Intravascular imaging device and uses thereof

• US 8,029,766 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David R. Elmaleh, Hjalmar Brismar, Rick A. Rogers
• Original Assignee: David R. Elmaleh, Hjalmar Brismar, Rick A. Rogers
• Inventors: Rogers, Rick A., Brismar, Hjalmar, Elmaleh, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cattungal; Sanjay
• Application Number:
  US11/154,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20060041199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,301 Days
• Field of Search: 600476-480, 424/1.57, 424/1.69, 424/9.3, 424/9.34, 424/9.6, 424/9.61, 435/6
• US Class Current: 424/9.6
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0068 Confocal scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0034 Indocyanine green, i.e. ICG, cardiogreen

Abstract

The invention is directed to a probe-type imaging device useful to visualize interior surfaces, e.g., the lumen of blood vessels. Specifically, the probe-type device is particularly useful for direct tissue imaging in the presence or absence of molecular imaging agents.

Claims

1. A method for intravascular imaging, the method comprising:

(a) targeting a tissue area to be imaged with a medium of a contrasting agent including a chromophore, the contrasting agent including a chromophore having a molecular weight of less than 2 KD;

(b) placing adjacent the tissue area an imaging device having a probe portion, a mechanism for directed emission, to surrounding tissue, light within a spectrum of wavelengths capable of exciting the contrasting agent, and a detector assembly on the probe portion for detecting light scattered and reflected from the contrasting agent in the surrounding tissue;

(c) activating the device for directed emission of light to the surrounding tissue;

advancing the device along the surrounding tissue;

(d) detecting light scattered and reflected from the contrasting agent in the surrounding tissue; and

generating, in real time, an image of the surrounding tissue from the detected light for display.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the step of targeting, the medium of a contrasting agent includes pharmacophores capable of labeling a blood component including hemoglobin, red blood cells, and platelets.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the contrasting agent includes one of chromophore-anhydride, chromophore-acylchloride chromophore-activated esters, chromophore-isothiocyanate, chromophore-melamide, albumin-chromophore isothiocyanate, polylysine-chromophore isothiocyanate, palloidin-fluorescein isothiocyanate, and lectin-flourescein isothiocynate.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the step of targeting, the medium of a contrasting agent includes free molecular pharmacophores having affinity to a specific tissue through one of physical, chemical, or structural properties.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the contrasting agent includes one of lipophilic cationic dyes, mag-indo-1N,N′

-bis(salicylidene), ethylenediamine, potassium-binding benzofuran isophthalate-AM, 6-methoxy-1-(3-sulfopropyl) quinolinium monohydrate, 9,9′

-bis(N-methylacridinium nitrate), tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthrolin) ruthenium(II) dichloride complex, quinones, rhodamine-based, porphyrin-based, dequelinium, S13, tetraphenyl phosphonium-based, and amino acid color reaction reagent (DNP).

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the step of targeting, the medium of a contrasting agent includes pharmacophores attached to one of metabolites, receptor ligands, and specific abnormal cell penetration vectors.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the contrasting agent includes one of metabolite-chromophore, hormone-chromophore, apoptotic agent-chromophore, blood flow agent-chromophore, storage agent-chromophore, prostate binder-chromophore, and acetylcholine-chromophore.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the step of targeting, the medium of a contrasting agent includes pharmacophores with a short tatter to specific molecules having enhanced function in tissue of interest.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the contrasting agent includes one of biotin(vector)-agent-chromophore, biotin-chromophore, adenosine-chromophore, ap4-analog-chromophore, and acetylcholine receptor agonist/antagonist.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein in the step of targeting, the medium of a contrasting agent includes one of an MRI contrast medium that concentrates in plaque vascular components, a CT contrasting agent that target plaques, and a fluorescence and chemoluminescence agent.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting includes analyzing intensity, based on photon counts, of the detected light scattered and reflected from the contrasting agent for identification of a diseased area and location of diseased tissue.