Shock wave catheters and methods of use thereof for treating, imaging, and characterizing body lumens

A catheter for imaging and treating lesions of body lumens, comprising:

• an elongate tube;
• a shock wave emitter mounted to a distal portion of the elongate tube, the shock wave emitter configured to emit shock waves for treating a lesion in a body lumen;
• an ultrasonic transducer configured for characterizing the body lumen, the ultrasonic transducer mounted to the distal portion of the elongate tube distally of the shock wave emitter;
• and
• an enclosure enclosing the shock wave emitter.

A method for imaging and treating lesions of body lumens, comprising:

• advancing a distal portion of a catheter through a body lumen such that the distal portion is positioned proximate to a lesion of the body lumen;
• generating a shock wave by a shock wave emitter mounted to the distal portion of the catheter to treat the lesion;
• and
• following generating the shock wave, imaging the body lumen by an ultrasonic transducer mounted to the distal portion of the catheter distally of the shock wave emitter.