Probe and optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis

1. A probe comprising:

a catheter sheath;

a drive shaft disposed inside the catheter sheath, the drive shaft configured for transmitting a drive force generated by a rotational drive unit; and

an attachment portion configured to be detachably attached to the rotational drive unit, the attachment portion including a first outside housing and a second outside housing, the first outside housing having a through hole;

wherein the attachment portion includes an isolation member for isolating the inside of the attachment portion into a first area in which a member for transmitting the drive force generated by the rotational drive unit to the drive shaft is configured to be rotatably held and a second area in which the catheter sheath is configured to be held in a fixed manner;

wherein the isolation member includes:

an end surface to which an end portion of the catheter sheath is connected, the end surface being approximately perpendicular to a rotation axis of the drive shaft;

a central insertion hole through which the drive shaft is configured to be inserted; and

an outer peripheral surface of the isolation member comprising at least one ejection groove, wherein, when the isolation member is disposed within the first outside housing, a combination of the at least one ejection groove and the first outside housing defines at least one ejection hole, the at least one ejection hole being separate and distinct from the insertion hole; and

an ejection flow path defined between the outer peripheral surface of the isolation member and an inner peripheral surface of the first outside housing such that a liquid entering the at least one ejection hole flows proximally along the ejection flow path and to the outside of the first outside housing via the through hole in the first outside housing;

wherein the insertion hole has a first diameter defining a first cross-sectional area and the drive shaft has a second diameter defining a second cross-sectional area, a difference between the first cross-sectional area and the second cross-sectional area defining a gap cross-sectional area, and

wherein a cross-sectional area of the at least one ejection hole is a predetermined value equal to or greater than the gap cross-sectional area such that the liquid entering the at least one ejection hole flows along the ejection flow path.

2. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the end surface includes the insertion hole arranged at a central position thereof and the at least one ejection hole arranged at a peripheral portion thereof.

3. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the ejection flow path further extends to outside of the attachment portion.

4. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one ejection hole comprises a pair of ejection holes.

5. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one ejection hole comprises four ejection holes.

6. The probe according to claim 2 , wherein the isolation member defines a collar member, a terminal end surface of the collar member defining the surface including the insertion hole and the at least one ejection hole.

7. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the isolation member defines a collar member, wherein the collar member includes a distal end portion, a proximal end portion and a body portion extending therebetween, a distalmost end of the distal end portion having a reduced diameter relative to the body portion, and the body portion having at least one groove extending an entire axial length thereof.

8. The probe according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one ejection groove formed in the outer peripheral surface of the isolation member is in fluid communication with the at least one groove of the body portion.

9. An optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis comprising:

a rotational drive unit; and

a probe according to claim 1 attached to the rotational drive unit,

wherein the probe further comprises an imaging core including a light transmitting and receiving unit; and

wherein the light transmitted and received by the light transmitting and receiving unit may be used to generate a cross-sectional image inside a body-cavity.

10. An optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis comprising:

an optical probe unit;

a rotational drive unit;

an operation control apparatus;

wherein the rotational drive unit and the operation control apparatus are connected by a signal line;

wherein the optical probe unit and the rotational drive unit are detachably connected;

wherein the optical probe unit comprises:

a catheter sheath configured to be inserted inside a blood vessel;

a connector unit; and

an imaging core disposed within the catheter sheath, the imaging core including a housing, a transmitting and receiving unit and a drive shaft disposed within the housing;

wherein the connector unit includes a sheath connector integrated with a proximal end of the catheter sheath and a drive shaft connector including a first outside housing including at least one through-hole and a second outside housing, a proximal end of the drive shaft connector being attached to the rotational drive unit;

wherein the drive shaft connector includes a collar member, an outer peripheral surface of the collar member comprising at least one ejection groove, wherein, when the collar member is disposed within the first outside housing, a combination of the at least one ejection groove and the first outside housing defines at least one ejection hole; and

an ejection flow path defined between an the outer surface of the collar member and an inner surface of the first outside housing, whereby liquid which has flowed proximally along an inside of the catheter sheath is discharged to outside of the first housing via the ejection flow path and the at least one through hole; and

wherein the collar member includes a terminal end surface including an insertion hole through which the drive shaft is configured to be inserted, the insertion hole has a first diameter defining a first cross-sectional area and the drive shaft has a second diameter defining a second cross-sectional area, a difference between the first cross-sectional area and the second cross-sectional area defining a gap cross-sectional area, a cross-sectional area of the at least one ejection hole being equal to or greater than the gap cross-sectional area, whereby the at least one ejection hole provides lesser flow resistance than the insertion hole.

11. The optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 10 , wherein the collar member defines a rotation axis of the drive shaft.

12. The optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 11 , wherein the collar member defines an isolation member for isolating an inside of the proximal end of the drive shaft connector into a first area in which the transmitting and receiving unit and the drive shaft for transmitting the drive force generated by a rotational drive unit to the drive shaft is rotatably held, and a second area in which the catheter sheath is held in a fixed manner.

13. The optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 11 , wherein the transmitting and receiving unit is configured to transmit measured light and to receive reflected light such that a cross-sectional image of the blood vessel can be generated by the operation control apparatus.

14. The optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 10 , wherein the terminal end surface further includes the at least one ejection hole.

15. The optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 14 , wherein the insertion hole is disposed at a central position on the terminal end surface and the at least one ejection hole is disposed at a peripheral portion of the terminal end surface.

16. The optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one ejection hole comprises two ejection holes.

17. The optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one ejection hole comprises four ejection holes.

18. The optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 10 , wherein the collar member includes a distal end portion, a proximal end portion and a body portion extending therebetween, a distalmost end of the distal end portion having a reduced diameter relative to the body portion, and the body portion having at least one groove extending an entire axial length thereof.

19. The optical imaging apparatus for diagnosis according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one ejection groove formed in the outer peripheral surface of the collar member is in fluid communication with the at least one groove of the body portion.