Imaging method, device and system

Abstract

A method, device and system or kit treat a lesion by injecting a contrasting agent into a body area to distinguish an osteolytic lesion for imaging; and delivering an effective amount of a debridement fluid to debride the distinguished lesion.

1 . to  30 . (canceled)  
     
     
         31 . A method of imaging an osteolytic lesion, comprising: 
 injecting a contrast agent into synovial fluid in a vicinity of the osteolytic lesion;    permitting contrast agent injected synovial fluid to circulate to the lesion;    positioning an imaging device responsive to the contrast agent adjacent the vicinity of the osteolytic lesion; and    imaging the osteolytic lesion distinguished by the contrast agent from adjacent tissue.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the osteolytic lesion is fluoroscopically imaged and a location and orientation of a debridement delivery device is adjusted according to location or extent of the fluoroscopic image.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the vicinity is a knee or hip joint space.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein injecting the contrast agent comprises: positioning an injection catheter into the vicinity of the osteoloytic lesion; and injecting the contrast agent into synovial fluid in the vicinity through the injection catheter.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising effecting debridement of the distinguished lesion by a pulse lavage process.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising: emitting x-rays from the imaging device toward the distinguished lesion, detecting x-rays that have traversed the lesion, constructing a tomographic image from signals that are responsive to the detected x-rays to generate a real-time fluoroscopic image on a display monitor depicting the distinguished lesion and the relationship of a delivery/aspirator end of a debridement device to the area; and adjusting the location and orientation of the delivery/aspirator end of the debridement device according to the display monitor image to debride the lesion.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising delivering an effective amount of a debridement fluid to debride the distinguished lesion.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising injecting the contrast agent into synovial fluid in the body area that is in fluid communication with the osteolytic lesion, wherein the contrast agent migrates to the lesion by flow or diffusion.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising injecting the contrast agent into synovial fluid in the body area that is in fluid communication with the osteolytic lesion, wherein the contrast agent migrates to the lesion by flow or diffusion; and imaging a location or extent of a lesion in the area that has been distinguished by the contrasting agent.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising injecting the contrast agent into synovial fluid in the body area that is in fluid communication with the osteolytic lesion, wherein the contrast agent migrates to the lesion by flow or diffusion; imaging a location or extent of a lesion in the area that has been distinguished by the contrasting agent; and controlling debridement of the osteolytic lesion according to the imaging.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising injecting the contrast agent into synovial fluid in the body area that is in fluid communication with the osteolytic lesion, wherein the contrast agent migrates to the lesion by flow or diffusion; imaging a location or extent of a lesion in the area that has been distinguished by the contrasting agent; and controlling debridement of the osteolytic lesion according to the imaging; wherein the debridement comprises delivering a debridement fluid and intermittently aspirating the fluid by pulse lavage.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising injecting the contrast agent into synovial fluid in the body area that is in fluid communication with the osteolytic lesion, wherein the contrast agent migrates to the lesion by flow or diffusion; imaging a location or extent of a lesion in the area that has been distinguished by the contrasting agent; and controlling debridement of the osteolytic lesion according to the imaging; wherein the debridement comprises delivering of a fluid with suspended particulate abrasive and the delivering is adjusted according to the imaging to direct the fluid with suspended particulate to the lesion area.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising: emitting x-rays toward the lesion area, detecting x-rays that have traversed the lesion area, constructing a real-time fluoroscopic image of delivering fluid and the lesion area from signals that are responsive to the detected x-rays; adjusting the delivering of the debridement fluid according to the fluoroscopic image to debride to lesion.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the contrast agent comprises a biosorbable material that is capable of being detected or monitored by fluoroscopy, x-ray photography, CAT scan or ultrasound.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the contrast agent comprises a biosorbable material that is capable of being detected or monitored by fluoroscopy, x-ray photography, CAT scan or ultrasound suspended or dissolved in a carrying fluid.  
     
     
         46 . A debridement system, comprising: 
 a fluid reservoir for a debridement fluid containing a contrast agent;    a delivery section comprising; an expression cannula connected to the reservoir and an aspirator cannula concentric to the expression cannula; and    an imaging device responsive to contrast agent injected from the reservoir by the delivery section.    
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the delivery section comprises a tubular conduit having a pickup end and delivery/aspirator end and first and second cannulas extending with one another longitudinally as part of the tubular conduit; the first cannula having at least one orifice at the delivery/aspirator end of the tubular conduit to deliver or aspirate debridement fluid to or from the distinguished lesion; and the second cannula substantially open at the delivery/aspirator end of the tubular conduit to deliver or aspirate fluid to or from the distinguished lesion.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the imaging device comprises a fluoroscopy imaging device that includes an x-ray source oriented to emit x-rays toward the lesion area; a radiation detector that detects x-rays from the source that have traversed the lesion area; an image display to generate a real-time fluoroscopic image showing the relationship of the delivery/aspirator end of the tubular conduit to the area on a display monitor from signals that are responsive to the detected x-rays.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the contrast agent comprises a biosorbable material suspended or dissolved in a carrying fluid.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the contrast agent comprises a biosorbable material that is capable of being detected or monitored by fluoroscopy, x-ray photography, CAT scan or ultrasound.