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:
May. 17, 1994
Filed:
Aug. 14, 1991
Ernest L Madsen, Madison, WI (US);
Joseph C Blechinger, Moore, OK (US);
Gary R Frank, Madison, WI (US);
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Madison, WI (US);
Abstract
Tissue mimicking phantoms for NMR imagers are produced having a base tissue mimicking material enclosed within a sealed container. The base tissue mimicking material is a gel solidified from a mixture of agar, animal hide gelatin, water, glycerol, and anti-bacterial agents such as n-propanol, p-methylbenzoic acid, and formaldehyde. The formaldehyde also serves to cross link the animal hide gel and thereby raise the melting point of the tissue mimicking material to a temperature above normal ambient temperatures. This base tissue mimicking material is stable both in dimensions and NMR properties over long periods of time. Contrast resolution inclusions are formed within the base tissue mimicking material which have T.sub.1, T.sub.2, or both which differ from the corresponding values for the base tissue mimicking material, thereby allowing these inclusions to be imaged and distinguished from the surrounding material. The inclusions simulate tumors in normal tissue, and are preferably formed in a variety of sizes down to very small diameter spherical objects which are at or beyond the imaging capability of the NMR imaging apparatus. Inclusions which are stable in size, shape and NMR properties over time while in direct contact with the base tissue mimicking material without the need for a barrier are formed of the same solidified gel material as the base tissue mimicking material but differing in the dry weight concentration of agar. Several sets of inclusions may be formed so that each set will have a different level of contrast with the base tissue mimicking material.