Methods for diagnostic imaging by regulating the administration rate of a contrast agent
OwnerEvan C. Unger, Terry Matsunaga +2inventors
InventorsEvan C. Unger, Terry Matsunaga, Thomas A. Fritz, Varadarajan Ramaswami
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Abstract
Methods for providing an image of an internal region of a patient. Embodiments of the methods involve administering to the patient a contrast agent which comprises a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a gas or gaseous precursor and vesicles comprising lipids, proteins or polymers. The patient is scanned using diagnostic imaging, such as ultrasound, to obtain a visible image of the region. The contrast agent is administered to the patient at a rate to substantially eliminate diagnostic artifacts in the image. The methods are particularly useful for diagnosing the presence of any diseased tissue in the patient.
Claims240
A method for providing an image of an internal region of a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a gas or gaseous precursor and vesicles comprising lipids, and (ii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of the region, wherein said vesicle composition is administered to the patient at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said administration rate comprises continuos infusion.
A method according to claim I wherein said vesicles comprise lipids.
A method for providing an image of an internal region of a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a lipid composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a lipid and a gas or gaseous precursor, and (ii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of the region, wherein said lipid composition is administered to the patient at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said administration rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for providing an image of an internal region of a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a gas or gaseous precursor and vesicles comprising lipids, (ii) flushing said composition, and (iii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of the region, wherein said composition is flushed at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said flushing rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for providing an image of an internal region of a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a lipid composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a lipid and a gas or gaseous precursor, (ii) flushing said composition, and (iii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of the region, wherein said composition is flushed at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said flushing rate comprises contiguous infusion.
A method for substantially eliminating ultrasound artifacts in an ultrasound image of an internal region of a patient comprising regulating the rate at which a contrast agent is administered to the patient, wherein said administration rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for diagnosing the presence of diseased tissue in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a gas or gaseous precursor and vesicles comprising lipids, and (ii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of any diseased tissue in the patient, wherein said vesicle composition is administered to the patient at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in said image, wherein said administration rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for diagnosing the presence of diseased tissue in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a lipid composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a lipid and a gas or gaseous precursor, and (ii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of any diseased tissue in the patient, wherein said lipid composition is administered to the patient at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in said image, wherein said administration rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for diagnosing the presence of diseased tissue in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a gas or gaseous precursor and vesicles comprising lipids, (ii) flushing said composition, and (iii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of any diseased tissue in the patient, wherein said vesicle composition is flushed at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said flushing rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for diagnosing the presence of diseased tissue in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a lipid composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a lipid and a gas or gaseous precursor, (ii) flushing said composition, and (iii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of any diseased tissue in the patient, wherein said lipid composition is flushed at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said flushing rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for providing an image of an internal region of a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a gas or gaseous precursor and vesicles comprising surfactants, and (ii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of the region, wherein said vesicle composition is administered to the patient at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said administration rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for providing an image of an internal region of a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a surfactant and a gas or gaseous precursor, and (ii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of the region, wherein said composition is administered to the patient at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said administration rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for providing an image of an internal region of a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a gas or gaseous precursor and vesicles comprising surfactants, (ii) flushing said composition, and (iii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of the region, wherein said composition is flushed at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said flushing rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for providing an image of an internal region of a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a surfactant and a gas or gaseous precursor, (ii) flushing said composition, and (iii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of the region, wherein said composition is flushed at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said flushing rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for diagnosing the presence of diseased tissue in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a gas or gaseous precursor and vesicles comprising surfactants, and (ii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of any diseased tissue in the patient, wherein said vesicle composition is administered to the patient at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in said image, wherein said administration rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for diagnosing the presence of diseased tissue in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a surfactant and a gas or gaseous precursor, and (ii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of any diseased tissue in the patient, wherein said composition is administered to the patient at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in said image, wherein said administration rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for diagnosing the presence of diseased tissue in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a gas or gaseous precursor and vesicles comprising surfactants, (ii) flushing said composition, and (iii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of any diseased tissue in the patient, wherein said composition is flushed at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said flushing rate comprises continuous infusion.
A method for diagnosing the presence of diseased tissue in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient a composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, a surfactant and a gas or gaseous precursor, (ii) flushing said composition, and (iii) scanning the patient using ultrasound imaging to obtain a visible image of any diseased tissue in the patient, wherein said composition is flushed at a rate which substantially eliminates ultrasound artifacts in the image, wherein said flushing rate comprises continuous infusion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.