Acist Medical Systems, Inc.

Zed Medical, Inc.

Val-chum, Limited Partnership

Kendall R Waters

Thomas C Moore

Robert Zelenka

Duc Lam

Jason Fredrick Hiltner

Joseph A Jamello

Paul J Zalesky

Donald Masters

Sidney Donald Nystrom

Edward R Miller

J Steve Reynolds

Stephanie J Buech

Robert Foster Wilson

Ruth Beeby

Guy Cloutier

Richard A Bautista

François Destrempes

Jason F Hiltner

Marie-Hélène Roy Cardinal

Rick Bautista

Duc H Lam

An intravascular sensor device can be used to guide treatment of a diseased blood vessel in the body of a patient. In some examples, the intravascular sensor device includes a pressure sensor and an ultrasound transducer. The intravascular sensor device is used to measure a pressure within the diseased blood vessel and acquire an ultrasound image of the diseased blood vessel. The pressure may be measured during hyperemic blood flow that is caused by a pharmacologic vasodilator drug. The measured pressure can be used to calculate a fractional flow reserve value. The ultrasound image can be used to determine a physical dimension of the blood vessel, such as cross-sectional area. The fractional flow reserve value and physical dimensions of the blood vessel can be used to optimize patient treatment.

Device and method for intravascular imaging and sensing

Methods and systems are disclosed for detecting a region of disturbed blood flow within a blood-filled lumen and indicating the region of disturbed blood flow using a disturbed blood flow indicator. The region of disturbed blood flow can be detecting by processing a plurality of data vectors acquired by an imaging device. The plurality of data vectors can also be processed to generate an intravascular image. The intravascular image can be displayed to include the disturbed blood flow indicator at a region on the displayed image corresponding to a detected region of disturbed blood flow.

Detection of disturbed blood flow

This disclosure provides systems and methods for measuring fluid flow in a vasculature system of a patient. Some systems may include an injection system configured to inject a bolus of fluid into a vessel of a patient. Some systems may include a measurement engine configured to monitor the bolus of fluid in the vessel using measurement data generated by an intravascular measuring device. The measurement engine may determine a travel distance of the bolus of fluid and an elapsed time during which the bolus of fluid traversed the travel distance based on the measurement data. A fluid flow rate (e.g., velocity, volumetric flow) of the vessel may be calculated using the travel distance and the elapsed time.

Fluid flow measurement systems and methods

Embodiments of the present invention allow more full characterization of a stenotic lesion by measuring both pressure drop across the stenotic lesion and the size of the vessel lumen adjacent the stenotic lesion, both with sensors delivered intravascularly to the stenotic lesion site. In preferred embodiments, the size (e.g., inner diameter, cross-sectional profile) of the vessel lumen adjacent the stenotic lesion can be measured via one or more intravascular ultrasound transducers. In preferred embodiments, the intravascular ultrasound transducer(s) can be delivered to the site of the stenotic lesion with the same delivery device that carries the pressure transducer(s).

Multiple transducer delivery device and method

Intravascular systems can include a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, a sensor located at the distal end configured to provide sensor information representative of one or more intravascular properties of a patient, and a plurality of magnetic domains. A magnetic pickup can be configured to output a pickup signal based on the magnetic field at the magnetic pickup produced by the plurality of magnetic domains. An intravascular processing engine can be in communication with the catheter sensor and the magnetic pickup. The intravascular processing engine can receive sensor information from the sensor and a position signal representative of the pickup signal. The intravascular processing engine can be used to determine position information related to the position of the catheter sensor and combine the received sensor information and corresponding determined position information.

Position sensing in intravascular processes

A catheter-based imaging system comprises a catheter having a telescoping proximal end, a distal end having a distal sheath and a distal lumen, a working lumen, and an ultrasonic imaging core. The ultrasonic imaging core is arranged for rotation and linear translation. The system further includes a patient interface module including a catheter interface, a rotational motion control system that imparts controlled rotation to the ultrasonic imaging core, a linear translation control system that imparts controlled linear translation to the ultrasonic imaging core, and an ultrasonic energy generator and receiver coupled to the ultrasonic imaging core. The system further comprises an image generator coupled to the ultrasonic energy receiver that generates an image.

System and catheter for image guidance and methods thereof

An intravascular ultrasound imaging system comprises a catheter having an elongated body having a distal end and an imaging core arranged to be inserted into the elongated body. The imaging core is arranged to transmit ultrasonic energy pulses and to receive reflected ultrasonic energy pulses. The system further includes an imaging engine coupled to the imaging core and arranged to provide the imaging core with energy pulses to cause the imaging core to transmit the ultrasonic energy pulses. The energy pulses are arranged in repeated sequences and the energy pulses of each sequence have varying characteristics. The reflected pulses may be processed to provide a composite image of images resulting from each different characteristic.

Intravascular ultrasound system for co-registered imaging

A catheter a first sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, and a length extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The first sheath being devoid of any bonds between the proximal end and the distal end, and a flexural modulus of the first sheath varying along the length. A method of making a catheter having more than one flexural modulus.

Catheter sheath and methods thereof

Systems and methods to reduce near-field artifacts from intravascular images. Disclosed systems and methods are adapted to automatically identify near-field image artifacts in imaging data and generate an enhanced intravascular image by reducing near-field image artifacts.

Systems and methods to reduce near-field artifacts

This disclosure provides systems and methods for intravascular imaging. Some systems may be configured to generate a screening image of a section of a patient's vessel, identify one or more sub-sections of the screening image that each include a diagnostically significant characteristic of the vessel, and imaging the one or more sub-sections. Some systems may be configured to automatically identify the one or more sub-sections and/or to allow a user to manually identify the one or more sub-sections. Some systems may be configured to automatically image the one or more sub-sections after the one or more sub-sections are identified. In some examples, the system may be configured to displace blood during imaging of the sub-sections to enhance image quality. The system may be configured to minimize the period of time blood is displaced by synchronizing imaging and blood displacement.

Intravascular imaging

Methods and systems for acquiring a plurality of data vectors at a first frequency and a plurality of data vectors at a second frequency, where the first frequency is greater than the second frequency. The plurality of first frequency data vectors can be formed into a first set of data vectors and the plurality of second frequency data vectors can be formed into a second set of data vectors. A first filter can be applied to the first set of data vectors to form a first modified data set and a second filter can be applied to the second set of data vectors to form a second modified data set. Based on the first and second modified data sets, a frequency response of an item in the imaging view can be determined. Using the determined frequency response of the item, an image is created on a display.

Intravascular ultrasound imaging with frequency selective imaging methods and systems

Image segmentation can include a pre-initialization image analysis of image data using an image analysis algorithm to generate a modified image, and the modified image can be presented on a display. An initialization can be performed on the modified image that includes user input on the modified image. The modified image can be segmented using a segmentation algorithm that evaluates the user input. Upon evaluating the user input, the segmentation algorithm can cause a segmented image to be produced which can be presented on the display.

Semi-automated image segmentation system and method

An intravascular ultrasound imaging system with a catheter having an elongated body having a distal end and an imaging core arranged to be inserted into the elongated body. The imaging core is arranged to transmit ultrasonic energy pulses and to receive reflected ultrasonic energy pulses. The system further includes an imaging engine coupled to the imaging core and arranged to provide the imaging core with energy pulses to cause the imaging core to transmit the ultrasonic energy pulses. The energy pulses are arranged in repeated sequences and the energy pulses of each sequence have varying characteristics. The reflected pulses may be processed to provide a composite image of images resulting from each different characteristic.

An ultrasound catheter includes an elongated body, a first and second ablation element each configured to ablate soft tissue and an imaging core having an ultrasound transducer. In another example, an ultrasound catheter includes an elongated body, a RF ablator configured to ablate soft tissue at a frequency less than 1 MHz, and an ultrasound transducer configured to image at a frequency greater than or equal to 10 MHz. In another example, an ultrasound catheter apparatus includes an ultrasound catheter having an ablator and an ultrasound transducer, and a graphical user interface displayed using a computer processor. The graphical user interface displays a real-time image of a treatment area and the ultrasound catheter, and a chart displaying ablation as a function of time, the chart being updated in real-time.

Growing community of inventors

Livermore, CA, United States of America

Kendall R Waters