Integrated ultrasound imaging and ablation probe

Abstract

A system for imaging and providing therapy to one or more regions of interest is presented. The system includes an imaging and therapy catheter configured to image an anatomical region to facilitate assessing need for therapy in one or more regions within the anatomical region and delivering therapy to the one or more regions of interest within the anatomical region. In addition, the system includes a medical imaging system operationally coupled to the catheter and having a display area and a user interface area, wherein the medical imaging system is configured to facilitate defining a therapy pathway to facilitate delivering therapy to the one or more regions of interest.

1 . An integrated therapy and imaging catheter comprising:
 a catheter body;   a therapy device having an array of therapy elements;   an imaging device having an array of imaging elements, the imaging device configured to capture a real time three-dimensional (3D) imaged volume; and   wherein the therapy device and the imaging device are positioned in the catheter body and wherein the therapy device and the imaging device extend along a long axis of the catheter body such that the array of therapy elements is spaced apart from the array of imaging elements.   
   
   
       2 . The catheter of  claim 1  wherein the therapy device is connected to the imaging device to form a single composite array. 
   
   
       3 . The catheter of  claim 1  wherein the array of therapy elements includes a first therapy element array spaced from a second therapy element array, and wherein the array of imaging elements is disposed between the first therapy element array and the second therapy element array. 
   
   
       4 . The catheter of  claim 1  wherein the array of imaging elements is tiltable relative to the array of therapy elements. 
   
   
       5 . The catheter of  claim 1  wherein the array of imaging elements has an imaged region that includes a therapy region of the array of therapy elements. 
   
   
       6 . The catheter of  claim 1  wherein the therapy elements may be selectively activated for a given therapy procedure. 
   
   
       7 . The catheter of  claim 1  wherein the array of therapy elements is an ablation array and the array of imaging elements is an ultrasound transducer. 
   
   
       8 . The catheter of  claim 7  wherein the ablation array is configured to ablate multiple ablation sites simultaneously. 
   
   
       9 . The catheter of  claim 7  wherein the ablation array generates a steerable ablation beam. 
   
   
       10 . The catheter of  claim 7  wherein the ablation array is configured to perform multiple ablations from a single catheter position. 
   
   
       11 . The catheter of  claim 10  wherein the ablation array is further configured to reablate a given ablation site if a previous ablation is deemed unsatisfactory. 
   
   
       12 . A catheter comprising:
 a catheter body; and   an ablation array; and   an ultrasound transducer arranged to acquire real-time three-dimensional (3D) images, arranged separate from the ablation array and aligned linearly relative to the abalation array along a long axis of the catheter body.   
   
   
       13 . The catheter of  claim 12  further comprising a drive shaft connected to at least one of the ablation array and the ultrasound transducer, and configured to rotate the at least one of the ablation array and the ultrasound transducer. 
   
   
       14 . The catheter of  claim 12  wherein the ablation array includes a plurality of ablation elements, the ablation elements being independently controllable. 
   
   
       15 . The catheter of  claim 14  wherein the ablation array is capable of ablating multiple ablation points simultaneously. 
   
   
       16 . The catheter of  claim 12  wherein the ablation array includes a first set of ablation elements and a second set of ablation elements spaced from the first set of ablation elements and wherein the ultrasound transducer is disposed between the first and the second sets of ablation elements. 
   
   
       17 . A combined therapy and imaging device to capture real-time images of a lumen and perform therapy therein, the device comprising:
 a catheter insertable into a lumen of a subject to be imaged;   an real-time three-dimensional (3D) imaging ultrasound transducer disposed within the catheter; and   an ablation array disposed within the catheter, the ablation array comprising a set of independent activatable ablation elements that collectively create more than one ablation point when the ablation elements are selectively activated.   
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the ablation array comprises ablation elements arranged in one or more rings around the catheter. 
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 17  further comprising a drive shaft connected to rotate at least one of the ultrasound transducer and the ablation array. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the ablation array is tiltable relative to a long axis of the catheter.