Imaging system for producing ultrasonic images and insonifier for such systems

Claim 2

An imaging system for detecting the position and axial orientation of device adapted to produce intravascular ultrasonic images from a human body and to enable an operator of the system to reposition the device at the same location and axial orientation, said system comprising: a catheter having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end, said catheter further having a sonic image generating means and a sonic image sensing means disposed in the distal end thereof, said catheter being adapted to be disposed in a vascular organ of the body and being susceptible of random axial orientation within said vascular organ; an insonifier disposed external to said body, said insonifier being operatively associated with said sonic image sensing means and providing sound at a frequency that can be detected and displayed by said sonic image sensing means; means for displaying an image detected by said sonic image sensing means and simultaneously displaying on the same display the signal produced by said insonifier.

Claim 3

The system according to claim 1 wherein the sonic image generating means and said sonic image sensing means are rotatable about said longitudinal axis of said catheter whereby to generate an sonogram representing a cross section of the vascular organ being catheterized.

Claim 4

The system according to claim 1 further including in said insonifier a means to produce both narrow and wide angle ultrasonic waves.

Claim 5

The system according to claim 1 wherein acoustical energy generated by said insonifier has two stages, the first stage providing a wide flood of acoustical energy and the second stage having an insonifying beam of narrow focus whereby to enable the user to initially identify the general area being studied and then to focus clearly upon the precise area.

Claim 6

An imaging system according to claim 1 further including a marking means to mark the location of the insonifier on the outside of the body being examined.

Claim 7

An imaging system for detecting the position and axial orientation of a device adapted to produce intravascular ultrasonic images from a human body and to enable an operator of the system to reposition the device in the same location and axial orientation, said system comprising: a catheter having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end, said catheter having an image generating means and an image sensing means disposed in the distal end of said catheter, said catheter being adapted to be disposed in a vascular organ of the body and being susceptible of random axial orientation within said vascular organ; an insonifier arranged external to said body, said insonifier being operatively associated with said image sensing means and providing sound that can be sensed and displayed by said image sensing means, said insonifier including a housing having an ultrasonically transparent tip, a proximal end, a distal end and a window disposed at said distal end, a chamber disposed in said housing at the distal end thereof, a sonic image generating means disposed in said chamber and a pulse generating means disposed in the proximal end to generate pulses for said sonic image generation means, and means connecting said pulse generating means to said sonic image generating means; means for displaying an image detected by said image generating means and simultaneously displaying the image produced by said insonifier, the image produced by said insonifier being displayed as an interference signal so as to display the orientation of the catheter whereby the operator of the system can determine the axial orientation of the image generating and image sensing means.

Claim 8

An imaging system for detecting the position and axial orientation of a device adapted to produce intravascular ultrasonic images from a human body and to enable an operator of the system to reposition the device in the same location and axial orientation, said system comprising: a catheter having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end, said catheter having an image generating means and an image sensing means disposed in the distal end of said catheter, said catheter being adapted to be disposed in a vascular organ of the body and being susceptible of random axial orientation within said vascular organ; an insonifier arranged external to said body, said insonifier being operatively associated with said image sensing means and providing sound that can be sensed and displayed by said image sensing means, said insonifier including a housing having an ultrasonically transparent tip, a proximal end, a distal end and a window disposed at said distal end, a chamber disposed in said housing at the distal end thereof, a sonic image generating means disposed in said chamber and a pulse generating means disposed in the proximal end to generate pulses for said sonic image generation means, and means connecting said pulse generating means to said sonic image generating means; means for displaying an image detected by said image generating means and simultaneously displaying the image produced by said insonifier, the image produced by said insonifier being displayed as an interference signal so as to display the orientation of the catheter whereby the operator of the system can determine the axial orientation of the image generating and image sensing means.

Claim 9

An imaging system according to claim 6 further including a marking means to mark the location of the insonifier on the outside of the body being examined.

Claim 10

An insonifier adapted to provide for a display of axial orientation of an image produced by an ultrasound image device disposed within a human body, said insonifier comprising: a housing having a ultrasonically transparent tip, a proximal end and a distal end; a chamber disposed in said housing at the distal end thereof; sonic image generating means disposed in said chamber, said sonic image generating means being movable on a longitudinal axis relative to said transparent tip from an advanced position where it can generate wide angle ultrasound transmissions that can be received as unfocused transmissions by the ultrasonic image generating device disposed within said body to a retracted position adjacent said transparent tip where it can generate focused sonic transmissions and can be received as focused transmissions by said device; means to move said sonic image generating means from said retracted position to said advanced position; pulse generating means disposed in the proximal end of said housing; means connecting said pulse generating means to said sonic image generating means.

Claim 11

An insonifier adapted to provide for a display of axial orientation of an image produced by an ultrasound image device disposed within a human body, said insonifier comprising: a housing having a ultrasonically transparent tip, a proximal end and a distal end; a chamber disposed in said housing at the distal end thereof; sonic image generating means disposed in said chamber, said sonic image generating means being movable on a longitudinal axis relative to said transparent tip from an advanced position where it can generate wide angle ultrasound transmissions that can be received as unfocused transmissions by the ultrasonic image generating device disposed within said body to a retracted position adjacent said transparent tip where it can generate focused sonic transmissions and can be received as focused transmissions by said device; means to move said sonic image generating means from said retracted position to said advanced position; pulse generating means disposed in the proximal end of said housing; means connecting said pulse generating means to said sonic image generating means.

Claim 12

An imaging system according to claim 8 further including a marking means to mark the location of the insonifier on the outside of the body being examined.

Claim 13

The imaging system according to claim 8 wherein said sonic image generating means is a transducer disposed on a plunger movable on a longitudinal axis.