The M-mode (Motion-mode) ultrasound is used for analyzing moving body parts (also called time-motion or TM-mode) commonly in cardiac and fetal cardiac imaging. The application of B-mode and a strip chart recorder allows visualization of the structures as a function of depth and time. The M-mode ultrasound transducer beam is stationary while the echoes from a moving reflector are received at varying times.
A single beam in an ultrasound scan is used to produce the one-dimensional M-mode picture, where movement of a structure such as a heart valve can be depicted in a wave-like manner. The high sampling frequency (up to 1000 pulses per second) is useful in assessing rates and motion, particularly in cardiac structures such as the various valves and the chamber walls.

(MI) The mechanical index is an estimate of the maximum amplitude of the pressure pulse in tissue. It is an indicator of the likelihood of mechanical bioeffects (streaming and cavitation). The mechanical index of the ultrasound beam is the amount of negative acoustic pressure within a ultrasonic field and is used to modulate the output signature of US contrast agents and to incite different microbubble responses.
The mechanical index is defined as the peak rarefactional pressure (negative pressure) divided by the square root of the ultrasound frequency.
The FDA ultrasound regulations allow a mechanical index of up to 1.9 to be used for all applications except ophthalmic (maximum 0.23). The used range varies from 0.05 to 1.9.
At low acoustic power, the acoustic response is considered as linear. At a low MI (less than 0.2), the microbubbles undergo oscillation with compression and rarefaction that are equal in amplitude and no special contrast enhanced signal is created. Microbubbles act as strong scattering objects due to the difference in impedance between air and liquid, and the acoustic response is optimized at the resonant frequency of a microbubble.
At higher acoustic power (MI between 0.2-0.5), nonlinear oscillation occurs preferentially with the bubbles undergoing rarefaction that is greater than compression. Ultrasound waves are created at harmonics of the delivered frequency. The harmonic response frequencies are different from that of the incident wave (fundamental frequency) with subharmonics (half of the fundamental frequency), harmonics (including the second harmonic response at twice the fundamental frequency), and ultra-harmonics obtained at 1.5 or 2.5 times the fundamental frequency. These contrast enhanced ultrasound signals are microbubble-specific.
At high acoustic power (MI greater than 0.5), microbubble destruction begins with emission of high intensity transient signals very rich in nonlinear components. Intermittent imaging becomes needed to allow the capillaries to be refilled with fresh microbubbles. Microbubble destruction occurs to some degree at all mechanical indices. A mechanical index from 0.8 to 1.9 creates high microbubble destruction. The output signal is unique to the contrast agent.

(m) The SI base unit of distance.
Definition: 1983 defined as the distance traveled by light in a vacuum during the time interval of 1/299 792 458 of a second.
The speed of light in a vacuum, c, is one of the fundamental constants of nature.

1 meter (m) is equal to approximately 39.370 079 inches (in)
1 meter is equal to approximately 3.280 840 feet (ft)
1 meter is equal to approximately 1.093 613 3 yard (yd)
1 square meter (m²) is equal to approximately 10.763911 square feet (ft²)
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
Smaller or larger units are, e.g.:
1 (m) = 1 000 millimeter (mm)
1 kilometer (km) = 1 000 (m)
1 kilometer (km) = 0.62137 (statute) miles (mi)

See also system international.

From GE Healthcare;;
Optison is the first 'second generation USCA' marketed in the US.
Ultrasound contrast agents used during an ultrasound imaging procedure, enable more accurate diagnosis of the patient's heart condition. The application of Optison allows to image the endocardial borders of the heart, to see cardiac wall motion abnormalities and to guide the selection and monitoring of treatment.
Optison represents a class of microbubbles with a shell formed by sonicating a solution of capsules filled with a perfluoropropane gas. The high molecular weight slows microbubble dissolution and prolongs the enhancement for several minutes. The human albumin-stabilized cavitation bubbles have a surface tension of 0.9 N/m and a surface dilatational viscosity 0.08 msP.

'August 06, 2001 Molecular Biosystems Inc., a subsidiary of Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp, announced the amendment of the Optison Product Rights Agreement (OPRA) dated May 9, 2000 with Mallinckrodt Inc, a unit of Tyco Healthcare. Optison, an intravenous ultrasound contrast agent, was developed by MBI and is being marketed by Mallinckrodt in the U.S. and Europe. Under the amended agreement, MBI will receive an immediate cash payment plus additional unspecified royalties for a two-year period. The amendment of OPRA coincides with an announcement by Nycomed Amersham Imaging that Nycomed and Mallinckrodt will terminate their joint commercialization and development agreement for ultrasound contrast agents, including Optison, effective Dec. 31, 2001. Effective Jan. 1, 2002, all selling and marketing activities will be resumed solely by Nycomed Amersham.'

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'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.'
'According to BioSpace, Tom Feldman, ex-CEO of Point BioMedical, the company's lead investor, Vendanta Capital has chosen not to follow through with the second half of its $50 million private equity financing. Point BioMedical has withdrawn the new drug application for its molecular imaging agent CARDIOsphere and is liquidating its assets to avoid a formal bankruptcy proceeding in 2008.'