Wall-Contacting Intravascular Ultrasound Probe Catheters

• US 20090024040A1
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Prescient Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Prescient Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Cespedes, Eduardo Ignacio
• Application Number:
  US12/137,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20090024040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/467
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• 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 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00

Abstract

The present invention provides intravascular diagnostic catheters that include one or more wall-contacting/wall-approaching probes including IVUS probe elements and diagnostic systems including such catheters, for the evaluation and diagnosis of blood vessels. Also provided are intravascular catheters in which the wall-contacting/wall-approaching probes further include an optical probe element and systems including such catheters, for combined IVUS and optical analysis of a blood vessel wall.

Claims

1. An intravascular diagnostic catheter, comprising:

a proximal end and a distal insertion end; and

a basket section disposed at or near the distal insertion end, said basket section comprising at least two radially extendable wall-approaching probe arms each including a wall-approaching portion,

wherein each of at least two of the probe arms comprises a laterally-viewing ultrasound transducer within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the catheter is sized and configured for evaluating human coronary arteries or human carotid arteries.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer operates at 20 MHz or above.

4. An intravascular diagnostic catheter, comprising:

a proximal end and a distal insertion end; and

a basket section disposed at or near the distal insertion end, said basket section comprising at least two radially extendable wall-approaching probe arms each including a wall-approaching portion,

wherein each of at least two of the probe arms comprises a laterally-viewing high-frequency ultrasound transducer within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm and a laterally-viewing optical element within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm.

5. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the catheter is sized and configured for evaluating human coronary arteries or human carotid arteries.

6. The catheter of claim 4, wherein

the laterally viewing high-frequency ultrasound transducer is operably connected to at least one wire running from the proximal end of the catheter to the transducer;

and

the laterally-viewing optical element is operably connected to at least one optical fiber running from the proximal end of the catheter to the optical element.

7. An intravascular diagnostic catheter, comprising:

a proximal end and a distal insertion end; and

at least one radially extendable probe arm disposed at or near the distal insertion end including a wall-approaching portion,

wherein the at least one radially extendable probe arm comprises a high-frequency ultrasound transducer within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm and an optical probe element within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm.

8. The catheter of claim 7, wherein the at least one radially extendable probe arm comprises at least two radially extendable probe arms.

9. The catheter of claim 7, wherein

the high-frequency ultrasound transducer is operably connected to at least one wire running from the proximal end of the catheter to the transducer;

and

the optical probe element is operably connected to at least one optical fiber running from the proximal end of the catheter to the optical element.

10. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the at least one radially extendable probe arm comprises at least two radially extendable probe arms.

11. An intravascular interrogation system, comprising:

an intravascular catheter according to claim 7;

a power source operably connected to the ultrasound transducer;

an ultrasound signal analyzer;

a laser source in optical communication with the optical probe element; and

a Raman spectrometer in optical communication with the optical probe element.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one radially extendable probe arm comprises at least two radially extendable probe arms.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the catheter is sized and configured for evaluating human coronary arteries or human carotid arteries.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the catheter is a basket catheter comprising a basket section which comprises the probe arms.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the catheter is sized and configured for evaluating human coronary arteries or human carotid arteries.

17. A method for evaluating the wall of a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing an intravascular catheter including at least one radially extendable wall-approaching probe arm including an IVUS element;

disposing the wall-approaching probe element of the catheter in a blood vessel; and

taking ultrasound readings of the vessel wall at one or more locations in the blood vessel using the IVUS element.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the ultrasound transducer operates at 20 MHz or above.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein intravascular catheter is an intravascular basket catheter comprising a basket section that comprises the at least one radially extendable wall-approaching probe arm.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the ultrasound transducer operates at 20 MHz or above.

21. A method for evaluating the wall of a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing an intravascular catheter including at least one radially extendable wall-approaching probe arm including a side-viewing IVUS element and a side-viewing optical probe element;

disposing the probe arm in a blood vessel; and

taking both ultrasound readings and optical analytical readings of the vessel wall at one or more locations in the blood vessel via the at least one probe arm.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the ultrasound transducer is operates at 20 MHz or above.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein taking optical analytical readings comprises analyzing Raman scattered light collected from the one or more locations in the blood vessel.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising analyzing Raman scattered light in the high wavenumber region.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein intravascular catheter is an intravascular basket catheter comprising a basket section that comprises the at least one radially extendable wall-approaching probe arm.