US 9,901,321 B2 · Monitoring apparatus for monitoring an ablation procedure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus (101) for monitoring an ablation procedure. The monitoring apparatus (101) comprises an ultrasound signal providing unit for providing an ultrasound signal that depends on received echo series of an object (4) that is ablated. The monitoring apparatus (101) further comprises an ablation depth determination unit (103) for determining an ablation depth from the provided ultrasound signal. The ablation depth can be determined directly from the ultrasound signal and is an important parameter while performing an ablation procedure. For example, it can be used for determining the progress of ablation within the object (4) and for determining when the ablation has reached a desired progression.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A monitoring apparatus for monitoring an ablation procedure applied to an object, the monitoring apparatus comprising:

an ultrasound signal providing unit structurally configured to provide an ultrasound signal produced by sending ultrasound pulses out to the object, to receive dynamic echo series after the ultrasound pulses have been reflected by the object, and to generate the ultrasound signal depending on the received dynamic echo series;
and
an ablation depth determination unit structurally configured to determine an ablation depth being defined by a boundary of a lesion within the object from the provided ultrasound signal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

13/142,299Filed 8 Jan 2010 · us provisional application

Priority

14 Jan 2009

Published

US 2012/0004547 A15 Jan 2012

Granted

27 Feb 2018

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

A61B 8/0858
Clinical applications: involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
A61B 8/12
Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters
A61B 8/486
Diagnostic techniques: involving arbitrary m-mode
A61B 18/1492
Probes or electrodes therefor: having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation

Monitoring apparatus for monitoring an ablation procedure

Life of this patent

Monitoring apparatus for monitoring an ablation procedure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15