Apparatus, systems, and methods for epicardial imaging and injection

A system for injecting one or more agents into tissue within a patient's body, comprising:

• a. a catheter comprising:
• i. a tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end sized for introduction into a patient's body, and one or more lumens extending between the proximal and distal ends;
• ii. a needle guide extending distally beyond the distal end to a distal tip, the needle guide having a cross-section smaller than the distal end and being biased to a curved shape, the needle guide including a passage communicating from a first lumen of the tubular member to an outlet at the distal tip;
• iii. an imaging assembly on the distal end configured to acquire images of tissue adjacent the needle guide distal tip;
• and
• b. a needle device disposed within the passage of the needle guide and movable from a retracted position wherein a needle tip of the needle device is disposed within the passage and an advanced position wherein the needle tip is deployed from the outlet.

A method for imaging tissue structures within a patient's body,

• comprising:
• introducing a distal end of a catheter into a pericardial space adjacent the patient's heart;
• deploying a curved delivery guide extending from the distal end of the catheter such that a foot on the delivery guide is oriented transversely relative to the distal end;
• manipulating the catheter such a substantially atraumatic surface of the foot contacts the heart wall;
• and
• acquiring one or more images of the foot and adjacent tissue to identify a target location on the heart wall.