Plaque type determination devices, systems, and methods

• US 8,897,869 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3DT Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: 3DT Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Kassab, Ghassan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): SZMAL, BRIAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/906,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20110034824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 600/547, 600/486, 600/585, 600/481, 600/454, 600/505, 600/526, 600/587, 600/561, 600/483, 606/41, 606/192, 606/194, 606/198, 128/898, 424/439, 623/1.11
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon

Abstract

Plaque type determination devices, systems, and methods. In at least one exemplary embodiment of a device for assessing composition of a plaque of the present disclosure, the device comprises an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and a distal end, a first excitation electrode and a second excitation electrode located along the longitudinal axis of the body near the distal end of the elongate body, and a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode along the longitudinal axis of the body and in between the first and second excitation electrodes, wherein when a current source in communication with at least one of the first excitation electrode and the second excitation electrode applies current thereto to facilitate measurement of two or more conductance values within a vessel containing at least part of the elongate body at or near a plaque site, a plaque type determination can be made based upon a calculation of tissue conductance using at least one of the two or more conductance values.

Claims

1. A device for assessing composition of a plaque, the device comprising:

an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and a distal end;

a first excitation electrode and a second excitation electrode located along the longitudinal axis of the body; and

a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode along the longitudinal axis of the body and in between the first and second excitation electrodes;

wherein when a current source in communication with at least one of the first excitation electrode and the second excitation electrode applies current thereto to facilitate measurement of two or more conductance values within a vessel containing at least part of the elongate body at a plaque site, a plaque type determination from at least two types of plaques to distinguish one plaque type from another can be made based upon a calculation of tissue conductance using at least one of the two or more conductance values obtained by the device configured to obtain said values.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises a wire.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the measurement of two or more conductance values is/are made using at least one of the first detection electrode and a second detection electrode.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the plaque type determination identifies a plaque at the plaque site as being at least partially fatty if the value of % G_p as determined by

5. The device of claim 4, wherein A equals 0.5% saline, and wherein B equals 1.5% saline.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein a first distance between the first excitation electrode and the first detection electrode is equal to a second distance between the second excitation electrode and the second detection electrode.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the measurement of two or more conductance values is/are made upon infusion of a first bolus into the vessel, wherein the first bolus contacts at least one of the first detection electrode and a second detection electrode.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the measurement of two or more conductance values is/are made upon infusion of two boluses of differing conductive concentrations into the vessel, wherein the two boluses contact at least one of the first detection electrode and a second detection electrode.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the first bolus comprises a first concentration of saline.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a tube having a lumen, the tube surrounding at least part of the elongate body.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the measurement of two or more conductance values is/are made upon infusion of a bolus through the tube into the vessel, wherein the bolus contacts at least one of the first detection electrode and a second detection electrode.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a suction/infusion port located at a distal end of the tube, wherein when the suction/infusion port is in communication with the lumen of the tube, one or more solutions can be injected through the lumen, through the suction/infusion port, and into the plaque site.

13. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a solution source coupled to the tube for delivering a solution through the tube lumen and into the plaque site.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a data acquisition and processing system operable to receive conductance data from at least one of the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode, the data acquisition and processing system further operable to calculate tissue conductance using at least one of the two or more conductance values.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode are spaced at or between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm from each other.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode are spaced a first distance from one another, and wherein the first detection electrode and the first excitation electrode are spaced a second distance from one another, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the first excitation electrode is spaced at or between 4.0 mm and 5.0 mm from the first detection electrode, and wherein the second excitation electrode is spaced at or between 4.0 mm and 5.0 mm from the second detection electrode.

18. A device for assessing composition of a plaque, the device comprising:

a wire having a pair of detection electrodes located in between a pair of excitation electrodes, the pair of detection electrodes spaced at or between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm from each other, said wire operable and configured to obtain one or more conductance values at a plaque site within a vessel to distinguish one type of a plaque from another at the plaque site.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the one or more conductance values is/are made upon infusion of a bolus into the vessel and when a current is applied to at least one of the pair of excitation electrodes.

20. The device of claim 18, further comprising:

a data acquisition and processing system operable to receive conductance data from at least one of the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode, the data acquisition and processing system further operable to calculate tissue conductance using the one or more conductance values.

21. A device for assessing composition of a plaque, the device comprising:

a wire having a pair of detection electrodes located in between a pair of excitation electrodes, the pair of detection electrodes operable and configured to obtain two or more conductance values within a vessel when a current is applied to at least one of the pair of excitation electrodes and at least part of the wire is positioned in the vessel at a plaque site, said two or more conductance values useful to make a plaque type determination from at least two types of plaques of a plaque at the plaque site to distinguish one plaque type from another.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising:

a current source for providing current to at least one of the pair of excitation electrodes; and

a solution source for delivering a solution into the vessel at the plaque site.