234 results about "Intravascular ultrasound" patented technology

Imaging apparatus, is provided, comprising a first device, for obtaining a first image, by a first modality, selected from the group consisting of SPECT, PET, CT, an extracorporeal gamma scan, an extracorporeal beta scan, x-rays, an intracorporeal gamma scan, an intracorporeal beta scan, an intravascular gamma scan, an intravascular beta scan, and a combination thereof, and a second device, for obtaining a second, structural image, by a second modality, selected from the group consisting of a three-dimensional ultrasound, an MRI operative by an internal magnetic field, an extracorporeal ultrasound, an extracorporeal MRI operative by an external magnetic field, an intracorporeal ultrasound, an intracorporeal MRI operative by an external magnetic field, an intravascular ultrasound, and a combination thereof, and wherein the apparatus further includes a computerized system, configured to construct an attenuation map, for the first image, based on the second, structural image. Additionally, the computerized system is configured to display an attenuation-corrected first image as well as a superposition of the attenuation-corrected first image and the second, structural image. Furthermore, the apparatus is operative to guide an in-vivo instrument based on the superposition.

The invention relates to a medical system for introducing a catheter into a vessel, preferably a blood vessel of a patient, having at least a computer and control unit, a means for creating a transparent general view of the position of the vessel, a catheter with a reversible inflatable balloon located in the front area, to the outside of which a stent can be fitted for implanting into the vessel, a position locating system for the catheter with position and location sensors that can determine the position and location of the front area of the catheter in the space, the system being fitted in the front area with at least one OCT (optical coherence tomography) sensor at a catheter end for the close-up area, with at least one IVUS (intravascular ultrasound) imaging sensor at a catheter end for the remote area and the computer and control unit having image processing and image display functions for the image sensors.

A method and system for co-registration of angiography data and intra vascular ultrasound (IVUS) data is disclosed. A vessel branch is detected in an angiogram image. A sequence of IVUS images is received from an IVUS transducer while the IVUS transducer is being pulled back through the vessel branch. A fluoroscopic image sequence is received while the IVUS transducer is being pulled back through the vessel branch. The IVUS transducer and a guiding catheter tip are detected in each frame of the fluoroscopic image sequence. The IVUS transducer detected in each frame of the fluoroscopic image sequence is mapped to a respective location in the detected vessel branch of the angiogram image. Each of the IVUS images is registered to a respective location in the detected vessel branch of the angiogram image based on the mapped location of the IVUS transducer detected in a corresponding frame of the fluoroscopic image sequence.

An intravascular ultrasound probe is disclosed, incorporating features for utilizing an advanced transducer technology on a rotating transducer shaft. In particular, the probe accommodates the transmission of the multitude of signals across the boundary between the rotary and stationary components of the probe required to support an advanced transducer technology. These advanced transducer technologies offer the potential for increased bandwidth, improved beam profiles, better signal to noise ratio, reduced manufacturing costs, advanced tissue characterization algorithms, and other desirable features. Furthermore, the inclusion of electronic components on the spinning side of the probe can be highly advantageous in terms of preserving maximum signal to noise ratio and signal fidelity, along with other performance benefits.

The present invention generally relates to intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) image segmentation methods, and is more specifically concerned with an intravascular ultrasound image segmentation method for characterizing blood vessel vascular layers. The proposed image segmentation method for estimating boundaries of layers in a multi-layered vessel provides image data which represent a plurality of image elements of the multi-layered vessel. The method also determines a plurality of initial interfaces corresponding to regions of the image data to segment and further concurrently propagates the initial interfaces corresponding to the regions to segment. The method thereby allows to estimate the boundaries of the layers of the multi-layered vessel by propagating the initial interfaces using a fast marching model based on a probability function which describes at least one characteristic of the image elements.

The present invention relates to a new intravascular ultrasound imaging device with an increased field of view. By using more than one ultrasound transducer crystal that is capable of producing an ultrasonic signal for imaging, and preferably aligning the individual crystals on a shared backing with at least one edge of the crystals in contact, the field of view generated by a given actuator mechanism is increased without substantially increasing the overall dimensions of the device. Also disclosed are methods of using the same.

A system and method are provided for significantly reducing or substantially eliminating angular geometric distortions in devices designed for imaging and/or inspection of an interior portion or surface of a cavity. A series of processing steps or methods may be employed to eliminate Non-Uniform Rotational Distortion (NURD) in such devices, for example, unidirectional and bi-directional intravascular ultrasonic (IVUS) imaging systems. The system may include a processor and an electronic module which control operation of a transducer assembly provided at a distal end of a catheter assembly. The system invokes a first processing step or method to collect and store raw angle and line data, as well as one or more of second and third processing steps or methods which adjust for NURD experienced during backlash of a bi-directional imaging system and a fourth processing step or method which performs a line-to-line correlation function. The system and method provide more accurate and reliable angular orientations of anomalies identified during imaging and/or inspection of the interior portion or surface of the cavity, thus facilitating diagnosis and treatment options.

A method and system for generating stabilized intravascular ultrasonic images are provided. The system may include a probe instrument, such as a catheter, connected to a processor and a post-processor. The method of using the system to stabilize images and the method for stabilizing images involve the process by which the processor and post-processor stabilize the image. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions for controlling a computer containing the processor and post-processor to perform the method of stabilizing images is also provided. The probe instrument, which has a transmitter for transmitting ultrasonic signals and a receiver for receiving reflected ultrasonic signals that contain information about a tubular environment, such as a body lumen, preferably is a catheter. The processor and post-processor are capable of converting inputted signals into one or more, preferably a series of, images and the post-processor, which determines the center of the environment at each reflection position, detects the edges of the tubular environment and aligns the image center with the environment center thereby limiting the drift of images, which may occur due to movement of the environment, and stabilizing the images. The processor may also be programmed to filter images or series of images to improve the image stabilization and remove motion interference and/or may be programmed to extract the 3D shape of the environment. The method and device are of particular use where motion causes image drift, for example, the imaging a body lumen, in particular a vascular lumen, where image drift may occur due to heart beat or blood flow.

An intravascular catheter device having a catheter and an ultrasound ablation manifold is proposed for generating cavitations and acoustic jet streams in the blood to ablate atheroma. The ablation manifold has a power transducer and a coupled leaky acoustic cavity. The leaky acoustic cavity contains a first portion of ultrasonic power emission for intra-cavity ablation while allowing a second portion of ultrasonic power emission to leak outside for an extra-cavity ablation. The power transducer and the leaky acoustic cavity are configured to form a confocal resonant cavity. An intervening bird cage is coupled to the resonant cavity for stronger resonance while maintaining ultrasound leakage. A protective shield is mounted around the waist of bird cage to strengthen resonance and to prevent damaging the intima from an otherwise normal incidence of high intensity ultrasound. A microbubble releasing device and micro pump are also included to further increase the ablation efficacy.

A system and method is provided for using the frequency spectrum of a radio frequency (RF) signal backscattered from vascular tissue to identify at least one border (e.g., tissue interface, etc.) on a vascular image. Embodiments of the present invention operate in accordance with a data gathering device (e.g., an intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) device, etc.) electrically connected to a computing device and a transducer via a catheter. The transducer is used to gather radio frequency (RF) data backscattered from vascular tissue. The RF data is then provided to (or acquired by) the computing device via the data-gathering device. In one embodiment of the present invention, the computing device includes (i) at least one data storage device (e.g., database, memory, etc.) for storing a plurality of tissue types and parameters related thereto and (ii) at least one application (e.g., a characterization application, a gradient-border application, a frequency-border application and/or an active-contour application). The characterization application is used to convert (or transform) the RF data into the frequency domain and to identify a plurality of parameters associated therewith. The identified parameters are then compared to the parameters stored in the data storage device to identify the corresponding tissue type. This information (e.g., tissue type, corresponding RF data, etc.) is then used, either alone or together with other border-related information (e.g., gradient information, other-border information, etc.), to determine at least one border on a vascular image.

The present invention provides low profile intravascular ultrasound catheters adapted to access sites within the patient's body through narrow blood vessels, e.g., the radial artery. In an embodiment, a low profile catheter comprises an catheter sheath, a short guidewire receiver attached to the distal end of the catheter sheath, and a telescope assembly at the proximal end. The catheter sheath comprises a main portion and a tapered portion for increased flexibility toward the distal end of the catheter. In one embodiment, a rotatable and translatable imaging core is received within the catheter sheath for ultrasound imaging. A short guidewire receiver is used to allow the imaging core to be advanced farther distally with respect to the distal end of the catheter. In an embodiment, the catheter sheath extends through a portion of the telescope assembly to provide enhanced support of the imaging core within the telescope assembly.

Methods related to delivery of various heart valve implants are described. The implant may be delivered using an ultrasound imaging delivery system. The ultrasound imaging delivery system may be used to deliver a variety of different devices, including mitral valve reshaping devices, mitral valve replacement valves, and others. A deployment catheter carrying an implant having a tissue anchor is advanced to a deployment site in a heart. An imaging element is positioned adjacent the implant and a relationship between the tissue anchor and an anatomical landmark in the heart is visualized. The implant is then attached by driving the tissue anchor into tissue in the heart.

The invention relates to an intravascular ultrasound image and intravascular-OCT image fusing method. The method includes the following steps of (a) image retrieval, wherein for intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) images and intravascular (IV)-OCT images collected at the same position on a blood vessel section, a frame of IV-OCT image is taken as a reference image, and an image to be registered is selected from the n frames of IVUS images collected from the point; (b) IVUS image and IV-OCT image registration; (c) IVUS image and IV-OCT image fusion. IV-OCT image data and IVUS image data of the same blood vessel section are fused, the advantage of high tissue penetrating power of IVUS imaging and the advantage of high resolution of IV-OCT imaging are brought into full play, more comprehensive description of blood vessel walls and atherosclerotic plaques is obtained, and a reliable basis is provided for research on the coronary heart disease and the like.