Intravascular imaging detector

• US 20060195032A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CMR Naviscan Corporation (Compania Mexicana de Radiologia CGR SA de CV)
• Original Assignee: Gamma Medica-Ideas (USA) Incorporated
• Inventors: Patt, Bradley E., Iwanczyk, Jan S., Hoffman, Edward J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/425
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4057 by using radiation sources located in the interior of the body A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/161 Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00

Abstract

An apparatus for intravascular imaging to detect and characterize early stage, unstable coronary arty plaques. The detector works by identifying and localizing plaque-binding beta-emitting radiopharmaceuticals.

Claims

1. An intravascular imaging probe comprising:

a body comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion;

an optical fiber movably disposed within the body;

an imaging plate disposed on the distal portion of the body about a distal portion of the optical fiber, wherein beta radiation is absorbed and stored as stable energy in the imaging plate; and

a laser to deliver a laser light through the optical fiber to excite the stable energy in the imaging plate so as to release light into the optical fiber.

2. The catheter of claim 1 wherein the imaging plate comprises phosphor.

3. The probe of claim 2 comprising a filter that filters the released light transmitted through the optical fiber.

4. The probe of claim 1 further comprising a concave mirror positioned at a distal end of the optical fiber that directs the laser beam and released light between the imaging plate and the optical fiber.

5. The probe of claim 1 wherein the laser light has a wavelength of 630 nanometers.

6. The probe of claim 1 wherein the released light has a wavelength of approximately 400 nanometers.