Ultrasound assembly for use with a catheter
AssigneeEkos Corporation
InventorsFrederick J. Bennett, John Zhang, Gary Lichttenegger, James E. Rodriguey, Katsuro Tachibana
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a catheter system. The system comprises a catheter body having a chamber containing a low acoustic impedance medium. The catheter body includes an elongated body with an external surface and an ultrasound transducer having an external side between a first end and a second end. The ultrasound transducer is positioned over the external surface of the elongated body such that the first end is adjacent to the chamber.
Claims22
A catheter system, comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having an external surface;
- an ultrasound transducer having an external side between a first end and a second end, the ultrasound transducer positioned over the external surface of the catheter body;
- and
- a first collar positioned over the catheter body so as to at least partially define a first chamber, the first end of the ultrasound transducer being adjacent to the first chamber, the first chamber containing a low acoustic impedance medium.
A catheter system, comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having an external surface;
- first and second ultrasound transducers each having an external side between a first end and a second end, the first and second ultrasound transducer being positioned over the external surface of the catheter body;
- a first chamber adjacent to the first end of the first ultrasound transducer;
- and
- a second chamber adjacent to the second end of the second ultrasound transducer, wherein both the first and second chambers contain a medium with a low acoustic impedance.
A catheter system, comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having an external surface;
- an ultrasound transducer having an external side between a first end and a second end, the ultrasound transducer positioned over the external surface of the catheter body;
- and
- a chamber located adjacent to the first end of the ultrasound transducer and containing a medium having an acoustic impedance of 1.7 Megarayls or less.
A catheter system, comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having an external surface;
- an ultrasound transducer having an external side between a first end and a second end, the ultrasound transducer positioned over the external surface of the catheter body;
- a chamber containing a low acoustic impedance medium, the chamber being located adjacent to the first end of the ultrasound transducer;
- and
- a binding medium having an acoustic impedance of about 4-8 Megarayls positioned adjacent to the external surface of the ultrasound transducer.
A catheter system, comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having an external surface;
- an ultrasound transducer having an external side between a first end and a second end, the ultrasound transducer positioned over the external surface of the catheter body;
- a chamber containing a low acoustic impedance medium, the chamber being located adjacent to the first end of the ultrasound transducer;
- and
- a binding medium positioned adjacent to the external surface of the ultrasound transducer wherein a ratio of acoustic impedances for the binding medium adjacent to the external side relative to the low acoustic impedance medium is about 1.5 or greater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.