Stable microbubble suspensions as enhancement agents for ultrasonic echography
AssigneeBracco International B.V.
InventorsMichel Schneider, Jean Brochot, Jérôme Puginier, Feng Yan
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Abstract
Disclosed are injectable suspensions of gas filled microbubbles in an aqueous carrier liquid usable as contrast agents in ultrasonic echography. The suspensions comprise amphipathic compounds of which at least one may be a laminarized phospholipid as a stabilizer of the microbubbles against collapse with time and pressure. The concentration of phospholipids in the carrier liquid is below 0.01% wt but is at least equal to or above that at which phospholipid molecules are present solely at the gas microbubble-liquid interface. Also disclosed is a method of preparation of the stable suspensions of air or gas filled microbubbles.
Claims21
A stable suspension of gas-filled microbubbles in an aqueous carrier liquid, said gas-filled micobubbles being bounded by a gas/liquid interface comprising amphipathic compounds capable of stabilizing the microbubbles against collapse, the amphipathic compounds containing at least one saturated phospholipid whose concentration in the suspension is below 0.01% by weight but equal to or higher than the concentration at which the saturated phospholipid molecules are present solely at the gas/liquid interface, the suspension containing at least 107 microbubbles per milliliter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.