Quotables
"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."
Dave Barry
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5980460 | Ultrasound imaging Temporal variations in backscatter from an ultrasound contrast agent located in the vascular system and induced by movement of the scatterers are used to visualize the presence of contrast agent by determining areas where correlation between successive ul... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5980459 | Ultrasound imaging using coded excitation on transmit and selective filtering of fundamental and (sub)harmonic signals on receive A method and an apparatus for selectively performing contrast harmonic imaging, tissue harmonic imaging and B-mode flow imaging with an ultrasound imaging system utilizes phase-coded excitation on transmit and selective firing-to-firing, i.e., "slow-time"... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5971928 | Diagnostic medical ultrasonic system and method for image subtraction A patient is first injected with a contrast agent. A complete scan along a plurality of scan lines is then performed, resulting in the destruction of some contrast agent. While some of the contrast agent is destroyed, non-scanned portions of the target, a... | 10/26/1999 |
| 5971925 | Broadband phased array transducer with frequency controlled two dimensional aperture capability for harmonic imaging An ultrasonic transducer array for harmonic imaging including an ultrasonic transducer array having a plurality of transducer elements, each of said transducer elements having a first surface and a second surface opposite of said first surface, said secon... | 10/26/1999 |
| 5967988 | Catheter having echogenicity enhancement An improved retrograde coronary sinus perfusion catheter includes a flexible, tubular catheter body and an inflatable balloon. The catheter body has proximal and distal ends and an interior lumen. The inflatable balloon is located adjacent the distal end ... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5961464 | Ultrasound contrast agent detection using spectral analysis from acoustic scan lines A method for detecting the presence of contrast agent in the body of the patient initially transmits ultrasound pulses along respective acoustic scan lines, which pulses exhibit a fundamental transmission frequency. A set of returned signals are received ... | 10/05/1999 |
| 5961463 | Nonlinear imaging using orthogonal transmit and receive codes A method and an apparatus for imaging the nonlinear components of an ultrasound signal returned from ultrasound scatterers in tissue or contrast agents in blood. The method employs a code-modulated wavelet for transmission combined with correlation filter... | 10/05/1999 |
| 5961460 | Ultrasound imaging enhancement methods and systems An ultrasonic imaging system generates Doppler and B-mode image signals, and then uses a modulated, non-linear mapping function to combine the Doppler and B-mode image signals into an output signal. In another mode of operation the imaging system generate... | 10/05/1999 |
| 5957845 | Gated ultrasound imaging apparatus and method An ultrasound imaging system is programmed to acquire first ultrasonic image frames intermittently. These first frames, typically triggered frames synchronized with a selected portion of an ECG cycle, are optimized for high image quality of a contrast age... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5957852 | Ultrasonic harmonic imaging system and method The system described ultrasonically images a target with energy spreading transmissions. Generally, ultrasonic energy corresponding to a line focus is transmitted into a target at a fundamental center frequency. The target may or may not include contrast ... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5957848 | Preparation of further diagnostic agents Microspheres are prepared by a process comprising the steps of (i) spray-drying a solution or dispersion of a wall-forming material in order to obtain intermediate microspheres and (ii) reducing the water-solubility of at least the outside of the intermed... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5951478 | Two pulse technique for ultrasonic harmonic imaging Apparatus and methods are disclosed for the detection and imaging of ultrasonic harmonic contrast agents. The harmonic echo effect is detected through alternate polarity acquisition of harmonic contrast agent effects, which provides the benefits of suppre... | 09/14/1999 |
| 5947904 | Ultrasonic method and system for imaging blood flow including disruption or activation of a contrast agent An ultrasonic imaging system uses first and second perpendicular arrays. The first array is operated at high power to selectively destroy contrast agent suspended in flowing blood in discrete regions. The second array is used to image the alternating band... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5944666 | Ultrasonic method for imaging blood flow including disruption or activation of contrast agent An ultrasonic imaging system uses first and second perpendicular arrays. The first array is operated at high power to selectively destroy contrast agent suspended in flowing blood in discrete regions. The second array is used to image the alternating band... | 08/31/1999 |
| 5935553 | Methods of preparing gas-filled liposomes Methods of and apparatus for preparing gas-filled liposomes are described. Gas-filled liposomes prepared by these methods are particularly useful, for example, in ultrasonic imaging applications and in therapeutic drug delivery systems.... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5935069 | Ultrasound system and method for variable transmission of ultrasonic signals An ultrasound system and method for variable transmission of ultrasonic signals are presented. With this method and system, ultrasonic beams can be transmitted into a region in response to a selected event in a reference signal by predicting a future occu... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5935068 | System and method for improving ultrasound image contrast by amplitude compression of ultrasonic wavefront signals A wavefront compensation technique which approaches the performance of Inverse Filtering while demonstrating adequate stability and signal to noise ratio. The spectrum amplitude is compressed in combination with phase deaberration algorithms by compressin... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5913823 | Ultrasound imaging method and system for transmit signal generation for an ultrasonic imaging system capable of harmonic imaging An improvement to the method for harmonic imaging including the steps of (a) transmitting ultrasonic energy at a fundamental frequency and (b) receiving reflected ultrasonic energy at a harmonic of the fundamental frequency is provided. For the improvemen... | 06/22/1999 |
| 5876697 | Method for the production of microbubble-type ultrasonic contrast agent using fatty acid surfactants An imaging agent for ultrasound to be administered into a vein is provided. More specifically, an imaging agent for ultrasound containing microbubbles, which has a long-life and is stable within a human body even after is has passed through a lung, and a ... | 03/02/1999 |
| 5876340 | Ablation apparatus with ultrasonic imaging capabilities An RF ablation apparatus has a delivery catheter with distal and proximal ends. A handle is attached to the proximal end of the delivery catheter. The delivery catheter has an electrode deployment means where said electrode deployment means includes a ret... | 03/02/1999 |
| 5873829 | Diagnostic ultrasound system using harmonic echo imaging In performing harmonic echo imaging, the necessity of changing modes is obviated, maneuverability is improved, and diagnostic information of the kinetics of a blood flow is provided with high reliability. A diagnostic ultrasound system provides, by scanni... | 02/23/1999 |
| 5860931 | Ultrasound method and system for measuring perfusion An ultrasound method and system for measuring perfusion of a tissue of interest during an ultrasound examination is provided. Perfusion within a region of a tissue can be accurately quantified by measuring a concentration level of contrast agent in a firs... | 01/19/1999 |
| 5848968 | Ultrasonic imaging method and apparatus An ultrasonic imaging apparatus devised to implement contrast imaging of enhanced S/N ratios. The apparatus comprises: an exciting unit for generating ultrasonic waves by stimulating a contrast medium introduced into a target object; a contrast image crea... | 12/15/1998 |
| 5833613 | Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging with contrast agents Apparatus and methods are disclosed for the detection and imaging of ultrasonic contrast agents. Ultrasonic apparatus is provided for coherent imaging of ultrasonic contrast agents, and for detecting harmonic contrast agents. The inventive apparatus inclu... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5833615 | Excitation enhanced ultrasound system The present invention relates generally to an ultrasound system and method, and more particularly to an excitation enhanced ultrasound system and method. The system employs at least one excitation signal as a "flashlight" for exciting ultrasonic microbubb... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5817291 | Method of ultrasonic imaging comprising administering biocompatible spheres or particles A method of contrast enhanced ultrasonic diagnostic imaging comprising administering to a subject a contrast enhancing amount of spheres or particles comprising a matrix enclosing a contrast agent which reflects sound waves, said matrix being a biocompati... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5804162 | Gas emulsions stabilized with fluorinated ethers having low Ostwald coefficients Long lasting gas emulsions for ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhancement utilize low Ostwald coefficient fluoromono- and fluoropolyether compounds. Gas emulsion preparations are disclosed containing air mixed with perfluorodiglyme (CF... | 09/08/1998 |
| 5799655 | Method and apparatus for ultrasound imaging and atherectomy A catheter for ultrasonic imaging has a transducer fixed to a cutter. The transducer is moved longitudinally within an artery while in a fixed radial position. Ultrasonic reflections are received and processed to display a planer or rectangular field of v... | 09/01/1998 |
| 5798091 | Stabilized gas emulsion containing phospholipid for ultrasound contrast enhancement A gas emulsion forming composition comprising a dry, hollow, particulate, approximately microspherical material permeated with a gas or gas mixture, which upon dissolution in aqueous liquid forms a gas emulsion comprising a plurality of bubbles surrounded... | 08/25/1998 |
| 5797396 | Automated method for digital image quantitation A method for quantitatively analyzing digital images of approximately elliptical body organs, and in particular, echocardiographic images. In a first preferred embodiment, the invention automatically determines the center-point of an elliptical organ and ... | 08/25/1998 |
| 5793883 | Method for enhancing ultrasound image Ultrasound gray-scale image data and corresponding processed gray-scale image data are color-enhanced to generate an enhanced multi-color image. At one step, a color map look-up table is defined from the processed gray-scale image data to define a color p... | 08/11/1998 |
| 5782764 | Fiber composite invasive medical instruments and methods for use in interventional imaging procedures A medical interventional instrument for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or other imaging system, a method for designing such an instrument, and a method including the steps of positioning an instrument having a body with a contrast region (const... | 07/21/1998 |
| 5775328 | Device for use in temporary insertion of a sensor within a patient's body A device for use in placing a non-sterile sensor probe such as an ultrasound scanning transducer in a desired position within a patient's body, with a probe-receiving tube having a closed distal end so that a probe inserted within the tube through an open... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5776063 | Analysis of ultrasound images in the presence of contrast agent A method and apparatus for directly identifying and characterizing input data derived from regions of interest in ultrasound images of organs in the presence of attenuation from interposed contrast agent, for the purpose of diagnosing abnormalities. The i... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5776496 | Ultrasmall porous particles for enhancing ultrasound back scatter This invention relates to the preparation, composition and applications of suspensions of ultra-small, substantially non-aggregated, non-crystalline particles of predetermined uniform size which, when suspended in a liquid, contain entrapped gaseous bubbl... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5776429 | Method of preparing gas-filled microspheres using a lyophilized lipids Lyophilized lipid compositions, as well as methods for their preparation, are embodied by the present invention. Gas-filled microspheres prepared using the lyophilized lipid composition are particularly useful, for example, in ultrasonic imaging applicati... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5769080 | Gas filled liposomes and stabilized gas bubbles and their use as ultrasonic contrast agents Contrast agents for ultrasonic imaging comprising gas filled liposomes prepared using vacuum drying gas instillation methods, and gas filled liposomes substantially devoid of liquid in the interior thereof, are described. Methods of and apparatus for prep... | 06/23/1998 |
| 5759154 | Print mask technique for echogenic enhancement of a medical device An echogenically enhanced medical device and method for manufacture are disclosed. A mask is applied to the surface of the medical device, and portions of bare metal are exposed through the mask. The masked device is subjected to a process which removes m... | 06/02/1998 |
| 5752515 | Methods and apparatus for image-guided ultrasound delivery of compounds through the blood-brain barrier Image-guide methods and apparatus for ultrasound delivery of compounds through the blood-brain barrier to selected locations in the brain target a selected location in the brain and applying ultrasound to effect in the tissues and/or fluids at that locati... | 05/19/1998 |
| 5743266 | Method for processing real-time contrast enhanced ultrasonic images The present invention is a novel method for producing real-time colorized, contrast enhanced images from a sequence of grey-scale video images obtained during diagnostic ultrasound. The particular colorizing scheme varies according to which information pa... | 04/28/1998 |
