Development of biodegradable PLGA microspheres for use as ultrasound contrast agents

The authors have developed a method for producing hollow/porous poly (lactide co-glycolide) (PLGA) microcapsules with a mean size of 1 /spl mu/m by a modified double emulsion, solvent evaporation technique. Besides being biocompatible and biodegradable, these microspheres exhibit acoustic enhancements that make them useful as contrast agents for diagnostic imaging using ultrasound. Moreover, they are very stable and give a prolonged acoustic enhancement, as compared to other ultrasound contrast agents.