Appeal No. 2006-1031
Application No. 09/774,278
wherein said nanoparticles comprise at least one fluorocarbon,
said nanoparticles having been administered to said target in a non-gaseous
emulsion.
The prior art reference cited by the examiner is:
θstensen et al. (θstensen) 6,375,931 Apr. 23, 2002
Grounds of Rejection
Claims 1, 3, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 21, 25, 26, 31, 35, and 68-77 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. §102(e), as anticipated by θstensen.
Claims 1, 3, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 21, 25, 26, 31, 35, and 68-77 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. §103(a), as obvious in view of θstensen.
We reverse these rejections.
DISCUSSION
Background
According to the specification, pages 3-4, it has been discovered that
changing the temperature of nanoparticles which contain a
nongaseous fluorocarbon liquid and which are bound to a target, produces
a detectable change in acoustic reflectivity of the target. Non-targeted
regions which are adjacent to the target, but are not bound by the
nanoparticles, show little or no detectable change in acoustic reflectivity.
As a result, the temperature-dependent change in acoustic reflectivity of
site-targeted nanoparticles provides a sensitive measurement of
ultrasound reflectivity and provides enhanced contrast imaging.
In addition, (specification, page 8)
[a]ny fluorochemical liquid, i.e. a substance which is a liquid at or above
body temperature (e.g. 37°C) at atmospheric pressure, can be used to
prepare a fluorochemical emulsion of the present invention. However, for
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