Ultrasonic image enhancement

Claim 1

A method of enhancing ultrasonic echographic imaging in a liquid enclosed in a vessel by increasing image contrast, comprising: providing a plurality of microbubbles in said liquid, each of said microbubbles having a coalescence resistant surface membrane encapsulating a gas of a selected composition, said membrane including a multiplicity of non-toxic and non-antigenic organic molecules, said microbubbles having a diameter of no more than about 300 microns and no less than about 0.5 micron; and obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of said liquid opposite a position therein containing said microbubbles by increasing the relative contrast between said liquid and said vessel.

Claim 2

A method of enhancing ultrasonic echographic imaging in a liquid enclosed in a vessel by increasing image contrast, comprising: providing a plurality of microbubbles in said liquid, each of said microbubbles having a coalescence resistant surface membrane encapsulating a gas of a selected composition, said membrane including a multiplicity of non-toxic and non-antigenic organic molecules, said microbubbles having a diameter of no more than about 300 microns and no less than about 0.5 micron; and obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of said liquid opposite a position therein containing said microbubbles by increasing the relative contrast between said liquid and said vessel.

Claim 7

A method of detecting tumors in a living subject, comprising: providing a substance in a blood stream of said test subject, said substance providing a plurality of microbubbles in said blood stream, substantially all of said microbubbles being of generally a uniform size; obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of said bubbles at a possible tumor; and examining said image for evidence of neovascularization indicative of said possible tumor.

Claim 8

A method of detecting tumors in a living subject, comprising: providing a substance in a blood stream of said test subject, said substance providing a plurality of microbubbles in said blood stream, substantially all of said microbubbles being of generally a uniform size; obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of said bubbles at a possible tumor; and examining said image for evidence of neovascularization indicative of said possible tumor.

Claim 9

A method of detecting tumors in a living subject, comprising: providing a substance, comprising a plurality of microbubbles each having a surface membrane encapsulating a gas of a selected composition, said membrane including a multiplicity of non-toxic and non-antigenic organic molecules, in a blood stream of said test subject, said substance providing a plurality of microbubbles in said blood stream; obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of said bubbles; and examining said image for evidence of neovascularization indicative of a possible tumor.

Claim 10

A method of detecting tumors in a living subject, comprising: providing a substance, comprising a plurality of microbubbles each having a surface membrane encapsulating a gas of a selected composition, said membrane including a multiplicity of non-toxic and non-antigenic organic molecules, in a blood stream of said test subject, said substance providing a plurality of microbubbles in said blood stream; obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of said bubbles; and examining said image for evidence of neovascularization indicative of a possible tumor.

Claim 14

A method of mapping the vascularity of a tissue mass, comprising: injecting a plurality of microbubbles, substantially all of which fall in a selected narrow size range, into a blood stream of a test subject, each of said microbubbles having a coalescing resistant surface membrane encapsulating a gas of a selected composition, said membrane including a multiplicity of non-toxic and non-antigenic organic molecules, said molecules having a diameter of between about 0.5 micron and 300 microns; obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of the tissue mass soon after the microbubbles have flowed thereto and lodged at a first bifurcation of a first vascular size corresponding to that of the injected microbubble size range; and obtaining an additional enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of the tissue mass after a selected period of time during which the microbubbles have generally uniformly shrunk, due to dissolution thereof, to a known reduced size, have flowed past said first bifurcation, and have lodged at a second bifurcation of a second vascular size corresponding to that of the reduced size microbubble size range.

Claim 15

A method of mapping the vascularity of a tissue mass, comprising: injecting a plurality of microbubbles, substantially all of which fall in a selected narrow size range, into a blood stream of a test subject, each of said microbubbles having a coalescing resistant surface membrane encapsulating a gas of a selected composition, said membrane including a multiplicity of non-toxic and non-antigenic organic molecules, said molecules having a diameter of between about 0.5 micron and 300 microns; obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of the tissue mass soon after the microbubbles have flowed thereto and lodged at a first bifurcation of a first vascular size corresponding to that of the injected microbubble size range; and obtaining an additional enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of the tissue mass after a selected period of time during which the microbubbles have generally uniformly shrunk, due to dissolution thereof, to a known reduced size, have flowed past said first bifurcation, and have lodged at a second bifurcation of a second vascular size corresponding to that of the reduced size microbubble size range.

Claim 19

A method of detecting tumorous tissue in a living subject, comprising: providing a substance in an afferent vasculature of said test subject upstream of a possible tumor, said substance providing a plurality of microbubbles in said blood stream substantially all of a diameter too large to pass through normal capillaries but small enough to pass through tumorous capillaries; and obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of a corresponding efferent vasculature downstream of said possible tumor and noting if such microbubbles are present.

Claim 20

A method of detecting tumorous tissue in a living subject, comprising: providing a substance in an afferent vasculature of said test subject upstream of a possible tumor, said substance providing a plurality of microbubbles in said blood stream substantially all of a diameter too large to pass through normal capillaries but small enough to pass through tumorous capillaries; and obtaining an enhanced ultrasonic echographic image of a corresponding efferent vasculature downstream of said possible tumor and noting if such microbubbles are present.