Internal ultrasound assembly with port for fluid injection
AssigneeMuffin Incorporated
InventorsPeter S. McKinnis, Yun Zhou, Sarah Robbins, Neal E. Fearnot
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There are disclosed embodiments of devices and methods for imaging the inside of a body part, particularly a blood vessel. In particular embodiments, a catheter has a tip chamber, within which is an ultrasound transducer mounted on a pivot mechanism, a motor for turning the transducer, and an implement for pivoting the transducer. Examples of such an implement are a linear motor, a shaft or filament, and the pivot mechanism may be biased to return to a base position when the implement is not pivoting the transducer. In other embodiments, a mirror reflecting ultrasound signals from the transducer may be rotated and/or pivoted, using similar mechanisms.
Claims24
An apparatus for ultrasound procedures, comprising:
- a transducer for emitting and/or receiving ultrasound signals, the transducer being within a chamber, the chamber defined at least partially by a wall forming an acoustic window for transmission of ultrasound signals;
- an injection port communicating with the chamber adapted for passing coupling media through and into the chamber, and
- an exhaust port communicating with the chamber through which gas within the chamber can be exhausted from the chamber when coupling media is inserted into the chamber.
A method of preparing a device for ultrasound procedures, comprising:
- injecting a coupling medium into a sealed chamber, the chamber defined at least partially by a wall forming an acoustic window for transmission of ultrasound signals, the chamber having within it a transducer for emitting and/or receiving ultrasound signals, the chamber having an exhaust port in fluid communication with the chamber through which gas within the chamber can be evacuated,
- wherein the injecting includes moving the coupling medium through an injection port that communicates with the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.