Imaging via blood vessels

• US 8,187,189 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WestFace Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Leuthardt, Eric C., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Tse
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gupta, Vani
• Application Number:
  US11/414,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20070255097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 600/443, 600/454
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000094 extracting biological structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3137 for examination of the interior of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes

Abstract

A method and system are described for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer and invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body.

Claims

1. An intravascularly positionable system comprising:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer;

circuitry configured for processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer to generate data of at least one intravascular image; and

circuitry configured for transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer associated with at least one lens.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from two or more light transducers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from two or more light transducers having different fields of view.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from two or more light transducers arranged in one or more grids.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer positioned within at least one inflatable element.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer positioned beside at least one inflatable element.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer positioned between two or more inflatable elements.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer to generate data of at least one intravascular image comprises:

circuitry configured for processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer to generate data of at least one intravascular video.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer to generate data of at least one intravascular image comprises:

circuitry configured for processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer to generate data of at least one intravascular composite image.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body and upon at least one user action the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body via at least some vasculature the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body via at least one antenna the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer comprises:

circuitry configured for storing the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for signaling to project energy.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for signaling to project energy in at least one ablation operation.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for signaling to at least partially actuate at least one inflatable element.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for signaling to at least partially occlude at least one blood flow path.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for signaling to remove at least some blood.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for signaling to at least partially actuate at least one channel.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for signaling to release at least some fluid.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for signaling to position at least one light transducer.

23. A method of operating an intravascularly positionable device comprising:

receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer;

processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer to generate data of at least one intravascular image; and

transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer.

24. An intravascularly positionable device having one or more media bearing one or more instructions for facilitating operations comprising:

receiving one or more signals from at least one light transducer;

processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer to generate data of at least one intravascular image; and

transmitting out of at least one subject'"'"'s body the data of at least one intravascular image generated by processing the one or more signals from at least one light transducer.