Suspended ultra-sound induced microbubble cavitation imaging
First Claim
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1. A method of ultrasonic myocardial, renal, or hepatic imaging which employs an echo contrast agent having microbubbles comprising:
- introducing said echo contrast agent into an animal by intravenous injection;
suspending ultrasonic transmission for a time sufficient for said contrast agent to perfuse an organ of interest and thereafter;
resuming ultrasonic transmission.
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Abstract
An ultrasonic imaging technique is disclosed which uses microbubbles as echo contrast agents. In general the method employs maitenance of an ultrasound signal while the contrast agent is intravenously injected into a mammal. Once all the contrast agent has been injected and transmission of the signal is suspended for a period of time sufficient for the microbubbles perfuse the organ of interest. Transmission of the ultrasound signal is then resumed and peak contrast images are obtained which rival more complicated imaging procedures such as nuclear resonance imaging.
66 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of ultrasonic myocardial, renal, or hepatic imaging which employs an echo contrast agent having microbubbles comprising:
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introducing said echo contrast agent into an animal by intravenous injection; suspending ultrasonic transmission for a time sufficient for said contrast agent to perfuse an organ of interest and thereafter; resuming ultrasonic transmission.
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2. A method of ultrasonic myocardial, renal, or hepatic imaging which employs an echo contrast agent having microbubbles comprising:
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introducing said echo contrast agent into an animal by intravenous injection; altering ultrasonic transmission so that microbubble cavitation is decreased by decreasing the ultrasonic field encountered by said bubbles until said bubbles or a majority thereof perfuse the organ of interest and thereafter; resuming ultrasonic transmission to visualize said organ. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of ultrasonic myocardial, renal, or hepatic imaging which employs an echo contrast agent having microbubbles comprising:
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introducing said echo contrast agent into an animal by intravenous injection; decreasing ultrasonic energy transmission so that microbubble cavitation is decreased thereby increasing the size and number of said microbubbles to increase back scattered ultrasound energy, and thereafter; resuming ultrasonic transmission once said bubbles or a majority of said bubbles perfuse the organ of interest at levels sufficient to visualize said organ.
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14. A method of ultrasonic myocardial, renal, or hepatic imaging comprising:
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preparing an echo contrast agent which comprises microbubbles; introducing said echo contrast agent into an animal; altering ultrasonic transmission so that microbubble cavitation is decreased so that the ultrasonic field encountered by said bubbles is decreased and until said bubbles or a majority thereof perfuse the organ of interest and thereafter, resuming ultrasonic transmission to visualize said organ. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification