Methods and apparatus for in vivo identification and characterization of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques
First Claim
1. An apparatus for identifying artenal lesions as vulnerable plaques comprising:
- a light generating means for transmitting simultaneously and in parallel an incident beam of light having a wavelength range from substantially 1400 to 4100 nm;
means for directing light from said light generating means onto the lesion to be analyzed;
fiber-optic probe means for transmitting light from said light generating means to said light directing means and for receiving light scattered by said lesion;
means for detecting light simultaneously and in parallel across a full wavelength range of substantially 1400 to 4100 nm scattered by said lesion; and
means for analyzing the detected light across a full wavelength range of substantially 1400 to 4100 nm., wherein said fiber-optic probe means including a centrally located light transmitting strand and a radial array of light receiving strands concentrically positioned around said light transmitting strand, said light transmitting and receiving strands each including a distal end and said distal end of said light transmitting strand projecting beyond said distal ends of said light receiving strands by between 0.1 and 5.0 nm.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for analyzing the chemical composition of vulnerable plaques with an intravascular catheter having a near-infrared light source, a fiber-optic probe, a mechanism for directing the light from the light source into a blood vessel, and detectors for detecting light reflected or scattered by the tissue. The light source may be a tunable laser, and may transmit an incident beam having a wavelength ranging from 1400 to 4100 nm. A computer may be included to receive and process the spectral data in the analysis of the vulnerable plaques. A catheter system may be configured to provide near-IR spectrometric imaging of arteries to non-destructively locate and determine lipid pool and fibrous cap size and composition. Additionally, mediators and cellular components may be also determined that are typically associated with vulnerable plaques which have an increased risk of rupture. The lipid pool, fibrous cap, and inflammatory response may serve as an in vivo marker for vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. Methods are further provided for prospectively identifying and characterizing vulnerable plaques which may include the steps of focusing near-IR light onto a blood vessel wall; detecting the scattered light in the region; and analyzing the resulting spectra across the full preselected wavelength range, particularly in the ranges that include identifying peaks for vulnerable plaque constituents.
240 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for identifying artenal lesions as vulnerable plaques comprising:
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a light generating means for transmitting simultaneously and in parallel an incident beam of light having a wavelength range from substantially 1400 to 4100 nm;
means for directing light from said light generating means onto the lesion to be analyzed;
fiber-optic probe means for transmitting light from said light generating means to said light directing means and for receiving light scattered by said lesion;
means for detecting light simultaneously and in parallel across a full wavelength range of substantially 1400 to 4100 nm scattered by said lesion; and
means for analyzing the detected light across a full wavelength range of substantially 1400 to 4100 nm., wherein said fiber-optic probe means including a centrally located light transmitting strand and a radial array of light receiving strands concentrically positioned around said light transmitting strand, said light transmitting and receiving strands each including a distal end and said distal end of said light transmitting strand projecting beyond said distal ends of said light receiving strands by between 0.1 and 5.0 nm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of analyzing arterial lesions for vulnerable plaques comprising the steps of:
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focusing simultaneously and in parallel light having a continuous bandwidth range of within a wavelength range from approximately 1400-4100 nm on said lesion to be analyzed;
detecting simultaneously and in parallel light having wavelength within a range from approximately 1400-4100 rim scattered by said lesion; and
analyzing simultaneously and in parallel the detected light having said bandwidth range within a wavelength range from approximately 1400-4100 nm, and in particular analyzing light within a range known to exhibit identifying peaks for vulnerable plaque markers. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method of in vivo identification and characterization of vulnerable plaque within the arterial wall with a fiber-optic probe, comprising the steps of:
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introducing said probe into an artery;
focusing simultaneously and in parallel light having a continuous bandwidth range within a wavelength range from substantially 1400-4100 nm on said arterial endothelium to be analyzed;
detecting simultaneously and in parallel light having said continuous bandwidth range within a wavelength range from substantially 1400-4100 nm as scattered by said arterial endothelium; and
analyzing simultaneously and in parallel the detected light having said continuous bandwidth range within a wavelength range from substantially 1400-4100 nm for identification of vulnerable plaque markers. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A near-IR catheter for characterizing arterial lesions as vulnerable plaques comprising:
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a tunable laser for transmitting an incident beam of light having a bandwidth range of approximately 10 nm within a wavelength range from substantially 1400 to 4100 nm;
a catheter body formed with a fiber optic probe having a first bundle of at least one optical fiber in communication with said tunable laser for directing light from said tunable laser onto the lesion to be analyzed and a second bundle of at least one optical fiber for receiving light scattered in the proximity of said lesion;
a detector in communication with said second bundle for receiving light scattered within a selected water window to detect near-IR spectra indicative of vulnerable plaque constituents; and
means for analyzing the detected light to characterize the near-IR spectra in comparison to a predetermined spectra of known vulnerable plaque constituents.
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Specification