US Patent 6860856 Echogenic surface for enhanced ultasonic visibility

An improved medical device, such as a needle, has a surface which enhances the “echogenicity” or ultrasound visibility of the medical device so that the medical device can be guided inside a human body using ultrasound imaging. In one embodiment, concave slots are formed on the surface of the improved medical device to enhance the ultrasound visibility of the improved medical device. The surface of each concave slot is substantially flat in a radial cross section of the needle and curved in an axial cross section of the improved medical device.