Apparatus, systems and methods which controls and facilitates information gathering using a tethered capsule catheter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016345809-A1
Application number	US-201515113982-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	Jan 28, 2014
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Exemplary apparatus can be provided which includes a capsule catheter first arrangement, a tether second arrangement which connected to the first arrangement; and a weighted structure connected to or provided in the first arrangement. For example, the weighted structure can have a particular weight that causes the first arrangement to interact with gravity. In this exemplary manner, that the first arrangement can be controllably translated and positioned within a luminal anatomical structure and/or provide information about anatomic features of imaged organ.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a capsule catheter first arrangement; a tether second arrangement which connected to the first arrangement; and a weighted structure connected to or provided in the first arrangement have a particular weight that causes the first arrangement to interact with gravity so that the first arrangement is at least one of controllably translated or controllably positioned within a luminal anatomical structure.

2 . The apparatus according to paragraph 1, wherein the second arrangement includes a waveguiding arrangement which is configured to transceive at least one electromagnetic radiation between an end portion of the second arrangement and at least one portion of the luminal anatomical structure through the first arrangement.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a computer which is configured to receive data associated with the at least one electromagnetic radiation, and generate at least one image of the at least one portion of the luminal anatomical structure using the data.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a computer which is configured to receive data from at least one of the capsule or the tether, and determine a velocity of the capsule within the luminal anatomical structure based on the data.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a further arrangement configured to determine a velocity of the capsule within the luminal anatomical structure.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a position control arrangement which is configured to provide an adjustable control of a position of the first arrangement using the velocity.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a computer which is configured to determine an orientation of at least one segment of the luminal anatomical structure using the velocity.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Gen Hospital

Inventors

• Tearney Guillermo J
• Gora Michalina
• Carruth Robert

Classifications

• A61B1/041 Primary

  Capsule endoscopes for imaging · CPC title

• A61B1/045

  Control thereof · CPC title

• A61B5/073

  Intestinal transmitters · CPC title

• A61B5/065

  Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe · CPC title

• A61B5/0075

  by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy (A61B5/0071 takes precedence) · CPC title