Beat frequency ultrasonic microsphere contrast agent detection system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for detecting the presence of ultrasonically relative microsphere contrast agents in a fluid, comprising:
- means for directing ultrasonic energy into a region of the fluid at a first discrete frequency, the first frequency being approximately at a resonant frequency of the microspheres in the range of 1 MHz-30 MHz;
means for simultaneously directing ultrasonic energy into the region of fluid at a second discrete frequency that is also an approximate resonant frequency of the microspheres, wherein the microspheres in the fluid interact to emit sum and difference frequencies; and
means for detecting the sum and difference frequencies.
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Abstract
A system for and method of detecting and measuring concentrations of an ultrasonically-reflective microsphere contrast agent involving detecting non-linear sum and difference beat frequencies produced by the microspheres when two impinging signals with non-identical frequencies are combined by mixing. These beat frequencies can be used for a variety of applications such as detecting the presence of and measuring the flow rates of biological fluids and industrial liquids, including determining the concentration level of microspheres in the myocardium.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An apparatus for detecting the presence of ultrasonically relative microsphere contrast agents in a fluid, comprising:
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means for directing ultrasonic energy into a region of the fluid at a first discrete frequency, the first frequency being approximately at a resonant frequency of the microspheres in the range of 1 MHz-30 MHz; means for simultaneously directing ultrasonic energy into the region of fluid at a second discrete frequency that is also an approximate resonant frequency of the microspheres, wherein the microspheres in the fluid interact to emit sum and difference frequencies; and means for detecting the sum and difference frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for measuring the presence of ultrasonically reflective microsphere contrast agents in a living body fluid, comprising:
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means for injecting microbubble contrast agents into a living body; means for directing ultrasonic energy into a region of the body fluid at a first discrete frequency, the first frequency being approximately at a resonant frequency of the microspheres in the range of 1 MHz-30 MHz; means for simultaneously directing ultrasonic energy into the region of body fluid at a second discrete frequency that is also an approximate resonant frequency of the microspheres, wherein the microspheres interact to emit sum and difference frequencies; and means for detecting the sum and difference frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An method for detecting the presence of ultrasonically reflective microsphere contrast agents in a fluid, comprising:
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directing ultrasonic energy into a region of the fluid at a first frequency, the first discrete frequency being approximately at a resonant frequency of the microspheres in the range of 1 MHz-30 MHz; simultaneously directing ultrasonic energy in to the region of fluid at a second discrete frequency that is also an approximate resonant frequency of the microspheres, wherein the microspheres in the fluid interact to emit sum and difference frequencies; and detecting the sum and difference frequencies.
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10. A method for detecting the presence of ultrasonically reflective microsphere contrast agents in a body fluid, comprising the steps of:
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injecting microbubble contrast agents into a living body; directing ultrasonic energy into a region of the body fluid at a first discrete frequency, the first frequency being approximately at a resonant frequency of the microspheres in the range of 1 MHz-30 MHz; simultaneously directing ultrasonic energy into the body fluid region at a second discrete frequency that is also an approximate resonant frequency of the microspheres, such that the microspheres interact to emit sum and difference frequencies; and detecting the mixed frequencies generated by interaction of the resonant microspheres with ultrasonic energy at the first and second frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification