Provided herein is a catheter assembly including an imaging device for identifying an anatomical structure. The catheter assembly includes a patient cannula configured to be drawn along a catheter or guide wire; a transseptal puncture catheter at least partially enclosed within the patient cannula; and an imaging catheter. The imaging catheter includes a transducer configured to emit an energy beam capable of reflecting from an anatomical structure and to detect energy reflected from the structure. The catheter assembly also includes a transmitter for conveying a signal representative of the detected energy from the transducer to a signal processor for obtaining information about the structure. An imagining system and a method for identifying a predetermined transseptal puncture location on an atrial septum are also provided herein.

An ultrasound transducer assembly that includes a piezoelectric layer configured to resonate and generate ultrasound signals around a predetermined ultrasound frequency in which the piezoelectric layer has a width to thickness ratio of at least about 0.6. A conductive matching layer is connected to the top surface of the piezoelectric layer to condition the ultrasound transducer for broad frequency bandwidth operation. A conductive backing layer is connected to the bottom surface of the piezoelectric layer. The ultrasound transducer assembly further includes a rigid body over which the conductive backing layer is positioned, the rigid body assembled for encompassing a central longitudinal axis of a catheter body. A signal and ground electrode may form a metallic layer over the top of or below each of the piezoelectric layers. Electrical waveguides may be connected to corresponding signal and ground electrodes of the transducers.

The present invention provides scanning mechanisms for imaging probes using for imaging mammalian tissues and structures using high resolution imaging, including high frequency ultrasound and/or optical coherence tomography. The imaging probes include adjustable rotational drive mechanism for imparting rotational motion to an imaging assembly containing either optical or ultrasound transducers which emit energy into the surrounding area. The imaging assembly includes a scanning mechanism having including a movable member configured to deliver the energy beam along a path out of said elongate hollow shaft at a variable angle with respect to said longitudinal axis to give forward and side viewing capability of the imaging assembly. The movable member is mounted in such a way that the variable angle is a function of the angular velocity of the imaging assembly.

Ultrasound imaging system, devices, and methods for minimizing grating lobe artefacts in an ultrasound image are provided. For example, an ultrasound imaging system can include an array of acoustic elements and a processor in communication with the array. The processor controls the array to activate a plurality of apertures and subapertures in a scan sequence, generate an image comprising a plurality of pixels, identify at least one subaperture of the plurality of subapertures corresponding to a reduced signal value for one or more pixels of the image, and generate a grating-lobe-minimized image based on the identified subapertures. The grating-lobe-minimized image can be output to a display or combined with the original ultrasound image to include image features lost or reduced in the grating-lobe-minimized image. The grating-lobe-minimized image advantageously reduces image artefacts and clutter to simplify ultrasound image analysis and diagnosis procedures.

An ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound probe comprising an ultrasound transducer array. The ultrasound imaging system further includes a processor circuit configured for communication with the ultrasound probe via a first conductive pathway and a second conductive pathway. The ultrasound imaging system further includes a first connector and a second connector configured to be selectively engaged to establish the communication between the ultrasound probe and the processor circuit. The processor circuit is configured to detect an electrical conductance along the first conductive pathway. The processor circuit is further configured to transmit data to the ultrasound probe via the second conductive pathway only after detecting the electrical conductance along the first conductive pathway.

There is provided an objective optical system that is easy to produce, capable of forming optical images that can be observed without difficulties while small in size. The objective optical system includes, in order from the object side, a flat plate OP1, an aperture stop S, and a substantially hemispherical planoconvex lens L1 having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the flat plate. The flat plate and the planoconvex lens L1 are cemented together with the aperture stop between. The objective optical system satisfies the following conditional expressions (1), (2), and (3): 0.3<IH/Dp<0.45 (1) 1.7<1+Dp×ωr/(2×IH)<2.1 (2) 0.9<NL/(1+Dp×ωr/(2×IH))<1.1 (3).

An imaging catheter, a tip, a tube body and a medical device, relating to the field of medical instruments, where the imaging catheter includes a tube body and a tip, the tube body includes a first shuttling wall and a second shuttling wall, a first lumen is formed between the first shuttling wall and the second shuttling wall, the tip includes a first mounting wall and a second mounting wall, and a second lumen is formed between the first mounting wall and the second mounting wall. The second lumen is communicated with the first lumen, and a proximal end of the first mounting wall corresponds between the first shuttling wall and the second shuttling wall. A radial distance between a point m and a point n is a, and an inner diameter of the first lumen is b, where a≥b.

Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include an intravascular imaging catheter. The intravascular imaging catheter may include an elongate sheath having a distal tip region. The distal tip region includes a first port, a second port, and a guidewire lumen extending between the first port and the second port. A core wire may be disposed within the elongate sheath along the distal tip region. An imaging core disposed within the elongate sheath.

Ultrasound image devices, systems, and methods are provided. In one embodiment, an intraluminal ultrasound imaging system includes a patient interface module (PIM) in communication with an intraluminal imaging device comprising an ultrasound imaging component, the PIM comprising a processing component configured to detect device information associated with the intraluminal imaging device, the device information identifying an ultrasound attribute associated with the ultrasound imaging component; and determine a waveform for ultrasound wave emissions at the ultrasound imaging component based on the identified ultrasound attribute; and a trigger signal generation component in communication with the processing component and configured to generate a trigger signal based on the determined waveform to control the ultrasound wave emissions at the ultrasound imaging component.

An in vivo optical biopsy applicator of the vaginal wall for treatment planning, monitoring, and imaging guided therapy is described herein. The applicator may include an imaging probe operatively coupled to a laser ablation device. The applicator allows for non-invasive optical tissue monitoring in order to define pre- and post menopausal parameters, pre- and post-treatment microscopic changes, and offers an objective scientific tool in order to compare currently available medical, non-medicated, and energy-based treatment protocols.