# US 9,770,521 B2 · Ultrasound contact fluid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,770,521 B2 - Document ID: US9770521B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/398,871 - Filed: 2013-05-08 - Published: 2015-04-30 - Granted: 2017-09-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-09 - Assignees: Sinvent AS - Applicants: Sinvent AS - Inventors: Tormod Selbekk; Geirmund Unsgård - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9770521B2 ## CPC - A61K 49/22: Echographic preparations; Ultrasonic imaging preparations - A61B 8/4272: {involving the acoustic interface between the transducer and the tissue} - A61K 49/226: {Solutes, emulsions, suspensions, dispersions, semi-solid forms, e.g. hydrogels} - A61B 8/0808: {for diagnosis of the brain} - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An aqueous ultrasound contact fluid includes a pharmaceutical grade triglyceride and a pharmaceutically acceptable emulsifier and the use of the ultrasound contact fluid in an intraoperative or interventional ultrasound imaging procedure. A method for intraoperative ultrasound imaging includes filling an aqueous ultrasound contact fluid into a body cavity. The aqueous ultrasound contact fluid is a composition comprising a pharmaceutical grade triglyceride and a pharmaceutically acceptable emulsifier and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable humectant, and the triglyceride content is in the range of 8-240 g/1000 ml composition contact fluid and the amount of emulsifier is 0.4-18 g/1000 ml composition contact fluid, and optionally a humectant in the amount of 1.2-30 g/1000 ml. The method further includes obtaining an ultrasound image of a body region that comprises at least part of the body cavity filled with the aqueous ultrasound contact fluid. The aqueous ultrasound contact fluid reduces image artifacts associated with the body cavity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for intraoperative ultrasound imaging, comprising: filling a body cavity with an aqueous ultrasound contact fluid, wherein the aqueous ultrasound contact fluid is a composition comprising a pharmaceutical grade triglyceride and a pharmaceutically acceptable emulsifier and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable humectant, wherein the triglyceride content is in the range of 8-240 g/1000 ml contact fluid and the amount of emulsifier is 0.4-18 g/1000 ml contact fluid, and optionally a humectant in the amount of 1.2-30 g/1000 ml; and obtaining an ultrasound image of a body region that comprises at least part of the body cavity filled with the aqueous ultrasound contact fluid, wherein the aqueous ultrasound contact fluid reduces image artifacts associated with the body cavity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the amount of triglyceride is in the range of 10-200 g/1000 ml contact fluid, and wherein the amount of emulsifier is 0.5-15 g/1000 ml contact fluid and optionally a humectant in the amount of 1.2-25 g/1000 ml contact fluid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the amount of triglyceride is 50-110 g/1000 ml contact fluid, the amount of emulsifier is 2-10 g/1000 ml contact fluid, and optionally a humectant in the amount of 5-15 g/1000 ml contact fluid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said triglyceride is vegetable oil. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein said vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of soybean oil, olive oil, palm oil, and copra oil. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of lecithin, egg yolk lecithin, soy lecithin, emulsifying wax, cetearyl alcohol, polysorbate 20, and ceteareth 20. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the humectant is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, lactic acid, polyols, propylene glycol, and sorbitol. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound contact fluid comprises a pH adjusting additive. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein an amount of the pH adjusting additive is added to set the pH in the range of 6 to 8. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the pH is set to 7. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound contact fluid comprises 90 g soybean oil, 5.5 g lecithin and 10 g glycerol and physiological saline to obtain 1000 ml. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound contact fluid has an attenuation coefficient α>0.066. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the attenuation coefficient α is in the range of 0.20 to 1.10. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the attenuation coefficient α is 0.80. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said triglyceride is an animal fat. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein said animal fat is selected from the group consisting of milk fats, fish oils, and fish liver oils.