Apparatus, Systems and Methods for Measuring Flow and Pressure within a Vessel

• US 20110137140A1
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: TEARNEY, Guillermo J., JAFFER, Farouc A., BOUMA, Brett E., SUTER, Melissa
• Granted Patent: US 11,490,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of apparatus, system and method can be provided to measure a flow of fluid within an anatomical structure. For example, it is possible to use at least one first probe arrangement structured to be insertable into a vessel and configured to direct at least one radiation to at least one portion of the anatomical structure. Further, it is possible to provide at least one second arrangement which configured to detect an interference between a first radiation provided from the fluid via the probe arrangement and second a second radiation provided from a reference path as a function of wavelength thereof. Further, at least one third arrangement can be provided which is configured to determine at least one characteristic of the fluid as a function of the interference.

Claims

1. An apparatus to measure a flow of fluid within an anatomical structure, comprising:

at least one first probe arrangement structured to be insertable into a vessel and configured to direct at least one radiation to at least one portion of the anatomical structure;

at least one second arrangement which configured to detect an interference between a first radiation provided from the fluid via the probe arrangement and second a second radiation provided from a reference path as a function of wavelength thereof; and

at least one third arrangement which is configured to determine at least one characteristic of the fluid as a function of the interference.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic as a function of an intensity of the interference.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises particular parameters which includes at least one of flow, viscosity, density, velocity, coronary flow reserve, fractional flow reserve, coronary flow velocity reserve, average peak velocity, maximum peak velocity, average, peak velocity or pressure of the fluid within the vessel.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a multi-dimensional distribution of the particular parameters.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic at multiple longitudinal locations within the vessel.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic at least one proximal or distal to stenosis, blockage or stented segment.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement is further configured to determine at least one property or geometry of a wall of the vessel.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the property of the wall is a luminal contour or a bio-mechanical property of the wall, or a tissue characteristic of the wall.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic of a wall of the vessel.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first probe arrangement includes at least one of a catheter, a wire or a sheath.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid comprise at least one of blood, transparent medium, or a combination thereof.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid comprise at least one of blood, transparent medium, or a combination thereof.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a wavelength of at least one of the first radiation or the second radiation varies over time.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second arrangement includes at least one array of detectors, each configured to detect a separate wavelength band of the interference.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic using a correlation procedure.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic is determined as a function of a distance of the fluid being measured from the at least one first probe arrangement.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement is further configured to extrapolate further characteristics of the fluid where the fluid is not measured based on the at least one characteristic and information regarding a property of a wall of the vessel.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic is a pressure of the fluid within the vessel, and wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the pressure as function of a property of a wall of the vessel.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic by analyzing a speckle pattern of an image associated with the fluid.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement is further configured to determine at least one three-dimensional information of a wall of the vessel using the interference.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first probe arrangement is configured to be immobile during operation of the apparatus.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic as a function of time.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic synchronously with a further physiological measurement.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the further physiological measurement is at least one of EKG, heart rate, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, maximal flow, minimal flow, arterial pressure or a pressure measurement.

25. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement determines the at least one characteristic at least one of before or after an administration of a pharmacologic agent.

26. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first probe arrangement directs the at least one radiation to the at least one portion along an axis which is approximately perpendicular to the direction of extension of the at least one first probe arrangement.

27. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement generates a sound based on the at least one characteristic.

28. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a position of the at least one first probe arrangement is based on the sound.

29. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third arrangement generates the fractional flow reserve based on a pressure within the vessel.

30. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a further arrangement for measuring pressure.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the further arrangement is configured to generate pressure information based on electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the catheter.

32. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the further arrangement comprises at least one of a Fabry-Perot or a fiber grating sensor.

33. A method to measure a flow of fluid within an anatomical structure, comprising:

detecting an interference between a first radiation provided from the fluid via at least one first probe arrangement and second a second radiation provided from a reference path as a function of wavelength thereof, wherein the at least one first probe is inserted into a vessel and configured to direct at least one radiation to at least one portion of the anatomical structure; and

determining at least one characteristic of the fluid using the interference.