# US 2010/0168568 A1 · Combined Diagnostic and Therapeutic Device Using Aligned Energy Beams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0168568 A1 - Document ID: US20100168568A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/346,042 - Filed: 2008-12-30 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-30 - Assignees: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. - Inventors: John W. Sliwa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168568A1 ## CPC - A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)} - A61B 7/00: Instruments for auscultation - A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters - A61B 8/445: {Details of catheter construction} - A61N 7/022: {intracavitary} - A61B 18/02: by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques - A61B 18/18: by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves - A61B 18/20: using laser - A61B 2018/00351: {Heart} - A61B 2018/00357: {Endocardium} - A61B 2018/00613: {Irreversible electroporation} - A61B 2090/3782: {transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument} - A61B 2218/002: Irrigation - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract A device for both providing therapy to a tissue and detecting a characteristic of said tissue is provided. The device includes a deformable tubular body such as a catheter or scope. An electrode is supported by the body and configured to deliver therapeutic energy to the tissue along a first path. The electrode may, for example, be used in cardiac ablation and the therapeutic energy may comprise any common ablation energy modality including radio waves or ultrasound waves. The device further includes an acoustic transducer supported by the body and configured to receive acoustic energy along a second path. The transducer may also transmit acoustic energy. The first and second paths are aligned and may be parallel or overlap, for example. The physical relationship of the electrode and transducer and the alignment of the energy paths eliminates the need to register the spatial coordinates of the therapeutic and diagnostic elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for both providing therapy to a tissue and detecting a characteristic of said tissue, comprising: a deformable, tubular body; an electrode supported by said body and configured to deliver therapeutic energy to said tissue along a first path; and, an acoustic transducer supported by said body and configured to receive acoustic energy along a second path wherein said first path and said second path are aligned. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising an electronic control unit configured to receive a signal generated by said acoustic transducer responsive to said acoustic energy. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2 wherein said electronic control unit is further configured to determine said characteristic of said tissue responsive to said signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3 wherein said characteristic comprises a state of necrosis of said tissue. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3 wherein said electronic control unit controls delivery of said therapeutic energy responsive to said characteristic of said tissue. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2 wherein said electronic control unit is further configured to generate image data relating to said tissue responsive to said signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said therapy comprises ablation of said tissue. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said therapeutic energy comprises electromagnetic radiation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8 wherein said electromagnetic radiation comprises radio waves. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said therapeutic energy comprises acoustic energy. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10 wherein said acoustic energy comprises high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10 wherein said electrode and said acoustic transducer have a common piezoelectric layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12 wherein a portion of said common piezoelectric layer forming a part of said electrode is isolated from a portion of said common piezoelectric layer forming a part of said ultrasonic transducer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said therapeutic energy comprises thermal energy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said therapeutic energy comprises laser energy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15 wherein a reflective element alters the direction of said first path traveled by said therapeutic energy and said second path extends through said reflective element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said therapeutic energy comprises electrical energy sufficient to cause electroporation of a cell membrane in said tissue. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said second path extends through a wall of said electrode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said second path extends through an aperture in said electrode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second paths are parallel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second paths overlap. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said first path includes a portion of said second path. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said acoustic transducer is further configured to transmit acoustic energy toward said tissue along a third path and said received acoustic energy comprises a portion of said transmitted acoustic energy reflected by said tissue. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The device of claim 23 wherein said first and third paths are parallel. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The device of claim 23 wherein said first and third paths overlap. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The device of claim 23 wherein said first path includes a portion of said third path. ### Claim 27 A device for both delivering therapy to a tissue and detecting a characteristic of said tissue, comprising: a deformable, tubular body; an electrode supported by said body and configured to deliver therapeutic energy to said tissue along a first path; and, an acoustic transducer supported by said body and configured to receive acoustic energy along said first path. ### Claim 28 A device for both delivering therapy to a tissue and detecting a characteristic of said tissue, comprising: a deformable, tubular body; means, supported by said body, for delivering therapeutic energy to said tissue along a first path; and, means, supported by said body, for receiving acoustic energy along said first path.