Nycomed Imaging As

Amersham Health As

P&aring;l Rongved

Jo Klaveness

Roald Skurtveit

Lars Hoff

Alan Cuthbertson

Morten Eriksen

Magne Solbakken

Harald Dugstad

Sigmund Frigstad

Halldis Hellebust

Helge Tolleshaug

Jonny &Oslash;stensen

Anders H&oslash;gset

Dagfinn L&oslash;vhaug

Anne N&aelig;vestad

Klaus Bryn

Edward R Bacon

John L Toner

Gregory L McIntire

Aslak Godal

Edvin Wilhelm Johannesen

Vinay Chandrakant Desai

Jan Solberg

Jorunn Undheim Braenden

Wolfgang Hans Heinrich Gunther

Per Antonius Foss

Bjorn Fuglass

Geir Gogstad

Paul Mark Hendrichs

Inger Reidun Fjeldskaar Aukrust

Jorunn Br&aelig;nden

A combined preparation comprising: i) an ultrasound contrast agent capable of accumulation in tissue microvasculature; and ii) a pharamacologically effective amount of a vasodilator drug may be used in perfusion imaging, especially of the myocardium. The contrast agent accumulates in tissue in concentrations related to the regional rate of tissue perfusion, and the vasodilator drug enhances distinction between normally perfused and underperfused tissue.

Ultrasound imaging with contrast agent targeted to microvasculature and a vasodilator drug

Ultrasonic visualisation of a suject, particularly of perfusion in the myocardium and other tissues, is performed using novel gas-containing contrast agent preparations which promote controllable and temporary growth of the gas phase in vivo following administration and can therefore act as deposited perfusion tracers. The preparations include a coadministerable composition comprising a diffusible component capable of inward diffusion into the dispersed gas phase to promote temporary growth thereof. In cardiac perfusion imaging the preparations may advantageously be coadministered with vasodilator drugs such as adenosine in order to enhance the differences in return signal intensity from normal and hypoperfused myocardial tissue respectively.

Contrast agents

Targetable diagnostic and/or therapeutically active agents, e.g. ultrasound contrast agents, comprising a suspension in an aqueous carrier liquid of a reporter comprising gas-containing or gas-generating material, said agent being capable of forming at least two types of binding pairs with a target.

Diagnostic/therapeutic agents

The present invention relates to the use of particulate materials as contrast agents in in vivo light imaging.

Light imaging contrast agents

Ultrasonic visualization of a subject, particularly of perfusion in the myocardium and other tissues, is performed using novel gas-containing contrast agent preparations which promote controllable and temporary growth of the gas phase in vivo following administration and can therefore act as deposited perfusion tracers. The preparations include a coadministerable composition comprising a diffusible component capable of inward diffusion into the dispersed gas phase to promote temporary growth thereof. In cardiac perfusion imaging the preparations may advantageously be coadministered with vasodilator drugs such as adenosine in order to enhance the differences in return signal intensity from normal and hypoperfused myocardial tissue respectively.

Targeted diagnostic/therapeutic agents having more than one different vectors

Microparticulate contrast agents comprising gas or a gas precursor encapsulated by a non-polymeric and non-polymerisable wall-forming material are readily characterisable materials exhibiting surprising structural integrity and stability.

Dry microparticles for use as a contrast agent

Targetable diagnostic and/or therapeutically active agents, e.g. ultrasound contrast agents, having reporters comprising gas-filled microbubbles stabilised by monolayers of film-forming surfactants, the reporter being coupled or linked to at least one vector.

Targeted ultrasound contrast agents

Diagnostic/therapeutic agents having microbubbles coupled to one or more vectors

Microbubble dispersions stabilised by phospholipids predominantly comprising molecules which individually have an overall net charge exhibit advantageous stability, rendering them useful as efficacious contrast agents. An improved process for preparing microbubble-containing contrast agents is also disclosed, this comprising lyophilising an aqueous dispersion of gas microbubbles stabilised by one or more membrane-forming lipids to yield a dried product which may be reconstituted in an injectable carrier liquid to generate a microbubble-containing contrast agent.

Microbubbles surrounded by a monolayer of negatively charged phospholipids as contrast agents

Microbubble dispersions stabilised by phospholipids predominantly comprising molecules which individually have an overall net charge exhibit advantageous stability, rendering them useful both as efficacious contrast agents per se and as intermediates in the preparation of contrast agents wherein the phospholipids are crosslinked or polymerised. An improved process for preparing microbubble-containing contrast agents is also disclosed, this comprising lyophilising an aqueous dispersion of gas microbubbles stabilised by one or more membrane-forming lipids to yield a dried product which may be reconstituted in an injectable carrier liquid to generate a microbubble-containing contrast agent.

Method of making lyophilized microbubble compositions useful as contrast agents

A contrast agent for use in diagnostic studies, particularly ultrasound imaging, comprising a dispersion in an injectable aqueous medium of a biocompatible azeotropic mixture which is in gaseous form at 37&deg; C., at least one component of said mixture being a halocarbon having a molecular weight of at least 100.

Contrast agents comprising an azeotropic mixture of two gases for ultrasound investigations

Growing community of inventors

Oslo, Norway

Pål Rongved

Growing community of inventors

Oslo, Norway

P&aring;l Rongved

Pål Rongved