Visualization of heart wall tissue
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a light source including an array of light emitters configured and arranged to illuminate a tissue region of a heart wall with light at a plurality of different wavelength ranges;
a light collector configured and arranged to operate in conjunction with the light source to collect a plurality of multispectral images, including respective images of the tissue region of the heart collected at each of the different wavelength ranges at which the tissue region is illuminated by the light source, the plurality of multispectral images further including both reflected light from the tissue region in the plurality of different wavelength ranges and fluorescent light emitted by the tissue region;
a catheter configured and arranged with the light source and the light collector to position the light source and light collector proximate the tissue region of the heart wall for respectively illuminating the tissue region and collecting the multispectral images and to apply ablation energy to at least a portion of the tissue region of the heart wall; and
a display circuit configured and arranged to collect and display at least one image depicting a condition of the health of the heart wall tissue region, the at least one image including a visual distinction of scarred tissue from unscarred tissue or ablated tissue from tissue that is not ablated from the applied ablation energy, based on intensities of the reflected light and the fluorescent light as depicted in the respective images of the tissue region collected at each of the different ones of the wavelength ranges, wherein the catheter, the light source and the light collector are configured and arranged to operate with the light source and light collector positioned proximate the tissue region of the heart wall by illuminating the tissue region and collecting the multispectral images and with ablation energy applied to at least a portion of the tissue region of the heart wall, while the display circuit collects and displays said at least one image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various aspects of the instant disclosure are directed to imaging tissue. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses and methods involving the following. A light source includes an array of light emitters that illuminate a tissue region of a heart wall with light at different wavelength ranges. A light collector collects multispectral images including respective images collected at each of the different wavelength ranges at which the tissue region is illuminated. A catheter positions the light source and light collector proximate the tissue region of the heart wall for respectively illuminating the tissue region and collecting the multispectral images. A display circuit collects and displays one or more images depicting a condition of the health of heart wall tissue, based on the respective images collected at the different ones of the wavelength ranges.
29 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a light source including an array of light emitters configured and arranged to illuminate a tissue region of a heart wall with light at a plurality of different wavelength ranges; a light collector configured and arranged to operate in conjunction with the light source to collect a plurality of multispectral images, including respective images of the tissue region of the heart collected at each of the different wavelength ranges at which the tissue region is illuminated by the light source, the plurality of multispectral images further including both reflected light from the tissue region in the plurality of different wavelength ranges and fluorescent light emitted by the tissue region; a catheter configured and arranged with the light source and the light collector to position the light source and light collector proximate the tissue region of the heart wall for respectively illuminating the tissue region and collecting the multispectral images and to apply ablation energy to at least a portion of the tissue region of the heart wall; and a display circuit configured and arranged to collect and display at least one image depicting a condition of the health of the heart wall tissue region, the at least one image including a visual distinction of scarred tissue from unscarred tissue or ablated tissue from tissue that is not ablated from the applied ablation energy, based on intensities of the reflected light and the fluorescent light as depicted in the respective images of the tissue region collected at each of the different ones of the wavelength ranges, wherein the catheter, the light source and the light collector are configured and arranged to operate with the light source and light collector positioned proximate the tissue region of the heart wall by illuminating the tissue region and collecting the multispectral images and with ablation energy applied to at least a portion of the tissue region of the heart wall, while the display circuit collects and displays said at least one image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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illuminating a tissue region of a heart wall, by using a light source, with light at a plurality of different wavelength ranges; collecting a plurality of multispectral images, by using a light collector, including respective images collected at each of the plurality of different wavelength ranges at which the tissue region is illuminated; and collecting and displaying, using a circuit, at least one image depicting a condition of the health of the heart wall tissue region, based on the respective images collected at the different ones of the plurality of wavelength ranges, wherein illuminating the tissue region and collecting the plurality of multispectral images include positioning the light source and the light collector with a catheter proximate the tissue region of the heart wall for respectively illuminating the tissue region and collecting the multispectral images, and wherein the light source and the light collector are positioned proximate the tissue region of the heart wall and therein illuminate the tissue region and collect the multispectral images and ablation energy is applied to at least a portion of the tissue region of the heart wall, while the circuit is positioned with the light source and the light collector to collect and display said at least one image. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus comprising:
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a light source including an array of light emitters configured and arranged to induce a fluorescent response from a tissue region of a heart wall by illuminating the tissue region with light at a plurality of different wavelength ranges; a filter configured and arranged to block reflected light; a light collector configured and arranged to collect images of the fluorescent response of the tissue region as the tissue region is sequentially illuminated with light at the respective wavelength ranges, the wavelength of the fluorescent response being longer than the wavelengths of the illumination light; a catheter configured and arranged with the light source and the light collector to position the light source and light collector proximate the tissue region of the heart wall for respectively illuminating the tissue region and collecting the fluorescent response; and a display circuit configured and arranged to collect and display at least one image depicting a condition of the health of the heart wall tissue region, based on the collected images;
wherein the catheter, the filter, the light source and the light collector are configured and arranged to operate with the light source and light collector positioned proximate the tissue region of the heart wall by illuminating the tissue region and collecting multispectral images and with ablation energy applied to at least a portion of the tissue region of the heart wall, while the display circuit collects and displays said at least one image.
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Specification