20120134924 | Micro-Vesicles Providing Contrast To Target Tissue Electrical Property Gradients - Micro-vesicles that become acoustically sensitive in the presence of a Radio Frequency (RF) Electromagnetic (EM) field are presented. The micro-vesicles can comprise a main body having one or more affinity ligands configured to preferentially bind to a target tissue. Once bound, the micro-vesicles and the target tissue can be bathed in an RF EM field, which induces the target tissue or micro-vesicles to generate an acoustic signal. The micro-vesicles can also become receptive to acoustic energy. An acoustic therapeutic signal can be directed toward the target tissue and micro-vesicles, which causes therapeutic excitation of the micro-vesicles. The therapeutic excitation can include heating the target tissue, releasing a drug formulation, or other excitation. The disclosed techniques can be used with a high degree of precision to activate micro-vesicles local to the target tissue. | 05-31-2012 |