heated gas to form hollow microcapsules, (ii) exposing the microcapsules to ultrasound energy at an insonation frequency of less than 3.5 MHz and (iii) creating an image based on the scattering of the ultrasound energy caused by the microcapsules.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 76 words
A method of generating an ultrasound image comprising the steps of (i) introducing into a location to be imaged an ultrasound contrast agent obtained by spraying a solution or suspension of a wall forming material into a heated gas to form hollow microcapsules, (ii) exposing the microcapsules to ultrasound energy at an insonation frequency of less than 3.5 MHz and (iii) creating an image based on the scattering of the ultrasound energy caused by the microcapsules.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 93 words
A method of generating an ultrasound image comprising the steps of (i) introducing into a location to be imaged an ultrasound contrast agent obtained by spraying a solution or suspension of a wall forming material into a heated gas to form hollow microcapsules, (ii) exposing the microcapsules to ultrasound energy, the insonation frequency being varied below 3.5 MHz in order to identify and use a frequency at which the ultrasound is scattered optimally by the microcapsules, and (iii) creating an image based on the scattering of the ultrasound energy caused by the microcapsules.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 93 words
A method of generating an ultrasound image comprising the steps of (i) introducing into a location to be imaged an ultrasound contrast agent obtained by spraying a solution or suspension of a wall forming material into a heated gas to form hollow microcapsules, (ii) exposing the microcapsules to ultrasound energy, the insonation frequency being varied below 3.5 MHz in order to identify and use a frequency at which the ultrasound is scattered optimally by the microcapsules, and (iii) creating an image based on the scattering of the ultrasound energy caused by the microcapsules.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the insonation frequency is less than 2.25 MHz.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the insonation frequency is from 2.0 to 1.0 MHz.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the ultrasound energy exposed to the microcapsules in step (ii) has an acoustic peak pressure amplitude of at least 100 kPa.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 39 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 2 wherein the microcapsules are obtained by spraying as said an aqueous solution of a water-soluble wall-forming material containing a liquid of a volatility greater than that of water.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 17 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 2 wherein the microcapsules are not freeze-dried.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 22 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 2 wherein the microcapsules have a diameter of 0.1 to 25.0 μm.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 22 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 2 wherein the said location is within the human or animal body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the said location is an internal organ.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein the internal organ is the human or animal heart.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein the internal organ is the human or animal liver.

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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) 2003-05-30 2003-11-29 2004-05-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-05-30 2007-11-29 2008-05-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-05-30 2011-11-29 2012-05-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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