Methods for diagnostic imaging involving the use of a contrast agent and a coronary vasodilator
AssigneeBristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company
InventorEvan C. Unger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improved methods for providing an image of an internal region of a patient, especially the cardiovascular region. Embodiments of the invention involve the administration to the patient of a contrast agent which comprises a vesicle composition comprising lipid or polymer vesicles and a gas or gaseous precursor, in combination with a coronary vasodilator. The patient is scanned using diagnostic imaging, such as ultrasound, to obtain a visible image of the region. The methods are particularly useful for diagnosing the presence of diseased tissue in the cardiovascular region of a patient, as well as for measuring blood flow in the cardiovascular region of a patient.
Claims46
A method for diagnosing the presence of a disease of the coronary arteries in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient by continuous intravenous infusion a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, vesicles and a gas or gaseous precursor, wherein said vesicles are selected from the group consisting of liposomes and micelles, and comprise a phospholipid selected from the group consisting of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, distearoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine, dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine, N-succinyldioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine, 1-hexadecyl-2-palmitoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, and phosphatidic acids, (ii) scanning the patient using diagnostic imaging to obtain a visible image of the myocardium, (iii) administering to the patient a coronary vasodilator, (iv) continuing said scanning, and (v) evaluating the degree of myocardial perfusion from a videodensity versus time relationship in the images obtained in steps (ii) through (iv), wherein said vesicle composition is administered for a time period of at least about 30 seconds or longer to maintain the concentration of vesicles in the cardiovascular region at about a constant level, said constant level being of sufficient time to provide a measurement of a baseline videodensitometry.
A method for evaluating coronary reserve in a patient comprising (i) administering to the patient by continuous intravenous infusion a vesicle composition comprising, in an aqueous carrier, vesicles and a gas or gaseous precursor, wherein said vesicles are selected from the group consisting of liposomes and micelles, and comprise a phospholipid selected from the group consisting of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, distearoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine, dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine, N-succinyldioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine, 1-hexadecyl-2-palmitoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, and phosphatidic acids, (ii) scanning the patient using diagnostic imaging to obtain a visible image of the myocardium, (iii) administering to the patient a coronary vasodilator, (iv) continuing said scanning, (v) evaluating the difference in myocardial perfusion from a videodensity versus time relationship in the images obtained in steps (ii) through (iv), wherein said vesicle composition is administered for a time period of at least about 30 seconds or longer to maintain the concentration of vesicles in the cardiovascular region at about a constant level, said constant level being of sufficient time to provide a measurement of a baseline videodensitometry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.