Intravascular device for vessel measurement and associated systems, devices, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10512449-B2
Application number	US-201514857368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2015
Priority date	Sep 19, 2014
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

An intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) device includes a catheter body having a proximal portion and an opposing distal portion; a transducer array disposed adjacent the distal portion, the transducer array having a plurality of transducers and each of the plurality of transducers having a maximum width, wherein the plurality of transducers are positioned circumferentially around the catheter body with a minimum spacing between adjacent transducers that is at least twice as large as the maximum width. A minimally invasive measuring device includes an elongate body configured for insertion in a patient, the elongate body having a proximal portion and an opposing distal portion; and a transducer array disposed adjacent the distal end, the transducer array having a plurality of transducers disposed circumferentially around the elongate body, the plurality of transducers comprising 3 to 16 transducers. A method of generating an intravascular measurement using an intravascular device is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) device, comprising:
a catheter body configured to be positioned within a blood vessel of a patient, the catheter body comprising a proximal portion, an opposing distal portion, and a ferrule defining a guidewire-through lumen extending through at least the distal portion of the catheter body; and
a transducer array disposed adjacent the distal portion, wherein the transducer array is rotationally and longitudinally fixed relative to the ferrule, the transducer array having a plurality of transducers and each of the plurality of transducers having a transducer width along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the catheter body, wherein the plurality of transducers are spaced apart from one another by at least a spacing circumferentially around the catheter body, the spacing being at least twice as large as the transducer width,
wherein the guidewire-through lumen extends through the transducer array.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transducer array has less than 24 transducers.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the transducer array has less than 12 transducers.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the transducer array has 6 transducers.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the spacing is greater than 4 times the transducer width.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the spacing is greater than 8 times the transducer width.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transducer array is connected to a control circuit, the control circuit having a width greater than the transducer width and equal to or greater than the spacing.

8. The device of claim 7 , further comprising comprise a flexible substrate, wherein the transducer array and the control circuit are coupled to the flexible substrate.

9. The device of claim 1 , further including a pressure sensor disposed adjacent the transducer array.

10. The device of claim 9 , further including a control circuit receiving signals from both the transducer array and the pressure sensor.

11. A minimally invasive measuring device, comprising:
an elongate body configured for insertion into a body lumen of a patient, the elongate body comprising:
a proximal portion;
an opposing distal portion; and
a ferrule defining a guidewire-through lumen extending through at least the distal portion of the elongate body; and

a transducer array disposed adjacent the distal portion, wherein the transducer array is rotationally and longitudinally fixed relative to the ferrule, the transducer array having a plurality of transducers each having a width along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the elongate body, the plurality of transducers spaced apart from one another circumferentially around the elongate body by a spacing that is at least twice as large as the width, the plurality of transducers comprising 3 to 16 transducers,
wherein the guidewire-through lumen extends through the transducer array.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of transducers are equally spaced about the circumference of the elongate body.

13. The device of claim 11 , further including a single control circuit disposed adjacent the distal portion for controlling the transducer array.

14. The device of claim 13 , further including a pressure sensor disposed adjacent the distal portion and in communication with the single control circuit.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the transducer array is positioned more distally than the pressure sensor.

16. The device of claim 13 , wherein the single control circuit comprises a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

17. The device of claim 11 , wherein the guidewire-through lumen terminates prior to reaching the proximal portion.

18. The device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) in communication with the transducer array; and
a flexible substrate positioned around the ferrule, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the single ASIC is coupled to the flexible substrate at the proximal portion and the transducer array is coupled to the flexible substrate at the distal portion.

Assignees

• Volcano Corp

Inventors

• Rice Cheryl D

Classifications

• A61B8/4488

  the transducer being a phased array · CPC title

• A61B8/445 Primary

  Details of catheter construction · CPC title

• A61B8/12

  in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters · CPC title

• A61B8/0891

  for diagnosis of blood vessels · CPC title