Device for sensing parameters of a hollow body organ

Abstract

A device for sensing the profile of a hollow body organ includes a hollow guidewire or probe carrying a sensor. The hollow probe includes a distal coiled end tube with a tip bent at an angle between about 10° to 90° relative to the probe longitudinal axis and having a torque response of no more than about 0.4 ozf in. The flexural rigidity of the distal end tube relative to the mid and proximal end tubes forming the probe is generally in the range of about 1:(4 to 4,400):(110 to 13,000), respectively. An actuator is detachably secured to the probe and includes one or several motors which allow the sensor to travel in a rotational and axial path through the body organ.

1 . An apparatus for measuring a parameter of vascular tissue, comprising: 
 a flexible body;    at least one biased projection extending from the body; and    a sensor disposed at a distal end of the at least one biased projection and a conductor for transmitting data from the sensor to a remote device;    wherein the at least one biased projection is adapted to adopt a deployed arcuate configuration relative to a longitudinal axis of the flexible body.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the flexible body comprises a coiled body.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the flexible body comprises a guidewire.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the at least one biased projection is adapted to adopt the arcuate deployed configuration at an angle between 10° to 90° relative to the longitudinal axis  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sensor comprises a thermistor.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the at least one biased projection comprises a superelastic material.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a sheath adapted to constrain the at least one biased projection therein.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the sheath is retractable relative to the flexible body.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the at least one projection is adapted to adopt a low-profile configuration within the sheath and the deployed arcuate configuration externally of the sheath.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the remote device comprises a processor in communication with the sensor.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the processor comprises a computer.  
   
   
       12 . A method of detecting a temperature variance in a hollow body lumen, comprising: 
 introducing a temperature detection apparatus into the hollow body lumen, the temperature detection apparatus having a flexible body, at least one biased projection adapted to extend from the body, and a sensor disposed at a distal end of the at least one biased projection and a conductor for transmitting data from the sensor to a remote device;    measuring at least a first temperature value at a first location along the hollow body lumen with the at least one biased projection in a deployed arcuate configuration relative to a longitudinal axis of the flexible body; and    determining a difference between the first temperature value and a reference temperature value.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising diagnosing a presence of a lesion at the first location if the difference is between 0.05° to 0.5° C.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising determining a reference temperature value prior to determining a difference.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein determining a reference temperature value comprises measuring a core body temperature.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein determining a reference temperature value comprises providing a predetermined calibration factor.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein determining a reference temperature value comprises measuring an external temperature calibration device.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising measuring a plurality of temperature values along the hollow body lumen and determining the difference between each of the plurality of temperature values and the reference temperature value.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein measuring a plurality of temperature values comprises continuously measuring the temperature values along the hollow body lumen.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein measuring a plurality of temperature values comprises measuring individual temperature values along the hollow body lumen.