US5724977A — Rotational correlation of intravascular ultrasoun…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 100 words

A method for introducing an imaging catheter to a body lumen, said method comprising: introducing a guiding catheter so that a distal end of the guiding catheter is positioned at a preferred location within the body lumen, wherein said distal end is shaped so that a mark on the distal end is disposed in predetermined orientation relative to the body lumen; introducing an imaging catheter through the guiding catheter; and producing with the imaging catheter an image of the mark while in the guiding catheter, whereby the relative orientation of the produced image and the body lumen vasculature is known.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 100 words

A method for introducing an imaging catheter to a body lumen, said method comprising: introducing a guiding catheter so that a distal end of the guiding catheter is positioned at a preferred location within the body lumen, wherein said distal end is shaped so that a mark on the distal end is disposed in predetermined orientation relative to the body lumen; introducing an imaging catheter through the guiding catheter; and producing with the imaging catheter an image of the mark while in the guiding catheter, whereby the relative orientation of the produced image and the body lumen vasculature is known.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as in claim 1, wherein the body lumen is within the coronary vasculature, and wherein the preferred location is at a coronary ostium.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as in claim 2, further comprising rotating the produced image on a screen so that the produced image is in a preferred orientation relative to the coronary vasculature.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method as in claim 3, wherein the preferred orientation of the produced image is aligned with the predetermined orientation of the mark.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as in claim 2, further comprising advancing the imaging catheter into the coronary vasculature, whereby the actual position of features observed can be determined based on the relative orientation of the imaging catheter and the coronary vasculature.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method as in claim 5, further comprising therapeutically treating a diseased region in the coronary vasculature after advancing the imaging catheter into the coronary vasculature and obtaining the image of the diseased region.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method as in claim 2, wherein the produced image is a cross-sectional image of the mark, and further comprising producing with the imaging catheter a cross-sectional image of the guiding catheter and the surrounding coronary vasculature subsequent to producing the image of the mark.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

A method as in claim 7, wherein the mark is ultrasonically opaque, and wherein the cross-sectional images of the mark, the guiding catheter, and the coronary vasculature are produced by sweeping an ultrasonic signal in the guiding catheter.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as in claim 8, wherein the sweeping step comprises mechanically rotating an ultrasonic transducer in the guiding catheter.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as in claim 8, wherein the sweeping step comprises providing the ultrasonic signal with a phased-array catheter system.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method as in claim 8, wherein the mark is a hole in the guiding catheter, and wherein the cross-sectional image of the mark appears as a void in the cross-sectional image of the guiding catheter.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method as in claim 8, wherein the mark is formed as a thin strip on or in the guiding catheter, and wherein the cross-sectional image of the mark appears as a void in the cross-sectional image of the surrounding coronary vasculature.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 92 words

A guiding catheter comprising: an elongate tube having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending between said proximal and distal ends, and a shaped distal tip; an ultrasonically visible mark formed near the distal end, wherein said tube includes a superior side and an inferior side, and wherein said mark is located at a known position relative to the shaped distal tip, wherein said distal tip is shaped such that said mark will locate itself at a predetermined orientation relative to a body lumen when introduced into the body lumen.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 92 words

A guiding catheter comprising: an elongate tube having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending between said proximal and distal ends, and a shaped distal tip; an ultrasonically visible mark formed near the distal end, wherein said tube includes a superior side and an inferior side, and wherein said mark is located at a known position relative to the shaped distal tip, wherein said distal tip is shaped such that said mark will locate itself at a predetermined orientation relative to a body lumen when introduced into the body lumen.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 23 words

An improved guiding catheter as in claim 13, wherein the mark comprises an ultrasonically opaque material secured on or in the elongate tube.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 24 words

An improved guiding catheter as in claim 14, wherein the ultrasonically opaque material is formed as a thin strip on or in the tube.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 17 words

An improved guiding catheter as in claim 13, wherein the distal end of the tube is curved.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 42 words

An improved guiding catheter as in claim 13, wherein said mark is located on the superior side, and wherein said distal tip is shaped such that said mark will locate itself superior in a coronary ostium when introduced into the coronary vasculature.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 43 words

An improved guiding catheter as in claim 17, wherein said distal end is open such than an imaging catheter used to visualize the mark may be translated through the lumen, out the distal end, and into a coronary artery to visualize the artery.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 100 words

A catheter system for treatment of the coronary vasculature, comprising: a guiding catheter having an elongate tube with a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending between said proximal and distal ends, and a shaped distal tip, wherein the guiding catheter further includes an ultrasonically visible mark formed near the distal end, wherein said mark is in a known position relative to the shaped distal tip; and an imaging catheter translatable through the lumen of the guiding catheter, the imaging catheter having an imaging element for ultrasonically visualizing the mark and the surrounding coronary vasculature when in the lumen.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 100 words

A catheter system for treatment of the coronary vasculature, comprising: a guiding catheter having an elongate tube with a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending between said proximal and distal ends, and a shaped distal tip, wherein the guiding catheter further includes an ultrasonically visible mark formed near the distal end, wherein said mark is in a known position relative to the shaped distal tip; and an imaging catheter translatable through the lumen of the guiding catheter, the imaging catheter having an imaging element for ultrasonically visualizing the mark and the surrounding coronary vasculature when in the lumen.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 59 words

The system of claim 19, further comprising a screen in electrical communication with the imaging catheter for producing a visual cross-sectional image of the mark and the surrounding coronary vasculature; and means for adjusting the orientation of the produced visual image on the screen so that the produced image is in a preferred orientation relative to the coronary vasculature.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 20, wherein the preferred orientation is aligned with the actual orientation of the distal end of the guiding catheter in the coronary vasculature.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 19, wherein the mark comprises an ultrasonically opaque material secured on or in the elongate tube.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 19, wherein the imaging element comprises a rotatable ultrasonic transducer for producing a cross-sectional image of the mark and the surrounding coronary vasculature.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 19, wherein the imaging element comprises a phased array transducer system for producing a cross-sectional image of the mark and the surrounding coronary vasculature.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of claim 19, further comprising an atherectomy catheter having a cutting element near a distal end for removing plaque from the lumen following visualization with the imaging catheter.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-03-09	2001-09-08	2002-03-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-03-09	2005-09-08	2006-03-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-03-09	2009-09-08	2010-03-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Rotational correlation of intravascular ultrasound image with guide catheter position

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