Vascular Imaging Corporation

Phyzhon Health Inc.

Other

Phyzhon Health Foc.

Howard Neil Rourke

Michael J Eberle

Diana Margaret Tasker

David J Spamer

Shukui Zhao

The disclosure includes an apparatus including an elongated assembly, at least a portion of which is sized, shaped, or otherwise configured to be inserted into a human body to measure a physiological parameter at an internal location within the body. The elongated assembly includes an elongated member having a first length and an outer surface, a coil disposed about at least a portion of the elongated member, the coil having a second length, and at least one stand-off member positioned between the outer surface of the elongated member and the coil, where the at least one member is configured to prevent the coil from contacting an optical fiber positioned between the elongated member and the coil.

Optical fiber pressure sensor

An optical connector including a first optical fiber having a first diameter and having a core that includes a thermally expanded core portion adjacent a first end of the first optical fiber, a second optical fiber spliced to a second end of the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber having a second diameter less than the first diameter, and a connector bore having a first bore portion configured to receive the first end of the first optical fiber.

Optical sensor assemblies and methods

An intravascular or other 2D or 3D imaging apparatus can include a minimally-invasive distal imaging guidewire portion. A plurality of thin optical fibers can be circumferentially distributed about a cylindrical guidewire core, such as in an spiral-wound or otherwise attached optical fiber ribbon. A low refractive index coating, high numerical aperture (NA) fiber, or other technique can be used to overcome challenges of using extremely thin optical fibers. Coating and ribbonizing techniques are described. Also described are non-uniform refractive index peak amplitudes or wavelengths techniques for FBG writing, using a depressed index optical cladding, chirping, a self-aligned connector, optical fiber routing and alignment techniques for a system connector, and an adapter for connecting to standard optical fiber coupling connectors.

Optical fiber ribbon imaging guidewire and methods

Techniques for imaging are disclosed. In one example, the disclosure is directed to a sensor positioned on an elongate optical fiber. The sensor comprises a plurality of blazed Bragg gratings configured to generate acoustic energy for imaging a region in response to a first optical signal, an interferometer configured to sense acoustic energy from the region and to provide a responsive second optical signal, the interferometer including a first fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and a second FBG, wherein the plurality of blazed Bragg gratings are positioned between the first and second FBGs.

Imaging techniques using an imaging guidewire

In an example, this document discloses an apparatus for insertion into a body lumen, the apparatus comprising an optical fiber pressure sensor. The optical fiber pressure sensor comprises an optical fiber configured to transmit an optical sensing signal, a temperature compensated Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) interferometer in optical communication with the optical fiber, the FBG interferometer configured to receive a pressure and modulate, in response to the received pressure, the optical sensing signal, and a sensor membrane in physical communication with the FBG interferometer, the membrane configured to transmit the received pressure to the FBG interferometer.

Optical fiber pressure sensor guidewire

The disclosure includes an apparatus for insertion into a body lumen. The apparatus can comprise an optical fiber pressure sensor. The optical fiber pressure sensor can comprise an optical fiber configured to transmit an optical sensing signal. A temperature compensated Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) interferometer can be in optical communication with the optical fiber. The FBG interferometer can be configured to receive a pressure and modulate, in response to the received pressure, the optical sensing signal. A compliant member such as a sensor membrane can be in physical communication with the FBG interferometer. The membrane configured to transmit the received pressure to the FBG interferometer.

In an example, an apparatus includes an elongated assembly, at least a portion of which is sized, shaped, or otherwise configured to be inserted into a human body to measure a physiological parameter at an internal location within the body. The elongated assembly can include an elongated member. The elongated assembly can include an optical fiber pressure sensor, located at a distal portion of the elongated member. The elongated assembly can include a housing disposed about the optical fiber pressure sensor. The elongated assembly can include a guidewire tube, coupled to the housing, the guidewire tube defining a receptacle sized and shaped to accept a guidewire to permit the distal portion of the elongated member to slide along the guidewire during insertion of the elongated assembly into the human body.

An intravascular or other 2D or 3D imaging apparatus can include a minimally-invasive distal imaging guidewire portion. A plurality of thin optical fibers () can be circumferentially distributed about a cylindrical guidewire core (), such as in an spiral-wound or otherwise attached optical fiber ribbon (). A low refractive index coating, high numerical aperture (NA) fiber, or other technique can be used to overcome challenges of using extremely thin optical fibers. Coating and ribbonizing techniques are described. Also described are nonuniform refractive index peak amplitudes or wavelengths techniques for FBG writing, using a depressed index optical cladding, chirping, a self-aligned connector, optical fiber routing and alignment techniques for a system connector, and an adapter for connecting to standard optical fiber coupling connectors.

In an example, an optical system can include a polarization scrambler coupleable to a tunable first optical source configured to generate a coherent optical output. The system can include an intra-body optical sensor such as a an intravascularly-deliverable optical fiber transducer, configured to be coupled to the tunable first optical source through the polarization scrambler, the polarization scrambler configured to vary a polarization state of the optical energy provided by the tunable first optical source, the intravascularly-deliverable optical fiber transducer configured to reflect a portion of the optical energy modulated in response to a vibration, pressure, or strain. The system can include a processor circuit configured to obtain information indicative of the optical energy reflected from the intravascularly-deliverable optical fiber transducer, and to process information from the vibration, pressure, or strain modulating the optical energy from the intravascularly-deliverable optical fiber transducer using different polarization states established by the polarization scrambler.

Polarization scrambling for intra-body fiber optic sensor

An imaging guidewire can include one or more optical fibers communicating light along the guidewire. At or near its distal end, one or more blazed or other Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) can direct light to a photoacoustic transducer material that provides ultrasonic imaging energy. Returned ultrasound can be sensed by an FBG sensor. A responsive signal can be optically communicated to the proximal end of the guidewire, and processed such as to develop a 2D or 3D image. In an example, the guidewire outer diameter can be small enough such that an intravascular catheter can be passed over the guidewire. To minimize the size of the guidewire, an ultrasound-to-acoustic transducer that is relatively insensitive to the polarization of the optical sensing signal can be used. The ultrasound-to-optical transducer can be manufactured so that it is relatively insensitive to the polarization of the optical sensing signal.

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Sacramento, CA, United States of America

Howard Neil Rourke