# US 2017/0281133 A1 · Position sensing in intravascular imaging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0281133 A1 - Document ID: US20170281133A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/629,988 - Filed: 2017-06-22 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2013-12-30 - Assignees: ACIST Medical Systems, Inc. - Applicants: ACIST Medical Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Jason F. Hiltner; Robert F. Wilson; Sidney D. Nystrom - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170281133A1 ## CPC - A61B 8/4254: {using sensors mounted on the probe} - A61B 5/0066: {Optical coherence imaging} - A61B 5/0084: {for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters (A61B5/1459 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/066: {Superposing sensor position on an image of the patient, e.g. obtained by ultrasound or x-ray imaging} - A61B 5/743: {Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots} - A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters - A61B 8/4263: {using sensors not mounted on the probe, e.g. mounted on an external reference frame} - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 5/02007: {Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance} - A61B 8/0891: {for diagnosis of blood vessels} - A61B 8/445: {Details of catheter construction} - A61B 8/4483: {characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer} - A61B 8/461: {Displaying means of special interest} - A61B 8/5207: {involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image} - A61B 2090/0811: {for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument} - A61B 2090/3735: {Optical coherence tomography [OCT]} - A61B 2090/3782: {transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An intravascular imaging system can include a catheter, a position sensor, and an intravascular imaging engine for receiving information from the catheter and the position sensor. The position sensor can include a reference element and a movable element, which can have a movable element position that is correlated to the position of an imaging transducer in the catheter. The relative position between the movable element and a reference element can be determined and can correspond to the relative movement of the transducer within a patient's vasculature. The imaging engine can receive position information from the position sensor and image information from the catheter and generate a display using the received information. Because relative movement of the transducer can be determined, spatial relationships between sets of imaging data can be determined, and image data from multiple transducer locations can be combined into one image. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-36. (canceled) ### Claim 37 An intravascular system comprising: an intravascular imaging catheter including a drive cable having a proximal end and a distal end, a transducer located in a transducer position near the distal end of the drive cable, a sheath through which the drive cable extends, and an anchor portion; a translation mechanism including an interface element configured to engage the drive cable of the intravascular imaging catheter and a translation element configured to engage and translate the interface element, the translation element of the translation mechanism including a groove configured to engage the anchor portion of the catheter to secure the anchor portion and the sheath of the catheter to the translation element such that translation of the interface element relative to the translation element causes the drive cable and transducer to move through the sheath; a position sensor including a movable element and a reference element, the movable element having a movable element position that is correlated to the transducer position and the reference element being positioned at or near the groove in the translation element of the translation mechanism, the position sensor being configured to measure the movable element position relative to a position of the reference element; and an intravascular imaging engine coupled to the intravascular imaging catheter, the intravascular imaging engine being configured to receive image information from the intravascular imaging catheter and position information from the position sensor and to generate a display based on the image information and the position information. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The intravascular system of claim 37, wherein the movable element of the position sensor is positioned on the interface element of the translation mechanism. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The intravascular system of claim 37, wherein the movable element of the position sensor is positioned on the catheter. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The intravascular system of claim 37, wherein the image information and the position information comprise: a first set of image information and position information corresponding to a first movable element position, and a second set of image information and position information corresponding to a second movable element position that differs from the first movable element position. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) The intravascular system of claim 37, wherein the interface element comprises a rotation mechanism configured to interface with the drive cable of the catheter and to rotate the transducer. ### Claim 42 (depends on 37) The intravascular system of claim 37, wherein the translation mechanism is motorized for automatic translation. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The intravascular system of claim 42, wherein the intravascular imaging engine is configured to instruct the translation mechanism to translate the transducer a predetermined amount based on feedback position information received from the position sensor. ### Claim 44 (depends on 37) The intravascular system of claim 37, wherein the translation mechanism includes a damping mechanism configured to facilitate smooth translation of the intravascular imaging catheter's transducer. ### Claim 45 (depends on 37) The intravascular system of claim 37, wherein the position sensor comprises at least one of a potentiometer or an encoder. ### Claim 46 (depends on 37) The intravascular system of claim 37, wherein the intravascular imaging engine includes a user interface configured to present the generated display to a user and to receive an input from the user, the generated display including a cross-sectional IVUS image comprising image information corresponding to one longitudinal location, and a longitudinal IVUS image comprising image data from a plurality of longitudinal locations, and wherein the input comprises a selection of a longitudinal location from the longitudinal IVUS image, and the displayed cross-sectional IVUS image corresponds to the selected longitudinal location. ### Claim 47 A method for operating an intravascular imaging system that includes (i) a catheter having a drive cable including a proximal end and a distal end, a transducer located in a transducer position near the distal end of the drive cable, a sheath through which the drive cable extends, and an anchor portion, (ii) a position sensor including a movable element and a reference element, and (iii) a motorized translation mechanism including a motor capable of receiving commands for translating the transducer of the catheter within the sheath and a groove for interfacing with the anchor portion of the catheter to hold the sheath in place while the drive cable is moved therethrough, the reference element of the position sensor being located at or near the groove in the motorized translation mechanism, the method comprising: receiving a command to move the transducer a predetermined amount; while the anchor portion of the catheter is secured to the groove in the translation mechanism, translating the transducer through the sheath by the predetermined amount via the motorized translation mechanism while receiving position information from the position sensor, the position information being used as a feedback signal for automatically controlling the translation distance of the transducer through the sheath and comprising a movable element position relative to the position of the reference element at or near the groove in the translation mechanism, the movable element position being correlated to a position of the catheter's transducer; while moving the transducer through the sheath, receiving image information from the catheter at a plurality of transducer positions based on an imaging function performed with the catheter in a patient's blood vessel, the received image information having corresponding position information based on position information received at or near the plurality of transducer positions; and generating a display based on the image information and the position information. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein the steps of receiving the image information and the position information comprise: receiving a first set of image information and position information corresponding to a first movable element position, and receiving a second set of image information and position information corresponding to a second movable element position that differs from the first movable element position. ### Claim 49 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein the imaging function comprises IVUS imaging. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49, wherein generating the display comprises generating a longitudinal image of the patient's blood vessel. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The method of claim 50, wherein the generated display comprises a longitudinal image and a cross-sectional image, and wherein generating the display further comprises receiving, via a user interface, a selection of a location in the longitudinal image and displaying a cross-sectional image corresponding to the selected location. ### Claim 52 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein the translation mechanism includes a damping mechanism configured to facilitate smooth translation of the transducer. ### Claim 53 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein receiving position information comprises receiving information from a potentiometer. ### Claim 54 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein receiving position information comprises receiving information from an encoder. ### Claim 55 An intravascular imaging system, comprising: an intravascular imaging catheter comprising a drive cable having a distal end and a proximal end, a transducer located at or near the distal end of the drive cable, a sheath through with the drive cable extends, and an anchor portion; an interface element configured to engage the drive cable of the intravascular imaging catheter; a translation element configured to facilitate translation of the interface element; a position sensor including a movable element and a reference element, the movable element having a movable element position that is correlated to the transducer position, the position sensor being configured to measure the movable element position relative to a position of the reference element; wherein the translation element includes a groove configured to engage the anchor portion of the intravascular imaging catheter such that when the anchor portion of the catheter is engaged with the groove and the interface element engages the drive cable of the intravascular imaging catheter, motion of the interface element relative to the groove of the translation element causes the drive cable to move through the sheath; the reference element of the position sensor is positioned on or near the groove of the translation element; and the movable element of the position sensor is positioned on an element that translates relative to the groove as the interface element moves via the translation element. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) The intravascular system of claim 55, wherein the translation element comprises a base and a cradle that is translationally coupled to the base and is configured to mate with the interface element. ### Claim 57 (depends on 56) The intravascular system of claim 56, wherein the groove of the translation element is positioned on the base of the translation element. ### Claim 58 (depends on 55) The intravascular system of claim 55, wherein the translation element comprises a motor configured to move the interface element relative to the groove in the translation element such that the drive cable moves within the sheath.