Method of manufacturing ultrasound radiating members for a catheter

1. A method comprising:

providing a substantially planar slab of piezoelectric material having a top surface;

drilling a plurality of holes through the top surface and into the substantially planar slab;

making a plurality of cuts through the top surface and into the substantially planar slab, the cuts forming a plurality of polygons that are generally centered about one of the holes;

plating the substantially planar slab with an electrically conductive material;

removing the electrically conductive material from the top surface of the substantially planar slab;

cutting the substantially planar slab substantially parallel to the top surface to separate individual elongate piezoelectric polygons from the slab; and

positioning at least one of the elongate piezoelectric polygons within a tubular catheter body.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of elongate piezoelectric polygons are positioned within the tubular catheter body.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising electrically connecting the elongate piezoelectric polygons in series.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising electrically connecting the elongate piezoelectric polygons in parallel.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the holes are drilled through the substantially planar slab.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polygons are pentagons.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polygons are triangles.