Visualizing catheter irrigation using schlieren images

Abstract

A system for visualizing catheter irrigation, the system includes a fluid container, a pump, a schlieren imaging assembly and a processor. The fluid container is configured to: (i) contain a first fluid, which is at least partially transparent and has a first temperature, and (ii) receive into the first fluid a catheter having one or more irrigation holes. The pump is configured to inject, through the one or more irrigation holes, a second fluid, which is at least partially transparent and has a second different temperature. The schlieren imaging assembly is configured to acquire schlieren images of turbulence occurring in the first fluid when injecting the second fluid, and the processor is configured to visualize the irrigation using the schlieren images.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.