Medical Ultrasound Imaging
Tuesday, 3 December 2024
 Info Sheets  Out- side     | 'Molecular Imaging' Searchterm 'Molecular Imaging' found in 6 articles 3 definitions [ • ] - 3 booleans [• ]Result Pages : •
The definition of imaging is the visual representation of an object. Medical imaging is a broad term that encompasses various imaging modalities and techniques used in the field of medicine to visualize and study the body's anatomy and physiology. It includes both diagnostic and non-diagnostic imaging procedures, where diagnostic imaging specifically refers to the subset of medical imaging techniques that are primarily focused on diagnosing diseases or conditions. Medical imaging techniques are employed to obtain images or visual representations of the internal organs, tissues, and structures, aiding in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of medical conditions.
The field of medical imaging has significantly evolved since the discovery of X-rays by Konrad Roentgen in 1896. Initially, radiological imaging involved focusing X-rays on the body and capturing the images on a single piece of film within a specialized cassette. Subsequent advancements introduced the use of fluorescent screens and special glasses for real-time visualization of X-ray images. A significant breakthrough came with the application of contrast agents, enhancing image contrast and improving organ visualization. In the 1950s, nuclear medicine studies utilizing gamma cameras demonstrated the uptake of low-level radioactive chemicals in organs, enabling the observation of biological processes in vivo. Currently, positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) technologies play pivotal roles in clinical research and the diagnosis of biochemical and physiological processes. Additionally, the advent of the x-ray image intensifier in 1955 facilitated the capture and display of x-ray movies. In the 1960s, diagnostic imaging incorporated the principles of sonar, using ultrasonic waves generated by a quartz crystal. These waves, reflecting at the interfaces between different tissues, were received by ultrasound machines and translated into images through computer algorithms and reconstruction software. Ultrasound (ultrasonography) has become an indispensable diagnostic tool across various medical specialties, with immense potential for further advancements such as targeted contrast imaging, real-time 3D or 4D ultrasound, and molecular imaging. The first use of ultrasound contrast agents (USCA) dates back to 1968. Digital imaging techniques were introduced in the 1970s, revolutionizing conventional fluoroscopic image intensifiers. Godfrey Hounsfield's pioneering work led to the development of the first computed tomography (CT) scanner. Digital images are now electronic snapshots represented as grids of dots or pixels. X-ray CT brought about a breakthrough in medical imaging by providing cross-sectional images of the human body with high contrast between different types of soft tissue. These advancements were made possible by analog-to-digital converters and computers. The introduction of multislice spiral CT technology dramatically expanded the clinical applications of CT scans. The first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices were tested on clinical patients in 1980. With technological improvements, such as higher field strength, more open MRI magnets, faster gradient systems, and novel data-acquisition techniques, MRI has emerged as a real-time interactive imaging modality capable of providing detailed structural and functional information of the body. Today, imaging in medicine offers a wide range of modalities, including:
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X-ray projection imaging;
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Fluoroscopy;
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Computed tomography (CT / CAT);
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Ultrasound imaging (US)
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Magnetic source imaging (MSI);
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Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT);
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Positron emission tomography (PET);
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Mammography.
These imaging modalities have become integral components of modern healthcare. With the rapid advancement of digital imaging, efficient management has become important, leading to the expansion of radiology information systems (RIS) and the adoption of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) for digital image archiving. In telemedicine, real-time transmission of all medical image modalities from MRI to X-ray, CT and ultrasound has become the standard. The field of medical imaging continues to evolve, promising further innovations and advancements in the future, ultimately contributing to improved patient care and diagnostics. See also History of Ultrasound Contrast Agents, and History of Ultrasound.  Further Reading: News & More:
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[This entry is marked for removal.]'POINT Biomedical was a privately held pharmaceutical company, founded in 1996 to pursue technologies related to imaging and drug delivery. POINT's core technology was based upon an ultrasonically responsive two-layer, biodegradable microsphere or BiSphere™. One of the most important features of this technology is the ability to noninvasively trigger the BiSpheres™ to release their contents at sites within the body using externally generated pulses of ultrasound. From this basic platform, POINT was developing a pipeline of products that leverage the unique properties of the BiSphere™ technology in the areas of imaging and therapeutics. POINT has initially focused development of this platform on the assessment of tissue specific blood flow. The lead product, CARDIOsphere®, is a pharmaceutical agent that will enable cardiologists to perform myocardial perfusion imaging studies in the office setting using ultrasound rather than more expensive and cumbersome nuclear medicine (or radioisotope) techniques.' Further Reading: News & More:
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Targeted ultrasound contrast agents provide advantages compared with usual microbubble blood pool agents. The goal of targeted ultrasound contrast agents is to significantly and selectively enhance the detection of a targeted vascular site. Tissue-specific ultrasound contrast agents improve the image contrast resolution through differential uptake. Targeted drug delivery via contrast microbubbles is another contrast media concept and provides the potential for earlier detection and characterization of disease. Targeted contrast imaging provides a higher sensitivity and specificity than obtained with a nontargeted contrast agent. The detection of disease-indicative molecular signatures may allow early assessment of pathology on a molecular level. Molecular imaging should be an efficient and less invasive technique to obtain three-dimensional localization of pathology. Ultrasound agents typically remain within the vascular space, and therefore possible targets include molecular markers on thrombus, endothelial cells, and leukocytes. Targeted contrast agents permit noninvasive detection of thrombus, cancer, inflammation, or other sites where specific integrins or other adhesion molecules are expressed. Adhesion molecules such as monoclonal antibodies, peptides, asialoglycoproteins, or polysaccharides are incorporated into the shell of the microbubble or liposome. After injection into the bloodstream, the targeted agent accumulates via adhesion receptors at the affected site, enhancing detection with an ultrasound system. See also Acoustically Active Lipospheres, and Tissue-Specific Ultrasound Contrast Agent. Further Reading: News & More:
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Molecular Biosystems, Inc. (MBI), founded in 1980, is a biomedical company developing a range of contrast agents for use with diagnostic ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT). Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp. acquires Molecular Biosystems in Nov. 2000. • 
California-based research and development company. Alliance Pharmaceutical Corporation. The principal activities of the Company is identifying, designing, and developing novel medical products. The Company is engaged in development of scientific discoveries into medical products and licensing these products to multinational pharmaceutical companies in exchange for fixed payments and royalty or profit sharing payments. The Company has developed three innovative products through initial clinical (human) trials. The products are Oxygent™, Liquivent and Imavist™. The Company's strategy is to identify potential new medical products though its own efforts and scientific collaborations with researchers and clinicians in universities and medical centers. In Dec 2000 the company acquired Molecular Biosystems Inc a developer of intravenous ultrasound contrast agent for the heart.'September 20, 2001 Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp. announced that it has won a favorable Final Judgment from the United States Patent and Trademark Office's Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences regarding claims in U.S. Patent No. 5,558,854, which is owned by Nycomed Imaging, AS. The Final Judgment determined that claims made in the Nycomed patent with respect to 'microbubbles' that contain perfluorohexane filling gas are invalid and are therefore unpatentable.' June 04, 2010, the company announced in their quartzerly report: 'We no longer have working capital to fund our operations. Because adequate funds have not been available to us in the past, we have already delayed our Oxygent development efforts and have eliminated our other product development programs.' Ultrasound Contrast Agents:
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