Medical imaging device
AssigneeSciMed Life Systems, Inc.
InventorRobert J. Crowley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A medical device for creating images of tissue within a body includes a disposable liquid-confining sheath supporting an elongate flexible drive shaft which carries an imaging device such as a ultrasound transducer. The device may include a trocar adapted to receive the sheath, the trocar permitting the device to be inserted into the body where no natural passageway exists, the trocar having a side-facing region adapted to maintain registry with the imaging device while the imaging device rotates. In another embodiment, the drive shaft includes an outer coil that is configured such that when the drive shaft is driven in the direction tending to decrease the diameter of the outer coil, the outer surface of the outer coil pressurizes liquid distally of the outer surface. The device optionally includes an inflatable balloon.
Claims25
An apparatus for detection of cancerous tumors in tissue having no natural passageway, comprising:
- an imaging device supported on an end of a rotatable drive shaft, the imaging device adapted to transmit energy toward the tissue;
- a fluid-confining sheath adapted to receive the imaging device;
- and
- a trocar adapted to receive the sheath, the trocar having a side-facing region adapted to maintain registry with the imaging device while the imaging device rotates, the side-facing region permitting the passage of the energy transmitted by the imaging device, enabling the imaging device to form images of tissue into which the trocar has been inserted.
A method for detection of cancerous tumors in tissue having no natural passageway, the method comprising:
- providing an imaging device supported on the end of a rotatable drive shaft and a fluid-confining sheath adapted to receive the imaging device, in combination with a trocar adapted to receive the sheath, the trocar having a side-facing region permitting the passage of the energy transmitted by the imaging device, the side-facing region adapted to maintain registry with the imaging device while the imaging device rotates, enabling the imaging device to form images of tissue into which the trocar has been forced, and
- while observing images from the imaging device, advancing the imaging device into the tissue.
A medical device for imaging body tissue having no natural passageway, the medical device comprising:
- an elongated trocar body adapted to enter into the body tissue having no natural passageway;
- an imaging device enclosed within the elongated trocar body, the imaging device constructed to transmit energy toward the body tissue;
- a distal portion of the elongated trocar body comprising a material transparent to the energy transmitted by the imaging device toward the body tissue;
- and
- the imaging device being axially translatable relative to the distal portion of the elongated trocar body and having at least one axial position in which the energy from the imaging device passes through the distal portion of the elongated trocar body to the body tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.