Patent ID: 6521211
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: A61K,B82Y

Abstract:
A diagnostic ultrasound method comprising (i) administering to a patient a targeted vesicle composition which comprises vesicles encapsulating a gas, in combination with a targeting ligand; and (ii) scanning the patient using dual frequency ultrasound insonation, wherein said vesicles are selected from the group consisting of liposomes and micelles, and said vesicles comprise a phospholipid selected from the group consisting of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, distearoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine, dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine, N-succinyldioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine,1 -hexadecyl-2-palmitoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, and phosphatidic acids, and wherein said scanning comprises exposing the patient to a first ultrasound energy having a first insonation frequency to cause the vesicle to oscillate, and then subsequently, while the vesicle is oscillating, exposing the patient to a second ultrasound energy having a second insonation frequency that is different from said first insonation frequency, and detecting the reflected ultrasound signal.