The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 16, 1993
Filed:
Jan. 08, 1990
William E Shell, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Jackie R See, Fullerton, CA (US);
See/Shell Biotechnology, Inc., Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to an inexpensive and easy to use method of visualizing an arterial circulation, using biodegradable microspheres which are permeated with an imaging energy absorbent contrast material, such as an X-ray absorbent material, which enables the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. The microspheres may be comprised of a variety of materials, including human albumin, and may be dyed with a number of X-ray absorbent materials, or other imaging energy absorbent materials. The microspheres are injected into the bloodstream at a particular location such that they travel through the desired circulation, e.g. an arterial circulation and ultimately become lodged in the capillaries of a tissue of interest. Upon exposure of the arterial circulation to X-rays, blood vessels therein containing the microspheres will absorb the X-rays, causing them to show on a developed X-ray film in contrast to other blood vessels and body tissue which do not contain the microspheres that transmit the X-rays. The microspheres are designed to dissolve into the bloodstream within fifteen to thirty minutes after their introduction, the X-ray dye or other contrast material being ultimately excreted from the body via the urine or metabolized by the liver.