Other

University of Texas System

The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the

Texas Heart Institute

Michael L Eastwood

Gregory H Bearman

James T Willerson

S Ward Casscells

Timothy N Krabach

Thomas D Chrien

A method of detecting vulnerable arterial plaque formed on the vessel wall in vivo is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining an image of the arterial plaque, measuring the temperature of the arterial plaque, and determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature compared to the temperature of at least one adjacent vessel wall site. The method may include determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature of between 0.4 to 4&#xb0; C. above at least one adjacent vessel wall site.

Method of detecting vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque

An infrared, heat-sensing catheter particularly useful for identifying potentially fatal arterial plaques in patients with disease of the coronary or other arteries and its use are detailed. In one embodiment, an infrared fiberoptic system (with or without ultrasound) is employed at the tip of the catheter to locate inflamed, heat-producing, atherosclerotic plaque, which is at greater risk for rupture, fissure, or ulceration, and consequent thrombosis and occlusion of the artery. In another embodiment, a catheter with an infrared detector (with or without ultrasound) employed at its tip will likewise locate inflamed heat-producing atherosclerotic plaque. The devices and methods of the invention may be used to detect abscesses, infection, and cancerous regions by the heat such regions differentially display over the ambient temperature of immediately adjacent tissues. The methods and devices of the invention may also be used to detect regions of cooler than ambient tissue in a vessel or organ which indicate cell death, thrombosis, cell death, hemorrhage, calcium or cholesterol accumulations, or foreign materials.

A real-time display of tissue ischemia which comprises three CCD video cameras, each with a narrow bandwidth filter at the correct wavelength. The cameras simultaneously view an area of tissue suspected of having ischemic areas through beamsplitters. The output from each camera is adjusted to give the correct signal intensity for combining with the others into an image for display. If necessary, a digital signal processor (DSP) can implement algorithms for image enhancement prior to display. Current DSP engines are fast enough to give real-time display. Measurement at three wavelengths, combined into a real-time Red-Green-Blue (RGB) video display with a digital signal processing (DSP) board to implement image algorithms, provides direct visualization of ischemic areas.

Real-time visualization of tissue ischemia

Detecting thermal discrepancies in vessel walls

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So. Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Michael L Eastwood