Ultrasonic imaging catheter having rotational image correlation
US5054492A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 17, 1990 |
| Grant date | Oct 8, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 17, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2090/3925
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An ultrasonic imaging catheter comprises a catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end. An ultrasonic imaging transducer is located within the distal end and is arranged to produce an image in an image plane which is generally normal to the axial direction of the catheter. An ultrasonically opaque element is attached to the catheter body and disposed through the image plane so that an image artifact or marker appears on the resulting ultrasonic image. The artifact corresponds to the location on the catheter where the element is located. A fluoroscopic marker is also provided on the catheter body, typically located proximally of the region where the ultrasonic imaging transducer and other components are located. The fluoroscopic marker has a geometry selected so that the marker has a unique appearance depending on the rotational orientation of the catheter when viewed by fluoroscopy. In this way, the viewing physician may determine the actual rotational orientation of the catheter within the body lumen being viewed and may further correlate the position of the catheter with the apparent position of the ultrasonic image which has been obtained.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.