CHARACTERIZATION OF TISSUE BY ULTRASOUND ECHOGRAPHY
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- at least one catheter having a distal end configured to be introduced into the heart;
at least one ultrasound sensor on the distal end of the at least one catheter, the at least one ultrasound sensor configured to output a first signal indicative of the intensity of ultrasound energy received by the ultrasound sensor from a section of cardiac tissue, the intensity of the ultrasound energy indicative of the density of the section of cardiac tissue;
a sensor configured to output a second signal indicative of a plurality of different phases of at least one cardiac cycle; and
control circuitry configured to associate each phase of the plurality of different phases of the at least one cardiac cycle with the intensity level of ultrasound energy received by the ultrasound sensor from the section of cardiac tissue during the phase, determine whether the section of cardiac tissue compressed during the at least one cardiac cycle based on a difference between the intensity levels of ultrasound energy associated with different phases of the at least one cardiac cycle, and generate an output based on the determination of whether the section of cardiac tissue compressed.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments concern sensing a first signal indicative of a plurality of different phases of a cardiac cycle with a sensor and sensing a second signal with an ultrasound sensor within the heart over different phases, the second signal indicative of the density of a section of cardiac tissue. Each phase can be associated with an indication of the density of the section of cardiac tissue during the phase based on the second signal. It can be determined whether the section of cardiac tissue compressed during the cardiac cycle based on a change in the indication of density of the cardiac tissue over the plurality of different phases. The efficacy of ablation therapy can be evaluated based on the compressibility of the section of cardiac tissue.
26 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system comprising:
-
at least one catheter having a distal end configured to be introduced into the heart; at least one ultrasound sensor on the distal end of the at least one catheter, the at least one ultrasound sensor configured to output a first signal indicative of the intensity of ultrasound energy received by the ultrasound sensor from a section of cardiac tissue, the intensity of the ultrasound energy indicative of the density of the section of cardiac tissue; a sensor configured to output a second signal indicative of a plurality of different phases of at least one cardiac cycle; and control circuitry configured to associate each phase of the plurality of different phases of the at least one cardiac cycle with the intensity level of ultrasound energy received by the ultrasound sensor from the section of cardiac tissue during the phase, determine whether the section of cardiac tissue compressed during the at least one cardiac cycle based on a difference between the intensity levels of ultrasound energy associated with different phases of the at least one cardiac cycle, and generate an output based on the determination of whether the section of cardiac tissue compressed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of assessing cardiac ablation, the method comprising:
-
delivering an ablation therapy to a section of cardiac tissue, the ablation therapy delivered by a catheter to the section of cardiac tissue; sensing a first signal indicative of a plurality of different phases of at least one cardiac cycle with a sensor; sensing a second signal with one or more ultrasound sensors within the heart over the plurality of different phases of the at least one cardiac cycle, the second signal indicative of the density of a section of cardiac tissue; associating each phase of the plurality of different phases of the at least one cardiac cycle with an indication of the density of the section of cardiac tissue during the phase based on the second signal; determining whether the section of cardiac tissue compressed during the at least one cardiac cycle based on a change in the indication of density of the section of cardiac tissue over the plurality of different phases of the at least one cardiac cycle; and determining whether the section of cardiac tissue was ablated by the delivery of the ablation therapy based on whether the section of cardiac tissue compressed during the at least one cardiac cycle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A system comprising:
-
at least one catheter having a distal end configured to be introduced into the heart; at least one ultrasound sensor on the distal end of the at least one catheter, the at least one ultrasound sensor configured to output a first signal indicative of the intensity level of ultrasound energy received by the at least one ultrasound sensor from a section of cardiac tissue, the intensity level of ultrasound energy received by the at least one ultrasound sensor indicative of the density of the section of cardiac tissue; a sensor configured to output a second signal indicative of a plurality of different phases of at least one cardiac cycle; a display; and control circuitry configured to associate each phase of the plurality of different phases of the at least one cardiac cycle with the intensity level of ultrasound energy received by the at least one ultrasound sensor from the section of cardiac tissue within the phase and generate an output on the display representing the intensity levels of ultrasound energy as associated with the different phases of the plurality of different phases of the at least one cardiac cycle, the output on the display indicative of whether the section of cardiac tissue compressed during the at least one cardiac cycle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification