Laser ultrasound probe and ablator
First Claim
1. A laser ultrasound probe suitable for intravascular use, comprising:
- an ultrasonic transducer element comprising an ultrasound receiving surface formed of piazoelectric polymeric material; and
an optical fibre having a first end directed forwardly from the ultrasound recieving surface and having a second end arranged to receive laser radiation for transmission therethrough,wherein the optical fibre is coupled with a laser source adapted to alternatively provide a relatively low average power laser beam at a first wavelegth, which, when modulated or pulsed and emitted from the first end of the optical fibre into a medium which is highly absorptive at the first wavelength, will cause said medium to generate and propagate ultrasound at an intensity suitable to be reflected by a target and recieve by the ultrasound receiving surface of the transducer element and converted thereby into electrical monitoring signals, and a relatively high average power laser beam at a second wavelength at which said medium is transmissive and suitable, when incident on the target, to produce ablation thereof, the ultrasonic transducer element being sufficiently robust to withstand the ultrasound which is then also generated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laser ultrasound probe, suitable for intravascular use, of the kind having an ultrasonic transducer element comprising an ultrasound receiving surface of piezoelectric polymeric material and an optical fiber with one end directed forwardly from that surface and arranged to receive laser radiation for transmission through the optical fiber and emission from the said one end thereof, wherein the optical fiber is coupled with laser source means adapted to provide alternatively a relatively low average power laser beam, which, when modulated or pulsed and emitted from the one end of the optical fiber and incident on a target, will generate ultrasound at an intensity suitable to be received by the transducer element and converted thereby into electrical monitoring signals, and a relatively high average power laser beam suitable, when incident on the said target, to produce ablation thereof, the transducer element being sufficiently robust to withstand the ultrasound which is then also generated. The relatively low average power laser beam may alternatively be at a first wavelength which, when modulated or pulsed and emitted from the one end of the optical fiber into a medium which is highly absorptive at that wavelength, will cause said medium to generate and propagate ultrasound at an intensity suitable to be reflected by a target contacted by said medium and received by the transducer element and converted thereby into electrical monitoring signals, the relatively high average power laser beam being then at a second wavelength at which the said medium is transmissive and being suitable, when incident on the said target, to produce ablation thereof, the transducing element being sufficiently robust to withstand the ultrasound which is then also generated.
152 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A laser ultrasound probe suitable for intravascular use, comprising:
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an ultrasonic transducer element comprising an ultrasound receiving surface formed of piazoelectric polymeric material; and an optical fibre having a first end directed forwardly from the ultrasound recieving surface and having a second end arranged to receive laser radiation for transmission therethrough, wherein the optical fibre is coupled with a laser source adapted to alternatively provide a relatively low average power laser beam at a first wavelegth, which, when modulated or pulsed and emitted from the first end of the optical fibre into a medium which is highly absorptive at the first wavelength, will cause said medium to generate and propagate ultrasound at an intensity suitable to be reflected by a target and recieve by the ultrasound receiving surface of the transducer element and converted thereby into electrical monitoring signals, and a relatively high average power laser beam at a second wavelength at which said medium is transmissive and suitable, when incident on the target, to produce ablation thereof, the ultrasonic transducer element being sufficiently robust to withstand the ultrasound which is then also generated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification