Detecting thermal discrepancies in vessel walls

• US 20060094980A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Willerson, James T., Casscells, S. Ward
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22001 Angioplasty, e.g. PCTA
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/413 Monitoring transplanted tissue or organ, e.g. for possible rejection reactions after a transplant
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon

Abstract

An infrared, heat-sensing catheter particularly useful for identifying potentially fatal arterial plaques in patients with disease of the coronary or other arteries and its use are detailed. In one embodiment, an infrared fiberoptic system (with or without ultrasound) is employed at the tip of the catheter to locate inflamed, heat-producing, atherosclerotic plaque, which is at greater risk for rupture, fissure, or ulceration, and consequent thrombosis and occlusion of the artery. In another embodiment, a catheter with an infrared detector (with or without ultrasound) employed at its tip will likewise locate inflamed heat-producing atherosclerotic plaque. The devices and methods of the invention may be used to detect abscesses, infection, and cancerous regions by the heat such regions differentially display over the ambient temperature of immediately adjacent tissues. The methods and devices of the invention may also be used to detect regions of cooler than ambient tissue in a vessel or organ which indicate cell death, thrombosis, cell death, hemorrhage, calcium or cholesterol accumulations, or foreign materials.

Claims

1-56. -56. (canceled)

57. A system for differentiating different types of plaque in a vessel and thereby detecting vulnerable plaque in vivo, comprising:

a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end;

one or more thermal sensors at said distal end of said catheter; and

a detector coupled to said proximal end of said catheter and in communication with said one or more thermal sensors, said detector being capable of receiving thermal information from said one or more thermal sensors and differentiating the different types of plaque based upon the thermal information received.

58. The system of claim 57 further comprising an expandable member at the distal end of the catheter.

59. The system of claim 58 wherein the expandable member comprises a balloon.

60. The system of claim 59 wherein said thermal sensors comprise one or more optical fibers passing through said balloon.

61. The system of claim 57 wherein said thermal sensors comprise one or more optical fibers capable of transmitting optical radiation indicative of temperature.

62. The system of claim 57 wherein said detector is capable of determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature of up to 5°

C. above at least one adjacent vessel wall site.

63. The system of claim 57 wherein said detector is capable of determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature of at least 0.1°

C. above at least one adjacent vessel wall site.

64. The system of claim 62 wherein said detector is capable of determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature of at least 1.5°

C. above at least one adjacent vessel wall site.

62-1. The system of claim 57 wherein said detector is capable of determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature of between 0.4 to 4°

C. above at least one adjacent vessel wall site.