Imaging assembly for intraluminal imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020008780-A1
Application number	US-201816491110-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2018
Priority date	Mar 7, 2017
Publication date	Jan 9, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An intraluminal imaging device is provided. In one embodiment, the imaging device includes a flexible elongate member that may to be inserted into a body lumen within a patient. The flexible elongate member has a central longitudinal axis. The imaging device also has an imaging assembly that is disposed at a distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The imaging assembly comprises a flexible substrate and a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements. The plurality of ultrasound transducer elements are disposed on the flexible substrate. The flexible substrate is disposed around the central longitudinal axis of the flexible elongate member such that the ultrasound transducer elements are oriented to face away from the central longitudinal axis and the flexible substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An intraluminal imaging device, comprising:
a flexible elongate member configured to be inserted into a body lumen within a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a central longitudinal axis; an imaging assembly disposed at a distal portion of the flexible elongate member, the imaging assembly comprising:
a flexible substrate; and
a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements disposed on the flexible substrate,
wherein the flexible substrate is disposed around the central longitudinal axis of the flexible elongate member such that the ultrasound transducer elements are oriented to face away from the central longitudinal axis and the flexible substrate.

2 . The intraluminal imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the imaging assembly further comprises:
a support member, wherein the flexible substrate is positioned around the support member.

3 . The intraluminal imaging device of claim 2 , wherein the imaging assembly further comprising:
a backing material disposed between the flexible substrate and the support member.

4 . The intraluminal imaging device of claim 2 , wherein the support member disposed longitudinally along the central longitudinal axis of the flexible elongate member.

5 . The intraluminal imaging device of claim 2 , wherein the support member defines a lumen configured to accommodate a guide wire extending along the central longitudinal axis.

6 . The intraluminal imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the imaging assembly further comprises:
an outer shell positioned around the flexible substrate such that the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements contact the outer shell.

7 . The intraluminal imaging device of claim 6 , wherein the imaging assembly further comprises:
a filling material positioned in a space between adjacent ultrasound transducer elements, the flexible substrate, and the outer shell.

8 . The intraluminal imaging device of claim 6 , wherein the outer shell comprises an acoustic matching layer.

9 . The intraluminal imaging device of claim 6 , wherein the outer shell comprises of two or more acoustic matching layers.

10 . The intraluminal imaging device of claim 6 , wherein the outer shell configured to seal the imaging assembly to prevent fluid ingress.

11 . A method of assembling an intraluminal imaging device, comprising:
positioning an imaging assembly at a distal portion of a flexible elongate member configured to be inserted into a body lumen within a patient, the imaging assembly comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements formed on a flexible substrate; arranging the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements around a central longitudinal axis of the flexible elongate member; and orienting the ultrasound transducer elements to face away from the central longitudinal axis and the flexible substrate.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
positioning the flexible substrate around a support member.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
inserting a backing material between the flexible substrate and the support member.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the support member has a cylindrical shape, and wherein the positioning the imaging assembly includes arranging the support member along the central longitudinal axis of the flexible elongate member.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
extending a guide wire along the central longitudinal axis of the flexible elongate member within a lumen defined by the support member.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
positioning an outer shell around the imaging assembly such that the outer shell contacts the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
inserting a filling material within a space between adjacent ultrasound transducer elements, the flexible substrate, and the outer shell.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the positioning an outer shell comprises:
positioning an acoustic matching layer around the imaging assembly.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the positioning an outer shell comprises:
positioning two or more acoustic matching layers around the imaging assembly.

20 . An imaging system, comprising:
an intraluminal imaging device, comprising:
a flexible elongate member configured to be inserted into a body lumen within a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a central longitudinal axis;
an imaging assembly disposed at a distal portion of the flexible elongate member, the imaging assembly comprising:
a flexible substrate; and
a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements disposed on the flexible substrate,
wherein the flexible substrate is disposed around the central longitudinal axis of the flexible elongate member such that the ultrasound transducer elements are oriented to face away from the central longitudinal axis and the flexible substrate; and

a computing device in communication with the intraluminal imaging device, wherein the computing device is configured to process imaging data received from the intraluminal imaging device and to output the processed imaging data to a display.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Sudol Wojtek

Classifications

• A61B8/4494

  characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements · CPC title

• B06B2201/76

  Medical, dental · CPC title

• A61B8/4272

  involving the acoustic interface between the transducer and the tissue · CPC title

• A61B8/445 Primary

  Details of catheter construction · CPC title

• B06B1/0625

  Annular array · CPC title