Wall-Contacting Intravascular Ultrasound Probe Catheters
The present invention provides intravascular diagnostic catheters that include one or more wall-contacting/wall-approaching probes including IVUS probe elements and diagnostic systems including such catheters, for the evaluation and diagnosis of blood vessels. Also provided are intravascular catheters in which the wall-contacting/wall-approaching probes further include an optical probe element and systems including such catheters, for combined IVUS and optical analysis of a blood vessel wall.
1 . An intravascular diagnostic catheter, comprising:
a proximal end and a distal insertion end; and
a basket section disposed at or near the distal insertion end, said basket section comprising at least two radially extendable wall-approaching probe arms each including a wall-approaching portion,
wherein each of at least two of the probe arms comprises a laterally-viewing ultrasound transducer within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm.
2 . The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the catheter is sized and configured for evaluating human coronary arteries or human carotid arteries.
3 . The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transducer operates at 20 MHz or above.
4 . An intravascular diagnostic catheter, comprising:
a proximal end and a distal insertion end; and
a basket section disposed at or near the distal insertion end, said basket section comprising at least two radially extendable wall-approaching probe arms each including a wall-approaching portion,
wherein each of at least two of the probe arms comprises a laterally-viewing high-frequency ultrasound transducer within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm and a laterally-viewing optical element within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm.
5 . The catheter of claim 4 , wherein the catheter is sized and configured for evaluating human coronary arteries or human carotid arteries.
6 . The catheter of claim 4 , wherein
the laterally viewing high-frequency ultrasound transducer is operably connected to at least one wire running from the proximal end of the catheter to the transducer; and
the laterally-viewing optical element is operably connected to at least one optical fiber running from the proximal end of the catheter to the optical element.
7 . An intravascular diagnostic catheter, comprising:
a proximal end and a distal insertion end; and
at least one radially extendable probe arm disposed at or near the distal insertion end including a wall-approaching portion,
wherein the at least one radially extendable probe arm comprises a high-frequency ultrasound transducer within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm and an optical probe element within or near the wall-approaching portion of the probe arm.
8 . The catheter of claim 7 , wherein the at least one radially extendable probe arm comprises at least two radially extendable probe arms.
9 . The catheter of claim 7 , wherein
the high-frequency ultrasound transducer is operably connected to at least one wire running from the proximal end of the catheter to the transducer; and
the optical probe element is operably connected to at least one optical fiber running from the proximal end of the catheter to the optical element.
10 . The catheter of claim 9 , wherein the at least one radially extendable probe arm comprises at least two radially extendable probe arms.
11 . An intravascular interrogation system, comprising:
an intravascular catheter according to claim 7 ;
a power source operably connected to the ultrasound transducer;
an ultrasound signal analyzer;
a laser source in optical communication with the optical probe element; and
a Raman spectrometer in optical communication with the optical probe element.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one radially extendable probe arm comprises at least two radially extendable probe arms.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the catheter is sized and configured for evaluating human coronary arteries or human carotid arteries.
15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the catheter is a basket catheter comprising a basket section which comprises the probe arms.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the catheter is sized and configured for evaluating human coronary arteries or human carotid arteries.
17 . A method for evaluating the wall of a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:
providing an intravascular catheter including at least one radially extendable wall-approaching probe arm including an IVUS element;
disposing the wall-approaching probe element of the catheter in a blood vessel; and
taking ultrasound readings of the vessel wall at one or more locations in the blood vessel using the IVUS element.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the ultrasound transducer operates at 20 MHz or above.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein intravascular catheter is an intravascular basket catheter comprising a basket section that comprises the at least one radially extendable wall-approaching probe arm.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the ultrasound transducer operates at 20 MHz or above.
21 . A method for evaluating the wall of a blood vessel, comprising the steps of:
providing an intravascular catheter including at least one radially extendable wall-approaching probe arm including a side-viewing IVUS element and a side-viewing optical probe element;
disposing the probe arm in a blood vessel; and
taking both ultrasound readings and optical analytical readings of the vessel wall at one or more locations in the blood vessel via the at least one probe arm.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the ultrasound transducer is operates at 20 MHz or above.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein taking optical analytical readings comprises analyzing Raman scattered light collected from the one or more locations in the blood vessel.
24 . The method of claim 23 , comprising analyzing Raman scattered light in the high wavenumber region.
25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein intravascular catheter is an intravascular basket catheter comprising a basket section that comprises the at least one radially extendable wall-approaching probe arm.