RADIOPAC MARKERS OF CALCIUM CARBONATE POLYPROPYLENE FOR COLONIC TRANSIT TIME DIAGNOSIS

摘要

The present invention relates to the manufacture of a radiopaque marker consisting of a calcium carbonate loaded polypropylene composite for use in the diagnosis of intestinal constipation. Constipation is a chronic problem that affects many patients worldwide and can be defined as any difficulty in performing defecation, requiring greater effort than usual. One of the previous assessments of constipation treatment includes the study of colonic transit time which is performed using imported barium sulfate-doped polyvinyl or polyethylene radiopaque markers that attribute radiopacity to the material. However, this material has a high cost and the possibility of obtaining national technology radiolabels obtained from lower cost materials such as polypropylene and calcium carbonate may provide the use of these radiolabels by the low income population. Polypropylene is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic polymer and considered one of the lightest, has an apolar structure, is chemically inert and is only susceptible to dissolution by nonpolar solvents. Calcium carbonate is an inorganic material, abundant in nature, biocompatible, bioactive, with radiopacity and low cost. Due to these characteristics, they have the potential to be used to obtain a radiopaque composite to measure colonic transit time in the diagnosis of intestinal constipation.