Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Knonklijke Philips N.v.

Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.v.

Szabolcs Deladi

Jan Frederik Suijver

Godefridus Antonius Harks

Maya Ella Barley

Steven Antonie Willem Fokkenrood

Antonius Johannes Josephus Rademakers

Erik Godefridus Antonius Harks

Fei Zuo

Cornelius Antonius Nicolaas Maria Van Der Vleuten

Bernardus Hendrikus Wilhelmus Hendriks

Josef Vincent Koblish

Alexander Franciscus Kolen

Nijs Cornelis Van Der Vaart

Nenad Mihajlovic

Ladislav Jankovic

Yan Shi

Ralph Kurt

Johannes Wilhelmus Weekamp

Waltherus Cornelis Jozef Bierhoff

Franciscus Paulus Maria Budzelaar

Harm Jan Willem Belt

Mischa Megens

Francois Guy Gerard Marie Vignon

Ameet Kumar Jain

Stein Kuiper

David L McGee

Gert Wim 't Hooft

Robert Manzke

Drazenko Babic

Joachim Kahlert

Bernardus H W Hendriks

Darrell L Rankin

Erik A Harks

Wouter Harry Rensen

Edwin Gerardus Johannus Maria Bongers

Bart Michiel De Boer

Rami Nachabe

Wouter Harry Jacinth Rensen

Gerardus Henricus Maria Gijsbers

Adrien Desjardins

Yingrong Xie

Waltherus C J Bierhoff

Maya E Barley

Maikel Hendriks

Nanad Mihajlovic

Raymond Emmanuel Chan

Johannes Gerardus Van Beek

Niels Bakker

Garardus Henricus Maria Gijsbers

Cornelius Antonius Micolaas Maria Van Der Vleuten

Antonius J J Rademakers

Jan F Suijver

Darrel L Rankin

David L Mcgee

Cornelius A N M Van Der Vleuten

Bart M De Boer

François Guy Gerard Marie Vignon

Steven A W Fokkenrood

Wouter H J Rensen

Yan S Shi

Caifeng Shan

Raymond Chan

Adrien Emmanuel Desjardins

Gert Wim 'T Hooft

The invention relates to ultrasound imaging method and apparatus suitable for minimally invasive ultrasound diagnostic devices in cardiac ablation monitoring and in tumor ablation monitoring. The present invention proposes an assembly of forward and side-facing transducers and a system of embedded forward and side-facing transducers in apertures on surfaces of the assembly. This provides control of the acoustic properties of the transducer and improved ablation monitoring when the assembly is incorporated in a medical device.

Medical device with forward and sideward ablation monitoring ultrasound transducers

The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus for monitoring an ablation procedure. The monitoring apparatus comprises an ultrasound signal providing unit for providing an ultrasound signal that depends on received echo series of an object that is ablated. The monitoring apparatus further comprises an ablation depth determination unit for determining an ablation depth from the provided ultrasound signal. The ablation depth can be determined directly from the ultrasound signal and is an important parameter while performing an ablation procedure. For example, it can be used for determining the progress of ablation within the object and for determining when the ablation has reached a desired progression.

Monitoring apparatus for monitoring an ablation procedure

The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus () for monitoring an ablation procedure. The monitoring apparatus () comprises an ultrasound signal providing unit for providing an ultrasound signal that depends on received echo series of an object () that is ablated. The monitoring apparatus () further comprises an ablation depth determination unit () for determining an ablation depth from the provided ultrasound signal. The ablation depth can be determined directly from the ultrasound signal and is an important parameter while performing an ablation procedure. For example, it can be used for determining the progress of ablation within the object () and for determining when the ablation has reached a desired progression.

The invention relates to an energy application apparatus for applying energy to an object. A plurality of energy application elements () applies energy to the object at different locations and at least one ultrasound element () generates an ultrasound signal being indicative of a property of the object at the different locations, wherein at least one energy application element is individually controlled depending on an energy application influence, in particular, an ablation depth, determined for the location at which the at least one energy application element applies energy from the ultrasound signal. Thus, at least one local control point for applying energy to the object is provided, thereby improving the control of applying energy to the object.

Energy application apparatus for applying energy to an object

A system and method for mapping interluminal structures includes an elongated flexible instrument (). An optical shape sensing device () is disposed within the flexible instrument and is configured to determine a shape of the flexible instrument relative to a reference. The shape sensing device is configured to collect information based on its configuration to map an interluminal structure during a procedure. An imaging enabled ablation device () is mounted at or near a distal end portion of the flexible instrument.

Mapping system and method for medical procedures

Devices and systems for ultrasonically imaging tissue and performing ablation therapy are disclosed. An ablation probe for treating and imaging body tissue includes an ablation electrode tip with a number of acoustic openings and a plurality of ultrasonic imaging sensors disposed within an interior lumen of the tip. The ultrasonic imaging sensors are supported within the interior lumen via an insert equipped with a number of recesses that receive the ultrasonic imaging sensors. An acoustically transparent shell disposed between the ultrasonic imaging sensors and the acoustic openings forms a fluid channel in the acoustic pathway of the sensors. During an ablation procedure, cooling fluid from an external fluid source is delivered through the fluid channel, providing an acoustic coupling effect between the ultrasonic imaging sensors and the surrounding body tissue.

Ablation probe with fluid-based acoustic coupling for ultrasonic tissue imaging

The invention relates to location determination apparatus for determining a location of a first object () like a catheter within a second object () being, for example, the heart of a person. The first object comprises a first ultrasound unit, and a second ultrasound unit () is located outside the second object. A location determination unit determines the location of the first object within the second object based on ultrasound signals transmittedbetween the first ultrasound unit and the second ultrasound unit. This allows determining the location of the first object within the second object reliably in a way which is an alternative to using a transmission of electrical signals for determining the location and which may lead to an improved accuracy of determining the location.

Location determination apparatus

The present invention relates to a system () for combined ablation and ultrasound imaging of associated tissue (), which is particularly useful for use in an ablation process. The system comprises an interventional device () with an ultrasound transducer and an ablation unit. During an ablation process, the interventional device () can be applied for both ablation and imaging of the tissue () subject to the ablation. A controlling unit (CTRL) is further comprised within the system, and arranged to calculate a predictor value based on one or more signals from the ultrasound transducer, where the predictor value relates to a risk of impending tissue damage due to a rapid release of bubble energy. According to a specific embodiment, a primary signal is sent if the predictor value exceeds a threshold value, so that proper measures can be taken.

Combined ablation and ultrasound imaging

The invention relates to an interventional device () including a plurality of signal assemblies, a method of assembling such interventional device (), an assembling system for such interventional device () and a corresponding software product. In order to provide a number of signal assemblies including, for example, ultrasound transducers () in an interventional device () with a reduced risk of thrombi formation or similar complications a desired flush and smooth surface of a casing () of the interventional device () is achieved if the signal assemblies are inserted in such a manner that they are urged into their respective positions from inside the casing () after such insertion.

Interventional device, method of assembling, and assembling system

A monitoring apparatus for monitoring an ablation procedure applied to an object comprises an ultrasound signal providing unit for providing an ultrasound signal. The ultrasound signal is produced by sending ultrasound pulses out to the object, by subsequently receiving dynamic echo series after the ultrasound pulses have been reflected by the object, and finally by generating the ultrasound signal depending on the received dynamic echo series, whereby ultrasound scattering properties of the object are determined that represent blood perfusion. The monitoring apparatus further comprises an ablation depth determination unit for determining an ablation depth from the provided ultrasound signal.

Apparatus for determining a property of an object using ultrasound scatter

The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus () for monitoring a structural change in an object (), such as a heart wall tissue. Tissue at first and second locations exhibits first and second velocities. The monitoring apparatus () comprises an ultrasound signal providing unit for providing ultrasound signals of the object () for different times. The monitoring apparatus () further comprises a discontinuity determination unit () for determining a discontinuity of the first and second velocities based at least in part on a change in time of tissue velocity differences and of tissue velocity sums. From the discontinuity an ablation depth can be determined, which is an important parameter while performing an ablation procedure. For example, it can be used for determining the progress of ablation within the object and for determining when the ablation has reached a desired dimension.

Monitoring apparatus

To sum up, the present invention relates to an examination systemfor examining an associated tissue sample, where the examination system comprises an interventional devicewhich comprises a plurality of ultrasound transducers-and wherein the different ultrasound transducers are arranged to obtain images of different regions of an associated tissue sample, and wherein the examination system furthermore comprises a display devicearranged for showing the images so that each of their positions corresponds to the corresponding positions of the different adjacent tissue sample regions in the adjacent associated tissue sample. A possible advantage of the system may be that relevant information regarding the associated tissue sample is conveyed to an observer in a fast an intuitive manner.

Examination system with multiple ultrasound transducers

The invention relates to an imaging system for imaging a periodically moving object. An assigning unit () assigns ultrasound signals like A-lines to motion phases based on a provided phase signal, wherein an ultrasound images generation unit () generates several ultrasound images like gated M-mode images for the different motion phases based on the ultrasound signals assigned to the respective motion phase. A selecting unit () is used to select an ultrasound image from the generated ultrasound images, wherein a display unit () displays the selected ultrasound image. The selected ultrasound image corresponds therefore to a single motion phase only such that motion artifacts in the displayed ultrasound image are reduced. The imaging system is particularly useful for, for instance, monitoring cardiac ablation procedures.

Imaging system for imaging a periodically moving object

The invention relates to ultrasound imaging method and apparatus suitable for minimally invasive ultrasound diagnostic devices in cardiac ablation monitoring and in tumor ablation monitoring. The present invention proposes to manufacture a transducers assembly and system on a patterned flexible foil by embedding transducers patches in apertures on the foil surface. This provides great control of the acoustic properties of the transducer.

Medical device with ultrasound transducers embedded in flexible foil

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Veldhoven, Netherlands

Szabolcs Deladi