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US 8,506,492 B2Granted
Ultrasound catheter and imaging device for recording ultra-sound images
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorMichael Maschke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to an ultrasound catheter comprising a device arranged in the area of the catheter tip for ultra-sound image recording, with at least one lumen routed into the area of the catheter tip open at this end and ending adjacent to the ultrasound image recording device for issuing an ultrasound contrast means being provided.
Claims18
An ultrasonic catheter, comprising:
- a closed-ended catheter sleeve axially-extending from a proximate end to a distal closed-end of the catheter, the catheter sleeve configured for travel in a passageway defined by a blood vessel;
- an ultrasonic imaging device for generating an ultrasonic image, the ultrasonic imaging de vice arranged at a tip of the catheter, the closed-ended catheter sleeve including at least one window positioned opposite the ultrasonic imaging device to allow ultrasound signals to pass through, the ultrasonic device and said at least one window positioned to be spaced apart from the distal closed-end of the catheter;
- at least one lumen arranged in the closed-ended catheter and adjacent to the ultrasonic imaging device, said at least one lumen axially extending and fully contained within an interior space of the axially-extending closed-ended catheter sleeve to a location disposed between the closed-distal end of the catheter and the ultrasonic imaging device and said at least one window, said at least one lumen having at least one end opening at the location disposed between the distal closed-end of the catheter and the ultrasonic imaging device and said at least one window, the end opening disposed on a surface of the axially-extending closed-ended catheter sleeve at a location axially forward of the ultrasonic imaging device and said at least one window and configured to release an ultrasonic contrast agent at said axially forward location;
- an injector arranged to automatically inject the ultrasonic contrast agent into said at least one lumen;
- a computerized control device coupled to the ultrasonic imaging device and the injector, the control device configured to synchronize in a time domain an injection of the ultrasonic contrast agent with respect to a recording of the ultrasonic image.
2 more elements
An image recording device for recording at least ultrasound images, comprising:
- an ultrasonic catheter, comprising:
- a close-ended catheter sleeve axially extending from a proximate end to a distal closed-end of the catheter, the catheter sleeve configured for travel in a passageway defined by a blood vessel;
- an ultrasonic imaging device for generating an ultrasonic image, the ultrasonic imaging device arranged at a tip of the catheter, the catheter sleeve including at least one window positioned opposite the ultrasonic imaging device to allow ultrasound signals to pass through, the ultrasonic device and said at least one window positioned to be spaced apart from the distal closed-end of the catheter;
- and
- at least one lumen arranged in the catheter and adjacent to the ultrasonic imaging device, said at least one lumen axially extending and fully contained within an interior space of the close-ended catheter sleeve to a location disposed between the closed-distal end of the catheter and the ultrasonic imaging device and said at least one window, said at least one lumen having at least one end opening at the location disposed between the closed-distal end of the catheter and the ultrasonic imaging device and said at least one window, the end opening disposed on a surface of the axially-extending closed-ended catheter sleeve and located axially forward of the ultrasonic imaging device and said at least one window and arranged to release an ultrasonic contrast agent axially forward of the ultrasonic imaging device and said at least one window;
- an injector arranged to automatically inject the ultrasonic contrast agent into said at least one lumen;
- a computerized control device connected to the injector and the ultrasonic imaging device for generating and outputting the ultrasonic image, the control device further configured to synchronize in a time domain an injection of the ultrasonic contrast agent with respect to a recording of the ultrasonic image.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.