Patent ID: 7250058

Claim:
A radiopaque stent comprising: a cylindrical main body comprising a radiopaque cobalt chromium alloy that comprises cobalt, chromium, and one or more radiopaque materials and trace elements selected from the group of silicon, phosphorus, carbon and sulfur, in a concentration of less than about 1 percent by weight; wherein weight percentages of the cobalt chromium and one or more radiopaque materials and trace elements are configured to provide the main body with structure that is visible but does not obscure an underlying vessel morphology when subjected to imaging; wherein the cobalt chromium alloy is balloon expandable; wherein the cobalt chromium alloy further comprises chromium in a concentration of between about 19 to 21 percent by weight, tungsten in a concentration of between about 14 to 16 percent by weight, nickel in a concentration of between about 9 to 11 percent by weight, iron in a concentration of less than about 3 percent by weight, manganese in a concentration of between about 1 to 2 percent by weight, and trace elements selected from the group of silicon, phosphorus, carbon and sulfur, in a concentration of less than about 1 percent by weight.