Method for ultrasonically profiling the distribution of an administered medicament

• US 6,488,628 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Reiss, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US09/920,551
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 604/890.1, 604/20-23, 128/912, 128/913, 600/438, 600/439, 601/2-4
• US Class Current: 600/438
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00

Abstract

A method for profiling an infusion of a medicament into the wall of an artery involves inserting an intravascular ultrasound device into the artery and advancing it to the location of the infusion. A pullback device withdraws the intravascular ultrasound device from the artery, pausing at predetermined axial sites along the location of the infiltrated medicament to image the infusion profile at each site. A computer then compiles the individual site profiles to produce three dimensional images indicating the extent of infiltration of the medicament into the tissue surrounding the artery.

Claims

1. A method for determining the extent of an infiltration of medicament at a location of infusion of the medicament into an arterial wall of a patient comprising the steps of:

advancing an intravascular ultrasound device into an artery of the patient to a start position, said start position being distal to said location of infusion;

incrementally withdrawing said intravascular ultrasound device in a proximal direction from said start position to at least one other position in the artery; and

activating said ultrasound device at each said position in the artery, to create a profile for the infiltration of said medicament into the arterial wall at each said position.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the artery substantially defines a longitudinal axis at said location of infusion and each said profile includes a radial dimension and an azimuthal dimension relative to said axis.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein said ultrasound device generates dimensional data indicating each said profile and said method further comprises the step of using a computer to evaluate said data, wherein said computer further forms a three dimensional image representing a composite of said plurality of profiles.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said withdrawing step is accomplished using a mechanical pullback device.

5. A method for modeling a volume of medicated tissue along an artery in a patient, said tissue being infused with a fluid medicament, comprising the steps of:

radiating the medicated tissue with ultrasound energy at a location in the artery to generate data indicative of a profile of the medicated tissue;

repeating said radiating step at other said locations in the artery to generate data for a plurality of said profiles; and

combining data from said plurality of profiles to create a three-dimensional model of the medicated tissue.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said radiating step is accomplished using an intravascular ultrasound device.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 wherein said intravascular ultrasound device generates dimensional data indicating each said profile and said method further comprises the step of using a computer to evaluate said data of said profile.

8. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the artery defines a longitudinal axis at each said location, each said profile includes a radial dimension and an azimuthal dimension relative to said axis.

9. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said repeating step is accomplished using a mechanical pullback device.

10. A system for evaluating an infiltration of a medicament into tissue surrounding an artery of a patient at a location in the artery which comprises:

a means for radiating the infiltration with ultrasound energy to generate data indicative of a profile of the infiltration into the tissue surrounding the artery at said location; and

a means for evaluating said data to determine the extent of the infiltration.

11. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein said means for radiating the tissue surrounding the artery is an intravascular ultrasound device.

12. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein said intravascular ultrasound device generates data indicative of a plurality of profiles at a plurality of locations in the artery.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein said intravascular ultrasound device interfaces with a computer to create a three dimensional model of the tissue surrounding the artery.

14. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein said intravascular ultrasound device is incrementally withdrawn from the artery to generate said plurality of profiles.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein said ultrasound device is incrementally withdrawn from the artery using a mechanical pullback device.

16. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein the artery defines a longitudinal axis at said location, said profile includes a radial dimension and an azimuthal dimension relative to said axis.