Apparatus and methods are described for imaging a tool inside a portion of a subject's body that undergoes motion. A plurality of image frames are acquired of the portion of the subject's body. The image frames are image tracked by (a) automatically identifying at least a feature of the tool in at least a portion of the image frames, and (b) aligning the tool in image frames of the portion of the image frames, based on the automatic identifying. The image-tracked image frames of the portion of the subject's body are displayed as an image stream. Other embodiments are also described.

High torque guidewires and methods for making and using them are provided. A guidewire may include an inner core wire movable relative to an outer jacket. The outer jacket includes proximal and distal ends, a lumen extending there between, thereby defining a longitudinal axis, and one or more helical slots adjacent the distal end. The core wire includes a proximal portion, a distal portion slidably received in the outer jacket lumen and terminating in a curved distal tip that extends from the outer jacket distal end, and one or more pins on the distal portion, each pin slidably received in a respective helical slot in the outer jacket such that axial movement of the core wire relative to the outer jacket causes the pin to slide within the helical slot and rotate the distal tip relative to the outer jacket distal end.

A system for optical coherence tomography includes a source of optical radiation, an optical fiber, and a graded index fiber attached to a distal end of the optical fiber. The optical fiber and the graded index fiber are together configured to provide a common path for optical radiation reflected from a reference interface at a distal end of the graded index fiber and from a target.

A launching catheter for targeting a second vessel from a first vessel includes a catheter including a proximal portion and a distal portion including a needle aperture and a flat rectangular radiopaque marker. The flat rectangular radiopaque marker disappears under fluoroscopy upon rotation to provide information about rotational alignment of the launching catheter. The launching catheter includes a needle configured to extend through the needle aperture. A method of aligning the catheter includes rotating the catheter in a first blood vessel until the marker has a thickness (e.g., minimal thickness) under fluoroscopy. The thickness indicates rotational alignment of the catheter.

An atherectomy catheter having an inner drive shaft which rotates a distal rotary tissue borer with a helical cutting surface which enables the catheter to cut through and cross a CTO. Additionally, the atherectomy catheter has a distal cutting element rotated by an outer drive shaft configured to cut material from the wall of a vessel at a treatment site as the catheter is pushed distally through the treatment site. The atherectomy catheter includes a collection chamber positioned proximally of the cutting element and rotary tissue borer. The atherectomy catheter may include means to direct material cut from the treatment site into the collection chamber, means to break down larger portions of material that may block or clog the collection chamber and means of transporting the material collected from the treatment site to a proximal opening in the atherectomy catheter.

Disclosed are apparatus and method for forming passage extending along a plane crossing an organ's volumetric region from an entry point to an opposing exit point at a surface of the organ, and for passing a tension member around the volumetric region by pulling the tension member from the exit point to the entry point through the passage. The apparatus can include a rigid outer tube with a tip for penetrating the organ and reach a penetration depth; an inner needle with elastic body configured to pass straightened through outer tube lumen and to partially protrude and voluntarily flex to a curved form greater than the diameter of the volumetric region; and a tension member passer with a pulling portion for engaging with portion of tension member and for pulling the tension member when withdrawn.

A catheter device for the recanalisation of an occlusion in a vessel. A proximal balloon is arranged at the distal end portion of a catheter shaft for anchoring the catheter shaft in the vessel and for opening the occlusion. A distal balloon arranged at the distal end portion for opening the occlusion.

A catheter includes a first hollow shaft made of a first material, a second hollow shaft made of a second material, a mesh member with a tubular shape configured to expand and contract in a radial direction, a front end tip, and a core wire. The core wire extends inside the mesh member, inside a lumen of the second hollow shaft, and inside a lumen of the first hollow shaft. The core wire has a front end side small-diameter portion and a large-diameter portion. The large-diameter portion has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the front end side small-diameter portion, and is located on the base end side relative to the front end side small-diameter portion. At least a portion of the large-diameter portion is located in the lumen of the second hollow shaft in a state where the mesh member remains contracted radially.

Some embodiments provide a system for external manipulation of magnetic nanoparticles in vasculature using a remotely placed magnetic field-generating stator. In one aspect, the systems and methods relate to the control of magnetic nanoparticles in a fluid medium using permanent magnet-based or electromagnetic field-generating stator sources. Such a system can be useful for increasing the diffusion of therapeutic agents in a fluid medium, such as a human circulatory system, which can result in substantial clearance of fluid obstructions, such as vascular occlusions, in a circulatory system resulting in increased blood flow.

Apparatus and methods are described for use with an imaging device (12) configured to acquire a set of angiographic images of a lumen. At least one processor (10) includes blood-velocity-determination functionality (16) that determines blood velocity within the lumen, via image processing. Current-flow-related-parameter-determination functionality (18) determines a value of a flow-related parameter at the location based upon the determined blood velocity. Flow-related-parameter-receiving functionality (19) receives an indication of a value of a second flow-related parameter of the subject, and index-determination functionality (21) determines a value of a luminal-flow-related index of the subject at the location, by determining a relationship between the value of the current flow-related parameter and the value of the second flow-related parameter. Other applications are also described.