Echogenic devices, material and method

摘要

Echogenic medical devices and methods of fabrication and of use are disclosed. The devices are adapted to be inserted into a patient. The device includes an elongated member (1502) including a material (1503) having an acoustic impedance different from that of the surrounding medium. The medium includes surrounding biological tissue or fluids surrounding the member (1502) when inserted into a passageway of the patient. The acoustic impedance of the elongated member (1502) is sufficiently different from the surrounding medium for enhancing an image produced in response to a sonic beam produced from imaging equipment. The elongated member (1502) also includes an interface layer (1506) of a high density metal (1510) of which the deposition on the base material (1503) of the member (1502) is ion beam assisted. The interface layer (1506) includes an outside surface (1507) having a plurality of particulate-type, discontinuous curved surfaces (1511,1708) of partially spherical indentations (1709) formed therein or spheres (1508) extending therefrom. The difference between the acoustic impedances of the interface layer (1506) and the surrounding medium along with the discontinuous surfaces (1511,1708) of the interface layer (1506) cooperate in response to a beam from sonic imaging equipment to significantly enhance the image of the medical device member.