IMAGING VIA BLOOD VESSELS

• US 20120277596A1
• Filed: 05/04/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WestFace Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gearbox LLC (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.
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/479
• 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. A method comprising:

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.

2. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

projecting energy into tissue in an ablation operation; and

sensing at least a reflected portion of the energy projected into the tissue.

3. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

positioning the light transducer inside a blood vessel.

4. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

at least partly removing a volume of blood from a field of view of the light transducer.

5. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

positioning a light-conductive structure between the light transducer and a target before at least a portion of the intravascular image is received.

6. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

including shape information from the received intravascular image.

7. The method of claim 1 in which invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

passing the generated signal out of the subject'"'"'s body at least partly via an antenna.

8. The method of claim 1 in which invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

deploying a device at least partly within a field of view of the received intravascular image.

9. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

transmitting optical energy outside a vascular system; and

receiving at least a portion of the intravascular image as a portion of the optical energy transmitted outside the vascular system.

10. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

at least partly entering an artery.

11. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

receiving the intravascular image at least partly via a lens and the light transducer.

12. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

displaying at least an anatomical reference structure relative to a catheter large enough to contain the light transducer.

13. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

including optical-range frequency information from the received intravascular image.

14. The method of claim 1 in which invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

displaying data passed as the generated signal out of the subject'"'"'s body.

15. The method of claim 1 in which invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

passing the generated signal out of the subject'"'"'s body via a portion of a vein.

16. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

urging the light transducer toward a target within a field of view of the light transducer while receiving at least a portion of the intravascular image.

17. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

receiving a first portion of the intravascular image via the light transducer.

18. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

receiving a second portion of the intravascular image via one or more other transducers arranged in a common grid with the light transducer.

19. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

performing an ablation operation at least partly within a field of view of the light transducer.

20. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

enhancing a blood flow by at least partly withdrawing a first intravenous or intra-arterial portion of a laparoscopic system.

21. The method of claim 1 in which invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

transmitting the generated signal out of the subject'"'"'s body via an antenna.

22. The method of claim 1 in which invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

receiving a user preference indication after generating a portion of the signal.

23. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

generating the signal while only partly occluding a blood flow path through a vessel containing the light transducer.

24. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

projecting at least near-infrared energy generally into tissue and toward the light transducer.

25. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

positioning the light transducer in a vicinity of an ultrasonically detected target.

26. The method of claim 1 in which generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

generating an intravascular video signal as the signal indicative of the received intravascular image.

27. The method of claim 1 in which invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

transmitting the generated signal responsive to an indication of a user action.

28. The method of claim 1 in which invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

deploying a stent at least partly within a field of view of the received intravascular image.

29. A system comprising:

circuitry for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer; and

circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body.

30. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

circuitry for projecting energy into tissue in an ablation operation; and

circuitry for sensing at least a reflected portion of the energy projected into the tissue.

31. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

circuitry for positioning the light transducer inside a blood vessel.

32. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

circuitry for at least partly removing a volume of blood from a field of view of the light transducer.

33. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

circuitry for positioning a light-conductive structure between the light transducer and a target before at least a portion of the intravascular image is received.

34. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

circuitry for including shape information from the received intravascular image.

35. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for passing the generated signal out of the subject'"'"'s body at least partly via an antenna.

36. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body comprises:

circuitry for deploying a device at least partly within a field of view of the received intravascular image.

37. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

circuitry for transmitting optical energy outside a vascular system; and

circuitry for receiving at least a portion of the intravascular image as a portion of the optical energy transmitted outside the vascular system.

38. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

circuitry for at least partly entering an artery.

39. The system of claim 29 in which the circuitry for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer comprises:

circuitry for receiving the intravascular image at least partly via a lens and the light transducer.

40-56. -56. (canceled)

57. A system comprising:

means for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer; and

means for passing the generated signal out of a subject'"'"'s body.

58-84. -84. (canceled)