Simultaneous side-and-end viewing underfluid catheter
First Claim
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1. A catheter apparatus, comprising:
- an elongated flexible catheter body having a longitudinal axis;
a first ultrasonic transducer side array having a row of ultrasonic transducer elements longitudinally mounted on the body along a first side of the body;
an ultrasonic transducer end array having at least two rows of ultrasonic transducer elements mounted on the body at a forward end of the body;
a second ultrasonic transducer side array having a row of ultrasonic transducer elements longitudinally mounted on the body along a second side of the body; and
wherein the first ultrasonic transducer side array and the ultrasonic transducer end array are disposed in a first plane, the second ultrasonic transducer side array and the ultrasonic transducer end array are disposed in a second plane, the ultrasonic transducer elements of the first and second side arrays and the end array being operable as a single ultrasound transducer which are phased to produce a field of multi-planar side-and-end view.
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Abstract
A simultaneous side-and-end viewing ultrasound imaging catheter system includes at least one side array and at least one end array. Each of the arrays has at least one row of ultrasonic transducer elements. The elements are operable as a single ultrasound transducer which are phased to produce a field of side-and-end view. A multiplanar omnidirectional field of side-and-end view can also be formed when there are a plurality of side arrays and end arrays mounted on the catheter body. In certain applications, the output of each array or a portion of an array can be separately displayed and/or interrogated so as to provide better navigational and therapeutic visual aids.
214 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A catheter apparatus, comprising:
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an elongated flexible catheter body having a longitudinal axis; a first ultrasonic transducer side array having a row of ultrasonic transducer elements longitudinally mounted on the body along a first side of the body; an ultrasonic transducer end array having at least two rows of ultrasonic transducer elements mounted on the body at a forward end of the body; a second ultrasonic transducer side array having a row of ultrasonic transducer elements longitudinally mounted on the body along a second side of the body; and wherein the first ultrasonic transducer side array and the ultrasonic transducer end array are disposed in a first plane, the second ultrasonic transducer side array and the ultrasonic transducer end array are disposed in a second plane, the ultrasonic transducer elements of the first and second side arrays and the end array being operable as a single ultrasound transducer which are phased to produce a field of multi-planar side-and-end view. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification