Systems and methods for making and using a steerable imaging system configured and arranged for insertion into a patient

A medical imaging assembly comprising:

• an elongated sheath having a proximal end, an open distal end, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the sheath defines a lumen that extends to the open distal end;
• an imaging core shaft at least partially disposed in the lumen, the imaging core shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the distal end of the imaging core shaft comprises a shape memory region;
• a sealed imaging core disposed at the distal end of the imaging core shaft, wherein the imaging core is configured and arranged for extending outward from the open distal end of the sheath, wherein when the shape memory region of the imaging core shaft is at least partially extended from the distal end of the sheath, the shape memory region is configured and arranged to bend axially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sheath such that the longitudinal axis of the sheath is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the imaging core, the imaging core comprising
• an imaging core magnet disposed at a location in the imaging core, the imaging core magnet configured and arranged to rotate at a target frequency by generation of a magnetic field at the location of the imaging core magnet,
• at least one transducer configured and arranged for transforming applied electrical signals to acoustic signals, transmitting the acoustic signals, receiving corresponding echo signals, and transforming the received echo signals to electrical signals, and
• a mirror comprising a reflective surface, the mirror configured and arranged for reflecting acoustic signals transmitted from the at least one transducer and corresponding echo signals, wherein the mirror is coupled to the imaging core magnet such that rotation of the imaging core magnet causes a corresponding rotation of the mirror;
• an imaging core shaft rotator configured and arranged to rotate the imaging core shaft such that, when the imaging core is at least partially extended from the open distal end of the sheath, rotation of the imaging core shaft causes a corresponding radial rotation of the imaging core about the longitudinal axis of the sheath, the imaging core shaft rotator comprising a plurality of rotatable imaging core shaft magnets fixedly disposed over a portion of the imaging core shaft;
• and
• at least one transducer conductor electrically coupled to the at least one transducer and in electrical communication with the proximal end of the catheter.