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US 5,634,464 AGranted
Method and apparatus for ultrasound imaging and atherectomy
AssigneeCardiovascular Imaging Systems, Inc.
InventorsYue-Teh Jang, Axel F. Brisken
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A catheter for ultrasonic imaging has a transducer fixed to a cutter. The transducer is moved longitudinally within an artery while in a fixed radial position. Ultrasonic reflections are received and processed to display a planer or rectangular field of view image area of the artery. Other axial planes of the artery can be imaged by radially turning the transducer to a different angular orientation within the artery and then longitudinally moving the transducer to obtain an image of another planer field of view.
Claims44
A catheter for ultrasonic imaging within a vessel, said catheter comprising:
- a flexible catheter body;
- a flexible drive cable disposed within the catheter body;
- a transducer housing mounted at the distal end of the catheter body, said transducer housing having a window;
- a transducer mounted on a component which can belong longitudinally advanced and retracted and which is disposed within a region at the distal end of the catheter body during ultrasonic imaging, said transducer being operably connectable to an ultrasonic transmitter, receiver, signal processing unit, and display unit so that said transducer can ultrasonically scan the vessel to create images of the vessel;
- a detector for detecting longitudinal position of the transducer and communicating said transducer position to the signal processing unit for use in constructing an image of the vessel;
- means for rapid longitudinal displacement of the transducer relative to the flexible catheter body and over a distance of greater than 5 millimeters, said longitudinal displacement occurring in a time frame small compared to that associated with the heartbeat cycle;
- and
- a releasable coupling which can be set to restrain said means for rapid longitudinal displacement and released to initiate longitudinal displacement.
5 more elements
A catheter for ultrasonic imaging within a vessel, said catheter comprising:
- a flexible catheter body;
- a flexible drive cable disposed within the catheter body;
- a transducer housing mounted at the distal end of the catheter body, said transducer housing having a window and an opening to urge a tool against a wall of the vessel;
- a transducer mounted on a component which is longitudinally advanced and retracted and which is disposed within a region at the distal end of the catheter body during ultrasonic imaging, said transducer being operably connectable to an ultrasonic transmitter, receiver, signal processing unit, and display unit so that said transducer can ultrasonically scan the vessel to create images of the vessel;
- a detector for detecting longitudinal transducer position and communicating said transducer position to the signal processing unit for use in constructing an image of the vessel;
- and
- a biasing force element for rapid longitudinal displacement of the transducer relative to the flexible catheter body and over a distance of greater than 5 millimeters, said longitudinal displacement occurring in a time frame small compared to that associated with the heartbeat cycle.
4 more elements
A catheter for ultrasonic imaging within a vessel, said catheter comprising:
- a flexible catheter body having an axis;
- a transducer housing mounted at the distal end of the catheter body and rotationally fixed relative thereto, said transducer housing having a window disposed on one side of said axis;
- and
- a transducer mounted on the transducer housing and positioned on an interior surface of the transducer housing in a region radially opposite said window, said transducer being operably connectable to an ultrasonic transmitter, receiver, signal processing unit, and display unit so that said transducer can ultrasonically scan the vessel to create images of the vessel.
1 more element
A catheter for ultrasonic imaging within a vessel, said catheter comprising:
- a flexible catheter body;
- a transducer housing mounted at the distal end of the catheter body and rotationally fixed relative thereto, said transducer housing having a window;
- and
- a transducer mounted on the transducer housing and positioned on an exterior surface of the transducer housing, said transducer being operably connectable to an ultrasonic transmitter, receiver, signal processing unit, and display unit so that said transducer can ultrasonically scan the vessel to create images of the vessel.
1 more element
A catheter for ultrasonic imaging within a vessel, said catheter comprising:
- a flexible catheter body;
- a flexible drive cable disposed within the catheter body;
- a transducer housing mounted at the distal end of the catheter body, said transducer housing having a window;
- a transducer mounted on a component which can be longitudinally advanced and retracted and which is disposed within a region at the distal end of the catheter body during ultrasonic imaging, said transducer being operably connectable to an ultrasonic transmitter, receiver, signal processing unit, and display unit so that said transducer can ultrasonically scan the vessel to create images of the vessel;
- a detector for detecting longitudinal position of the transducer and communicating said transducer position to the signal processing unit for use in constructing an image of the vessel;
- a biasing force element for rapid longitudinal displacement of the transducer relative to the flexible catheter body and over a distance of greater than 5 millimeters, said longitudinal displacement occurring in a time frame small compared to that associated with the heartbeat cycle;
- and
- a releasable coupling which can be set to restrain said biasing force element to release said biasing force element to initiate longitudinal displacement.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.