Biopsy site marker

• US 7,668,582 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Devicor Medical Products Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Sirimanne, D. Laksen, Lebovic, Gail, Fawzi, Natalie V., Sutton, Douglas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roy; Baisakhi
• Application Number:
  US10/961,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/414, 600/420, 600/426, 600/431, 600/432, 600/436, 600 2- 4, 600/7, 600/26.6, 600/36, 600/424, 600/458, 604/53, 604/265, 424/423, 424/426, 606/130, 606/194, 606/196, 623/1, 623/11, 623/12
• US Class Current: 600/414
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3908 Soft tissue, e.g. breast tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3987 Applicators for implanting markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/006 Biological staining of tissues in vivo, e.g. methylene blue or toluidine blue O administered in the buccal area to detect epithelial cancer cells, dyes used for delineating tissues during surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/222 characterised by a special physical form, e.g. emulsions, liposomes

Abstract

These are biopsy site marking devices. More particularly, the devices include a body of gelatin and an x-ray detectable body of a specific, predetermined non-biological configuration embedded in the body of gelatin. In one embodiment, the x-ray detectable body is made from metal. In alternative embodiments, the x-ray detectable body can be made from stainless steel or metal oxides.

Claims

1. A biopsy site marker comprising:

a body of gelatin, and

an X-ray detectable metallic element of specific predetermined non-biological configuration embedded in said body of gelatin.

2. The biopsy site marker in accordance with claim 1, where the X-ray detectable metallic element comprises stainless steel.

3. The biopsy site marker in accordance with claim 1, where the X-ray detectable metallic element comprises metal oxides.

4. The biopsy site marker in accordance with claim 1, where the X-ray detectable metallic element is made from a material selected from the group consisting of platinum, platinum-iridium, platinum-nickel, platinum-tungsten, gold, silver, rhodium, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, nickel, nickel-titanium, and combinations thereof.