Intravascular imaging detector
View Patent ↗An apparatus for intravascular imaging to detect and characterize early stage, unstable coronary arty plaques. The detector works by identifying and localizing plaque-binding beta-emitting radiopharmaceuticals.
1. An intravascular imaging probe comprising:
a body comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion;
an optical fiber movably disposed within the body;
an imaging plate disposed on the distal portion of the body about a distal portion of the optical fiber, wherein beta radiation is absorbed and stored as stable energy in the imaging plate; and
a laser to deliver a laser light through the optical fiber to excite the stable energy in the imaging plate so as to release light into the optical fiber.
2. The probe of claim 1 wherein the imaging plate comprises phosphor.
3. The probe of claim 2 comprising a filter that filters the released light transmitted through the optical fiber.
4. The probe of claim 1 further comprising a concave mirror positioned at a distal end of the optical fiber that directs the laser beam and released light between the imaging plate and the optical fiber.
5. The probe of claim 1 wherein the laser light has a wavelength of 630 nanometers.
6. The probe of claim 1 wherein the released light has a wavelength of approximately 400 nanometers.