Method and apparatus for the measurement and medical treatment using an ultrasonic wave

Patent 5040537 Issued on August 20, 1991. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 21, 2008. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Method of determining pressure within liquid containing vessel
Patent #: 4265251
Issued on: 05/05/1981
Inventor: Tickner

Ultrasonic image enhancement
Patent #: 4276885
Issued on: 07/07/1981
Inventor: Tickner , et al.

Microbubble precursors and methods for their production and use
Patent #: 4442843
Issued on: 04/17/1984
Inventor: Rasor , et al.

Contact agents for ultrasonic imaging
Patent #: 4572203
Issued on: 02/25/1986
Inventor: Feinstein

Ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus
Patent #: 4622978
Issued on: 11/18/1986
Inventor: Matsuo , et al.

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus
Patent #: 4630612
Issued on: 12/23/1986
Inventor: Uchida , et al.

Contactless comminution of concrements in the body of a living being
Patent #: 4669472
Issued on: 06/02/1987
Inventor: Eisenmenger

Apparatus and method for triggering shock waves in lithotripsy Patent #: 4685461
Issued on: 08/11/1987
Inventor: Forssmann , et al.

Inventor

Katakura, Kageyoshi

Assignee

Hitachi, Ltd.

Application

No. 273570 filed on 11/21/1988

US Classes:

600/431, Detectable material placed in body600/454, Blood flow studies600/458, Contrast enhancement601/2, Ultrasonic604/890.1CONTROLLED RELEASE THERAPEUTIC DEVICE OR SYSTEM

Examiners

Primary: Cohen, Lee S.
Assistant: Zele, John D.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus

Foreign Patent References

0052575 EP. 01/13/1986

International Class

A61B 001/00

Foreign Application Priority Data

1987-11-24 JP

Abstract

An ultrasonic measuring apparatus and method operating as an ultrasonic echocardiograph and a doppler blood flow speed meter by creating numerous microbubbles as a contrast medium or reflector only in an intended blood vessel. The apparatus comprises an injector which injects into a vein of patient an agent which is a substance encapsulated in numerous microcapsules of several micrometer or less in diameter and distributed in a carrier liquid so that it produces microbubbles through the reaction with blood, and a shock wave transmitter which emits a shock wave with the dominant positive pressure from the body surface toward a specific blood vessel such as the root of the aorta so that only microcapsules in the specific blood vessel, among all dispersed in the whole body, are broken by the shock wave and the agent is released in the blood flow.