A medical device includes a structural element comprising an outer surface and a material on the outer surface of the structural element. The material defines void spaces containing a gas entrained within the void spaces. The material, upon contact with physiological fluid, is configured to release the gas in an amount sufficient for the gas to be imaged by ultrasound.

An apparatus for mass producing monodisperse microbubbles contains a microfluidic flow focusing device. The microfluidic flow focusing device includes a dispersed phase fluid supply channel having an outlet that discharges into a flow focusing junction, a continuous phase fluid supply channel having an outlet that discharges into the flow focusing junction, and a bubble formation channel having an inlet disposed at the flow focusing junction. The configuration of the flow focusing junction is such that, in operation, a flow of dispersed phase fluid discharging from the outlet of the dispersed phase fluid supply channel is engageable in co-flow by a focusing flow of continuous phase fluid discharging from the outlet of the at least one continuous phase fluid supply channel under formation of a gradually thinning jet of dispersed phase fluid that extends into the inlet of the bubble formation channel.

Systems and methods for treating a blood clot include a catheter to be inserted into a patient. The catheter is used to deliver low stability microbubbles toward the blood clot in the patient. A thrombolytic agent is delivered toward the blood clot, and ultrasonic energy is applied to the microbubbles to vibrate the microbubbles.

An implantable tissue marker incorporates a contrast agent sealed within a chamber in a container formed from a solid material. The contrast agent is selected to produce a change, such as an increase, in signal intensity under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An additional contrast agent may also be sealed within the chamber to provide visibility under another imaging modality, such as computed tomographic (CT) imaging or ultrasound imaging.

The invention provides nanodroplets labeled with targeting ligands that are useful in the detection and treatment of vascular thromboses (e.g., fibrin clots) and vascular plaques, or related diseases and conditions, as well as methods of preparation and use thereof.

Provided is an immune microbubble complex, and a use thereof. An immune-microbubble complex (IMC) according to the presently claimed subject matter includes microbubbles to which an antibody is conjugated, in which the microbubbles have excellent stability and excellent antibody binding strength, and it was confirmed that, when the immune-microbubble complex is treated with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), an anti-tumor effect is significantly increased and an immune-enhancing effect is exhibited. Therefore, the immune-microbubble complex according to the presently claimed subject matter is expected to increase the efficiency of delivering the conjugated antibody and be used in both diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and exhibit various functions in the field of immunotherapy, including a contrast effect, half-life improvement, improved drug delivery, a lymphocyte concentration effect, cancer immunotherapy and induction of immunotherapy using ultrasound.

A method of manufacturing a suspension of gas-filled microvesicles by reconstituting a freeze-dried product and a suspension obtained according to said method, where the freeze-dried product has been subjected to a thermal treatment.

Disclosed are a composition for magnetic ultrasound contrast agent, a magnetic ultrasound contrast agent, a magnetic microbubble ultrasound contrast agent, and a preparation method thereof. The composition for magnetic ultrasound contrast agent includes a lipid, a surfactant and a magnetic nanoparticle; the surfactant consists of a surfactant A and a surfactant B, the surfactant A is in a free state, and the surfactant B is in a bonding state and is modified on the surface of the magnetic nanoparticle; the HLB value of the surfactant A is greater than 8. The magnetic microbubble ultrasound contrast agent obtained from the composition for magnetic ultrasound contrast agent has higher stability and may meet requirements for in vivo cyclic targeted delivery, thereby achieving the local high-concentration targeted delivery of a medication.

Proposed is to provide a size-varying bubble complex and a method of preparing the same. More specifically, the size-varying bubble complex and the method of preparing the same are proposed, wherein the bubble complex is capable of being repeatedly varied in size by changing phases of perfluorocarbon by external stimuli, by including a shell that encapsulates a core made of the perfluorocarbon and protects the core by expanding and contracting together when the core expands and contracts.

This invention provides poly(alkylene carbonate)-based amphiphilic block copolymers, compositions comprising the same, e.g., micelles, and methods of use thereof. This invention further provides methods for preparing the poly(alkylene carbonate)-based amphiphilic block copolymers of the invention.