Systems and methods for flushing air from a catheter of an intravascular ultrasound imaging system

A catheter assembly for an intravascular ultrasound system, the catheter assembly comprising:

• an elongated catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, the catheter defining a lumen extending along the catheter from the proximal end to the distal end, the catheter comprising a hub disposed at the proximal end of the catheter, the hub comprising a rotatable connector shaft at least partially disposed in the lumen;
• a pumping apparatus coupleable to the connector shaft, wherein rotation of the connector shaft causes a corresponding rotation of the pumping apparatus when the pumping apparatus is coupled to the connector shaft;
• a reservoir in fluid communication with the pumping apparatus, the reservoir configured and arranged for inputting an acoustically-favorable medium to the pumping apparatus;
• and
• an imaging core configured and arranged for inserting into the lumen, the imaging core comprising an imaging device coupled to a distal end of an elongated, rotatable drive member, the imaging device comprising at least one transducer mounted to the imaging device, the at least one transducer configured and arranged for transforming applied electrical signals to acoustic signals and also for transforming received echo signals to electrical signals;
• wherein the rotatable connector shaft is coupled to a proximal end of the drive member such that rotation of the connector shaft causes a corresponding rotation of the imaging core.

A method for flushing air from a catheter of an intravascular ultrasound imaging system, the method comprising:

• inserting a distal end of a catheter into a patient, the catheter defining a lumen extending along the catheter from a proximal end to a distal end, the catheter comprising a hub disposed at the proximal end of the catheter, the hub comprising a rotatable connector shaft disposed in the lumen and a pumping apparatus;
• inserting an imaging core into the lumen, the imaging core comprising an imaging device coupled to a distal end of an elongated, rotatable drive member, the imaging device comprising at least one transducer mounted to the imaging device, the drive member coupled to the connector shaft;
• providing acoustically-favorable medium to the pumping apparatus from a reservoir in fluid communication with the lumen;
• rotating the connector shaft to cause a corresponding rotation of the imaging core;
• coupling the pumping apparatus to the connector shaft to cause the pumping apparatus to rotate with the connector shaft;
• and
• pumping the acoustically-favorable medium from the hub to the imaging device using the pumping apparatus.