Catheter with ultrasound transducer and variable focus lens used in aneurysm assessment

A method of viewing a tissue of interest inside of a patient, the method comprising:

• placing a catheter having ultrasonic capability so that an end thereof is situated at or near a tissue of interest, the catheter having at least one ultrasound transducer for transmitting ultrasound waves at least substantially along a longitudinal axis in a generally forward direction relative to the end, and for receiving resultant echoes of the ultrasound waves reflected by the tissue of interest, a variable-focus lens system capable of variably focusing the ultrasound waves emitted by the transducer at various positions, optionally, a mirror located so that the emitted ultrasound waves from the lens system are either reflected from the mirror and focused at a position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• or the emitted ultrasound waves from the lens system substantially bypass the mirror in unreflected form and are focused at a position downstream of the transducer, the lens system and the mirror in the generally forward direction along the longitudinal axis, and imaging means for translating the received echoes of the ultrasound waves reflected by the tissue of interest into images and communicating the images to an operator or device so as to be viewable;
• transmitting ultrasound waves from the transducer;
• variably focusing the emitted ultrasound waves with the lens system at various positions of the tissue of interest;
• and
• receiving the resultant echoes of the ultrasound waves;
• and
• translating the received echoes of the ultrasound waves into images and communicating the images to an operator or device.

A method of monitoring, during a surgical intervention, the placement of one or more vaso-occlusive wire coils in a blood vessel aneurysm , the method comprising:

• placing a catheter having both ultrasound capability and coil delivery capability inside a blood vessel at least near to an aneurysm, the catheter including (i) a variable-focus lens system for variably focusing ultrasound waves at various positions, (ii) optionally, a mirror for selectively reflecting the ultrasound waves to a target position, (iii) means for translating received echoes of the ultrasound waves reflected by the aneurysm and blood vessel into images and communicating such images to a device or operator, (iv) means for measuring blood flow velocity and blood flow pattern in a blood vessel and/or an aneurysm associated with the blood vessel, and(v) means for delivering one or more coils into the cavity of the aneurysm;
• providing ultrasound waves via at least one transducer;
• variably focusing ultrasound waves via the lens system at various positions of the blood vessel and aneurysm cavity;
• and
• receiving, via the at least one transducer, information relative to resultant echoes of the ultrasound waves and blood velocity measurements;
• and
• translating received information into output and communicating the output to a device or operator so to enable the monitoring of a coil placement.