Opacity technology

Abstract

A catheter device comprising a chamber containing an opacity enhancing substance is disclosed. The opacity enhancing substance is in a dried or semi-dried form within the chamber of the device. Release of a liquid into the chamber suspends the substance and forms an opacity enhancing solution that is released into the lumen of the device in order to enhance the opacity of the device for imaging.

1 . A catheter device comprising:
 an elongated catheter body having a proximal end and distal end and a conduit within the catheter body; and   a mixing chamber at the proximal end of the catheter body; wherein the mixing chamber is in fluid communication with the conduit, wherein the mixing chamber is configured to allow an opacity enhancing substance in the mixing chamber to be suspended, dissolved or diluted with a liquid to form an opacity enhancing liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter device of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing chamber further comprises an opacity enhancing substance. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter device of  claim 2 , wherein the opacity enhancing substance is in a dried, semidried or concentrated liquid form. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter device of  claim 2 , wherein opacity enhancing substance is adhered to the inner surface of the chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter device of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing chamber further comprises a membrane or screen that separate the mixing chamber into two or more sections. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter device of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter device further comprises a balloon at the distal end, wherein the balloon is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber through the conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter device of  claim 2 , wherein the mixing chamber further comprises a second port for receiving the opacity enhancing substance. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter device of  claim 2 , wherein the mixing chamber is configured to create a turbulent flow to mix the opacity enhancing substance with the liquid. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter device of  claim 2 , wherein the opacity enhancing substance is selected from the group consisting of iodine compounds, barium sulfate, barium iridium, iron particles, tungsten, fluorescent dyes, gadolinium, and microbubbles. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter device of  claim 9 , wherein the iodine compound is an ionic iodine compound or a nonionic iodine compound. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter device of  claim 10 , wherein the ionic iodine compound is selected from the group consisting of diatrizoic acid, metrizoic acid, ioglicic acid, or salts thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter device of  claim 10 , wherein the non-ionic iodine compound is selected from the group consisting of iopadimol, iohexol, ioxilan, iopromide, and iodixanol. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter device of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter is selected from the group consisting of balloon catheters, vascular catheters, cardiac catheters, arterial catheters, venous catheters, neurovascular catheters, intestinal catheters, esophageal catheters, urinary catheters, and Foley catheters. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter device of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter device further comprises a stent at the distal end of the catheter body. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter device of  claim 2 , wherein the mixing chamber is configured to receive a removable and replaceable cartridge containing the opacity enhancing material. 
     
     
         16 - 27 . (canceled)