Atherectomy guidance through photoacoustic signal analysis

A laser atherectomy apparatus comprising:

• an atherectomy laser device coupled to an ultrasound imaging probe to perform an endoscopic atherectomy procedure within a vessel at a therapeutic region for an anatomical condition by use of an atherectomy laser device;
• the atherectomy laser device configured to perform a first function using a primary light source to perform tissue ablation for the anatomical condition, and a second function using a secondary light source to generate a plurality of photoacoustic signals for one or more pulsed wavelengths within the vessel at the therapeutic region;
• a display configured to present photoacoustic images based on photoacoustic signals generated by the atherectomy laser device's secondary light source that provides user guidance of the atherectomy laser device by viewing the photoacoustic images of the atherectomy laser device operating within the vessel and anatomical features surrounding the atherectomy laser device at the therapeutic region;
• and
• in response to the atherectomy laser device's movement in the vessel to within a close distance to the anatomical condition, the atherectomy laser device configured to enable an automatic switch from a B-mode of the display of displaying a broader field of view (FOV) of the therapeutic region to a photoacoustic mode of the display for displaying a narrower FOV of the therapeutic region.

An atherectomy system comprising an atherectomy laser device in communication with an ultrasound imaging probe to display photoacoustic images of an atherectomy procedure, the system comprising:

• the atherectomy laser device coupled with an ultrasound imaging probe and configured with a primary light source and a secondary light source to perform the atherectomy procedure by simultaneous or individual use of the primary light source for tissue ablation of an anatomical condition at a therapeutic region discovered in the atherectomy procedure, and by use of a secondary light source to generate a plurality of photoacoustic signals of one or more pulsed wavelengths within the vessel at the therapeutic region which is monitored by the ultrasound imaging probe to create photoacoustic images based on acoustic waves which emanate from photoacoustic signals;
• wherein the atherectomy laser device is configured to communicate with the ultrasound imaging probe, and the ultrasound imaging probe is coupled to a display to view photoacoustic images of the atherectomy procedure wherein the photoacoustic signals are generated by the atherectomy laser device's secondary light source and provide user guidance from the view on the display of photoacoustic images in real-time of operations of an atherectomy laser device's movement and tissue ablation within the vessel at the therapeutic region during the atherectomy procedure;
• and
• in response to the atherectomy laser device's movement in the vessel to within a close distance to the anatomical condition, the display configured to automatically switch from a display in a B-mode of the ultrasound imaging probe to display a broader field of view (FOV) of the therapeutic region to a display in a photoacoustic mode of the ultrasound imaging probe to display a narrower FOV of the therapeutic region.