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US 5,439,000 AGranted
Method of diagnosing tissue with guidewire
AssigneeSpectraScience, Inc.
InventorsRichard C. Gunderson, James S. Sharrow, Jeffrey A. McBroom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a guidewire which incorporates an optical fiber and associated diagnostic apparatus for diagnosing tissue in vivo. Use of the present invention provides for diagnosis of tissue and tailoring of the therapeutic portion of the procedure to the tissue or condition identified by the guidewire and associated diagnostic apparatus.
Claims9
A method of diagnosing and treating tissue in vivo comprising the steps of:
- a) inserting a guidewire into a patient, the guidewire comprising a hollow guidewire tube having proximal and distal ends, flexible means attached to the distal end of the guidewire tube for providing flexibility at the distal end of the guidewire, the flexible means forming a hollow bore;
- and an optical fiber having proximal and distal ends, the optical fiber contained within the hollow guidewire tube and extending through the hollow bore of the flexible means to the distal end of the guidewire;
- b) advancing the distal end of the guidewire to a position proximate the tissue;
- c) illuminating the tissue with electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the optical fiber from the proximal to the distal end of the guidewire;
- d) returning electromagnetic radiation from the tissue through the optical fiber to the proximal end of the guidewire;
- and
- e) diagnosing the tissue based on the electromagnetic radiation transmitted and returned through the guidewire.
4 more elements
A method of diagnosing and treating tissue in vivo comprising the steps of:
- a) inserting a guidewire into a patient, the guidewire comprising a hollow guidewire tube having proximal and distal ends, flexible means attached to the distal end of the guidewire tube for providing flexibility at the distal end of the guidewire, the flexible means forming a hollow bore;
- and an optical fiber having proximal and distal ends, the optical fiber contained within the hollow guidewire tube and extending through the hollow bore of the flexible means to the distal end of the guidewire;
- b) advancing the distal end of the guidewire to a position proximate the tissue;
- c) illuminating the tissue with electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the optical fiber from the proximal to the distal end of the guidewire;
- d) returning electromagnetic radiation from the tissue through the optical fiber to the proximal end of the guidewire;
- e) diagnosing the tissue based on the electromagnetic radiation transmitted and returned through the guidewire;
- f) advancing a catheter over the guidewire to a position proximate the tissue;
- and
- g) treating the tissue with the catheter based on information from the diagnosing step.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.