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:
Jan. 30, 1996
Filed:
Jan. 14, 1994
Smadar Cohen, Petach-Tickva, IL;
Alexander K Andrianov, Belmont, MA (US);
Margaret Wheatley, Media, PA (US);
Harry R Allcock, State College, PA (US);
Robert S Langer, Newton, MA (US);
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
The Penn State Research Foundation, University Park, PA (US);
Abstract
Compositions, methods for preparing and methods of using air-filled polymeric microcapsules for ultrasound imaging are disclosed. Air-encapsulating microcapsules are formed by ionotropically gelling synthetic polyelectrolytes such as poly(carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene, poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid) and methacrylic acid copolymers (Eudragit's) by contact with multivalent ions such as calcium ions. In the preferred embodiment, the average size of the microcapsules is less than seven .mu.m so that they are suitable for injection intravenously. The polymeric microcapsules are stable to imaging and display high echogenicity, both in vitro and in vivo. Due to their in vivo stability their potential application is extended beyond vascular imaging to liver and renal diseases, fallopian tube diseases, detecting and characterizing tumor masses and tissues, and measuring peripheral blood velocity. The microcapsules can optionally be linked with ligands that minimize tissue adhesion or that target the microcapsules to specific regions.