University of Texas System

Andrei Karpiouk

Stanislav Emelianov

Bo Wang

Kimberly A Homan

Wolfgang Frey

Jimmy Su

Yun-Sheng Chen

Richard Bouchard

A design and a fabrication method for an intravascular imaging and therapeutic catheters for combined ultrasound, photoacoustic, and elasticity imaging and for optical and/or acoustic therapy of hollow organs and diseased blood vessels and tissues are disclosed in the present invention. The invention comprises both a device&#x2014;optical fiber-based intravascular catheter designs for combined IVUS/IVPA, and elasticity imaging and for acoustic and/or optical therapy&#x2014;and a method of combined ultrasound, photoacoustic, and elasticity imaging and optical and/or acoustic therapy. The designs of the catheters are based on single-element catheter-based ultrasound transducers or on ultrasound array-based units coupled with optical fiber, fiber bundles or a combination thereof with specially designed light delivery systems. One approach uses the side fire fiber, similar to the one utilized for biomedical optical spectroscopy. The second catheter design uses the micro-optics in the manner of a probe for optical coherent tomography.

Catheter for intravascular ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging

Methods of combined ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging are provided. In some embodiments, the methods may be used to determine the location or positioning of a metal object in a sample. In other embodiments, the methods may be used to determine the composition of a sample surrounding a metal object. Other methods are also provided.

Combined ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging of metal objects

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Andrei Karpiouk