System for Coregistration of Optical Coherence Tomography and Angiographic X-ray Image Data

A system for associating optical coherence tomography image data with X-ray image data, comprising:

• a catheter including a lens, for acquiring optical coherence tomography images within said vessel of interest as said catheter is being retracted within said vessel in the presence of contrast agent;
• an X-ray imaging system interface for receiving,
• a first set of X-ray images of an anatomical region including said vessel of interest containing said catheter, said first set of X-ray images being acquired at points corresponding to said particular points within a heart cycle, while said catheter is stationary in said vessel, in response to a heart electrical activity representative signal and in the absence of contrast agent and
• a second set of X-ray images of an anatomical region including said vessel of interest in the absence of contrast agent as said catheter is being reinserted retracing the retraction path;
• and
• an image data processor for associating the received X-ray images and corresponding optical coherence tomography image data derived at corresponding time points within respective acquisition heart cycles.

A method for associating optical coherence tomography image data with X-ray image data, comprising the activities of:

• acquiring optical coherence tomography images within said vessel of interest at particular points within a heart cycle as a catheter is being retracted from said vessel in the presence of contrast agent;
• receiving a first set of X-ray images of an anatomical region including said vessel of interest containing said catheter, said first set of X-ray images being acquired at points corresponding to said particular points within a heart cycle, while said catheter is stationary in said vessel, in response to a heart electrical activity representative signal and in the absence of contrast agent;
• and
• associating the received X-ray images and corresponding optical coherence tomography image data derived at corresponding time points within respective acquisition heart cycles.