Imaging transducer assembly

• US 20060106314A1
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Ostrovsky, Isaac
• Granted Patent: US 8,506,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4461 Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed towards an imaging transducer assembly. Generally, the imaging transducer assembly is combined with a sensor of a medical positioning system. In one aspect, the transducer assembly and the sensor share the same voltage source. In another aspect of the invention, the sensor surrounds a portion of the imaging transducer assembly, forming a housing that reinforces the assembly.

Claims

1. An imaging catheter having distal and proximal ends and a lumen, comprising:

an imaging transducer assembly located within the lumen of a distal portion of the catheter, the imaging transducer assembly including an imaging transducer; and

a sensor electrically coupled to the imaging transducer in parallel within the lumen, the sensor adapted to communicate with a medical positioning system.

2. The imaging catheter of claim 1, wherein the imaging transducer assembly comprises an acoustic lens coupled with a layer of piezoelectric crystal, the piezoelectric crystal being coupled with a backing material.

3. The imaging catheter of claim 2, wherein the backing material comprises a tungsten material.

4. The imaging catheter of claim 1, wherein the catheter includes a driveshaft proximal to the imaging transducer assembly, and the sensor comprises a conductive material surrounding the driveshaft to form a housing around the driveshaft.

5. The imaging catheter of claim 2, wherein the sensor includes an insulated conductive wire wrapped around the driveshaft to form a coil shape.

6. The imaging catheter of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an antenna portion having first and second terminals.

7. The imaging catheter of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first and second terminals is insulated from the lumen.

8. The imaging catheter of claim 6, wherein the imaging transducer and the sensor share the first and second terminals.

9. The imaging catheter of claim 6, wherein the imaging transducer assembly has a first and second transducer terminal, the first transducer terminal being coupled to a first wire and the second transducer terminal being coupled to a second wire, the imaging transducer assembly and the sensor are coupled to the first and second terminals, the first wire is coupled with one of the first and second terminals and the second wire is coupled with the other of the first and second terminals.

10. The imaging catheter of claim 9, wherein the first wire is a center wire of a coaxial cable and the second wire is an outer wire of the coaxial cable.

11. The imaging catheter of claim 9, wherein the first wire is one wire of a cable with twisted pair wires and the second wire is the other wire of the cable with twisted pair wires.

12. The imaging catheter of claim 6, wherein the first terminal is coupled to a first wire and the second terminal is coupled to a second wire, the imaging transducer assembly and the sensor are coupled to the first and second terminals, the first wire is coupled with one of the first and second terminals and the second wire is coupled with the other of the first and second terminals.

13. The imaging catheter of claim 12, wherein the first wire is a center wire of a coaxial cable and the second wire is an outer wire of the coaxial cable.

14. The imaging catheter of claim 12, wherein the first wire is one wire of a cable with twisted pair wires and the second wire is the other wire of the cable with twisted pair wires.

15. The imaging catheter of claim 1, further comprising:

a coaxial cable having an inner wire and an outerwire;

a non-conductive epoxy surrounding the coaxial cable; and

a drive shaft surrounding the non-conductive epoxy;

wherein the sensor comprises an insulated conductive wire wrapped around at least a distal portion of the drive shaft, the conductive wire having a first and second wire terminal, wherein at least one of the first and second wire terminals is coupled to the outer wire of the coaxial cable and the other of the first and second wire terminals coupled to the inner wire of the coaxial cable; and

wherein the imaging transducer assembly comprises;

a backing material coupled to the outer wire of the coaxial cable;

a piezoelectrical crystal coupled to the backing material; and

an acoustic lens coupled to the piezoelectrical crystal and coupled to the inner wire of the coaxial cable.

16. A medical imaging system comprising:

a medical positioning system; and

an imaging device adapted to be inserted into a lumen of a body, the imaging device including;

a catheter having distal and proximal ends and a lumen;

an imaging transducer assembly located within the lumen of a distal portion of the catheter, the imaging transducer assembly including an imaging transducer; and

a sensor electrically coupled to the imaging transducer in parallel within the lumen of the catheter, the sensor adapted to communicate with the medical positioning system.

17. The medical imaging system of claim 16, wherein the imaging transducer assembly comprises an acoustic lens coupled with a layer of piezoelectric crystal, the piezoelectric crystal being coupled with a backing material.

18. The medical imaging system of claim 16, wherein the catheter includes a driveshaft proximal to the imaging transducer assembly, and the sensor comprises a conductive material surrounding the driveshaft to form a housing around the driveshaft.

19. The medical imaging system of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes an antenna portion having first and second terminals.

20. The medical imaging system of claim 19, wherein the imaging transducer and the sensor share the first and second terminals.

21. The medical imaging system of claim 19, wherein the imaging transducer assembly has a first and second transducer terminal, the first transducer terminal being coupled to a first wire and the second transducer terminal being coupled to a second wire, the imaging transducer assembly and the sensor are coupled to the first and second terminals, the first wire is coupled with one of the first and second terminals and the second wire is coupled with the other of the first and second terminals.

22. The medical imaging system of claim 21, wherein the first wire is a center wire of a coaxial cable and the second wire is an outer wire of the coaxial cable.

23. The medical imaging system of claim 22, wherein the first wire is one wire of a cable with twisted pair wires and the second wire is the other wire of the cable with twisted pair wires.