Patent ID: 8012457

Claim:
A method of evaluating myocardial blood flow in a patient by ultrasound comprising forming an isosmotic suspension comprising microspheres comprising a poly(hydroxy acid) or copolymer or blend thereof and a hydrophobic compound, wherein the microspheres are porous spheres with a honeycombed structure or sponge-like structure, and having incorporated therein a perfluorocarbon gas and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier suitable for injection, wherein the suspension has a microsphere concentration ranging from 1.0×10 9 to 3.5×10 9 microspheres/mL of suspension or a microsphere mass concentration ranging from 25 to 50 mg microspheres/mL suspension, intravenously administering to the patient the suspension in a dose ranging from 0.5 to 4.0 mg microspheres/kg body weight, and imaging the patient's myocardium with ultrasound for more than one minute to produce an enhanced image of the myocardium for more than one minute compared to when no contrast agent is present.