University of California

Salutar, Inc.

Kucharczyk and Moseley Partners

John Kucharczyk

Scott M Rocklage

Michael E Moseley

The invention shows a method for obtaining temporally spaced images of tissues, including blood vessels, to reveal blood flow abnormalities within those tissues and vessels.

Relating to magnetic resonance imaging

The invention provides a method of monitoring the vasodilatory or vasoconstrictive effects of a physiologically active substance administered to a human or non-human animal body, said method comprising the steps of: administering said substance into said body; administering into the systemic vasculature of said body a contrast enhancing amount of an intravascular paramagnetic metal containing magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent; subjecting said body to a magnetic resonance imaging procedure capable of generating from magnetic resonance signals from said body a series of temporally spaced images of at least a part of said body into which said agent passes, said procedure being a fast imaging procedure having an image acquisition time of less than five seconds; and detecting temporal variations in said signals or images whereby to monitor the vasoconstriction or vasodilation induced by said substance.

Magnetic resonance imaging

The invention provides a method of detecting blood flow abnormality or variation in a human or non-human body, said method comprising administering into the cardiovascular system of a said body a contrast enhancing amount of an intravascular paramagnetic metal containing magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, subject said body to a magnetic resonance imaging procedure capable of generating from magnetic resonance signals from said body a series of temporally spaced images of at least a part of said body into which said agent passes, and detecting temporal variations in said signals or images whereby to identify regions of abnormal or modified blood flow in said body and to indicate the degree of blood flow abnormality or modification therein.

Growing community of inventors

Mill Valley, CA, United States of America

John Kucharczyk