University of California

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Alexander Liberman

Andrew C Kummel

William C Trogler

James J Wang

Sarah L Blair

Jian Yang

Erin C Ward

Natalie Mendez

Christopher Barback

Tsai-Wen Sung

Hotaik Lee

Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive, non-radioactive, and low cost technology for diagnosis and identification of implantable medical devices in real time. Developing new ultrasound activated coatings is important to broaden the utility of in vivo marking by ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound responsive macro-phase segregated micro-composite thin films were developed to be coated on medical devices composed of multiple materials and with multiple shapes and varying surface area. The macro-phase segregated in films having silica micro-shells in polycyanoacrylate produces strong color Doppler signals with the use of a standard clinical ultrasound transducer. Electron microscopy showed a macro-phase separation during slow curing of the cyanoacrylate adhesive, as air-filled silica micro-shells were driven to the surface of the film. The air sealed in the hollow space of the silica shells acted as an ultrasound contrast agent and echo decorrelation of air exposed to ultrasound waves produces color Doppler signals.

Ultrasound responsive micro-composite markers

Disclosed herein is an ultrasound imaging apparatus and a controlling method thereof. The ultrasound imaging apparatus includes a controller configured to generate a control signal to control an operation of a probe, and a transceiver configured to transmit the control signal to the probe and to receive a signal transmitted from the probe. The controller may control the operation of the probe so that the probe may irradiate focused ultrasound energy when contrast agents composed of a silica nanostructure are injected into an object, and the controller may control the operation of the probe so that the probe may irradiate diagnostic ultrasound energy when the focused ultrasound energy is irradiated.

Probe, ultrasound imaging apparatus and controlling method of the ultrasound imaging apparatus

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Alexander Liberman