Methods, software and systems for imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11540720-B2
Application number	US-200714379290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2007
Priority date	Oct 6, 2006
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

The invention provides methods and systems for imaging.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of determining the patency of a vessel proximal to a tissue comprising a flap or graft, wound or burn in a subject comprising:
a. administering a fluorescent dye to the subject;
b. applying energy to the tissue such that the fluorescent dye fluoresces;
c. obtaining a fluorescent image of the tissue; and
d. determining from the image whether one or more vessels proximal to the tissue that comprises the flap or graft, wound, or burn is patent.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vessel is in the subdermal plexus.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent dye is a tricarbocyanine dye or an analog thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dye is administered intravenously at a concentration ranging from about 2.5 mg/ml to about 25 mg/ml.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dye is administered by injection directly into an artery proximal to the tissue of interest at a concentration of about 0.025 mg/ml.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue of interest is a flap, and further comprising imaging the adipose side of the flap.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dye is administered less than an hour before determining patency and/or the dye is administered more than 30 seconds before determining patency.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image is obtained by a camera.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein energy is provided by an energy source, and further comprising modulating power output of the energy source.

10. A method of decreasing the risk of iatrogenesis during a surgical ablation procedure, comprising:
a. administering a fluorescent dye to a subject;
b. applying energy to heart tissue such that the fluorescent dye fluoresces;
c. obtaining a fluorescent image of the heart tissue, wherein one or more major vessels are visible in the image;
d. determining from the fluorescent image of the heart tissue a position of the one or more major vessels to decrease the risk of iatrogenesis during a cardiac ablation procedure; and
e. determining where to ablate the heart based on the position of the one or more major vessels.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein step (c) is performed before the surgical ablation procedure, during the surgical ablation procedure, or after the surgical ablation procedure.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fluorescent dye is a tricarbocyanine dye or an analog thereof.

Assignees

• Brzozowski Lukasz
• Richmond Janis W
• Stryker European Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Brzozowski Lukasz
• Richmond Janis W
• Croft Richard L

Classifications

• A61B5/0036 Primary

  including treatment, e.g., using an implantable medical device, ablating, ventilating · CPC title

• A61B2576/023

  for the heart · CPC title

• A61B5/0059

  using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence (photoacoustic A61B5/0093; optical measurement of heart rate A61B5/02416; optical measurement of blood flow A61B5/0261; optical measurement of analytes A61B5/1455) · CPC title

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title

• A61B5/0044

  for the heart · CPC title