Oscillating Phased-Array Ultrasound Imaging Catheter System
First Claim
1. An ultrasound imaging catheter, comprising:
- a catheter body having proximal and distal ends;
an acoustic window portion coupled to the distal end of the catheter body, the acoustic window portion having an interior surface;
a phased array ultrasound transducer housed within the acoustic window portion and configured so that a gap exists between the phased array ultrasound transducer and the interior surface of the acoustic window;
an acoustic coupling fluid filling the gap between the transducer array and the interior surface of the acoustic window; and
a drive motor positioned near the proximal end of the catheter body and mechanically configured and coupled to the phased array ultrasound transducer so as to rotate the phased array ultrasound transducer about its long axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dynamic ultrasound image catheter includes a catheter body with an acoustic window on the distal end, an ultrasound phased array transducer assembly configured to rotate within the acoustic window through an angle of rotation, an acoustic coupling fluid filling a gap between the transducer array and the acoustic window, and a drive motor at the proximal end of the catheter body that is configured to rotate the transducer array. The drive motor may transmit a rotational force to the ultrasound phased array transducer by a drive wire or by tension wires coupled to drive spools. A system processor coupled to the drive motor controls rotation of the transducer array and estimates the angular orientation of the transducer array. By taking ultrasound images at increments through the angle of rotation, the dynamic ultrasound image catheter can obtain images spanning a volume which can be processed to generate three-dimensional composite images.
178 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An ultrasound imaging catheter, comprising:
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a catheter body having proximal and distal ends; an acoustic window portion coupled to the distal end of the catheter body, the acoustic window portion having an interior surface; a phased array ultrasound transducer housed within the acoustic window portion and configured so that a gap exists between the phased array ultrasound transducer and the interior surface of the acoustic window; an acoustic coupling fluid filling the gap between the transducer array and the interior surface of the acoustic window; and a drive motor positioned near the proximal end of the catheter body and mechanically configured and coupled to the phased array ultrasound transducer so as to rotate the phased array ultrasound transducer about its long axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An ultrasound catheter imaging system, comprising:
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a processor; and an ultrasound imaging catheter configured to be electrically coupled to the processor, the ultrasound imaging catheter comprising; a catheter body having proximal and distal ends; an acoustic window portion coupled to the distal end of the catheter body, the acoustic window portion having an interior surface; a phased array ultrasound transducer housed within the acoustic window portion and configured so that a gap exists between the phased array ultrasound transducer and the interior surface of the acoustic window; an acoustic coupling fluid filling the gap between the transducer array and the interior surface of the acoustic window; and a drive motor mechanically positioned near the proximal end of the catheter body and configured and coupled to the phased array ultrasound transducer so as to rotate the phased array ultrasound transducer about its long axis, wherein the processor is adapted and configured to; determine a rotational orientation of the phased array ultrasound transducer at a time when ultrasound data is generated by the phased array ultrasound transducer; receive the ultrasound data from the phased array ultrasound transducer; generate an ultrasound image using the received ultrasound data; and correlate the generated ultrasound image with the determined rotational orientation of the phased array ultrasound transducer at the time when the ultrasound data was received from the phased array ultrasound transducer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A medical diagnostic kit comprising:
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a sterile package; and an ultrasound imaging catheter contained within the sterile package, the ultrasound imaging catheter comprising; a catheter body having proximal and distal ends; an acoustic window portion coupled to the distal end of the catheter body, the acoustic window portion having an interior surface; a phased array ultrasound transducer housed within the acoustic window portion and configured so that a gap exists between the phased array ultrasound transducer and the interior surface of the acoustic window; and a drive motor positioned near the proximal end of the catheter body and mechanically configured and coupled to the phased array ultrasound transducer so as to rotate the phased array ultrasound transducer about its long axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification