Catheter

Abstract

A catheter for insertion into a blood vessel, the catheter having a sampling part arranged to capture a blood sample at a plurality of locations along a length of the blood vessel and an apparatus arranged to analyse blood taken from a plurality of locations along the length of the blood vessel and to provide a profile of concentration levels along the length of the blood vessel.

1 . A method for generating a data profile for one or more biomarkers at a site of interest in a blood vessel, comprising the steps of: (a) analyzing a plurality of blood samples obtained from respective locations along a length of the blood vessel; (b) measuring the concentration of the one or more biomarkers in each of the samples, and (c) generating a data profile of the concentration levels for the one or more biomarkers along the length of said blood vessel. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the number of samples is from three to about 100. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biomarkers tested are selected from the group consisting of CRP, PAPPA, Myeloperoxidase, MMP 9, sCD40L, PLGF, Neopterin, Soluble P-Selectin, SVCAM-1, sICAM-1, soluble CD4OL, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, P-Selectin, E-Selectin and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is displayed as a map of one or more biomarker gradients along the length of said blood vessel. 
     
     
         5 . A method of profiling a length of a blood vessel comprising: (a) obtaining a plurality of blood samples from a plurality of respective locations along the length of the blood vessel; and, (b) analyzing the plurality of blood samples to develop a profile of the concentration levels of one or more biomarkers along the length of the blood vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of blood samples are obtained by applying suction to a plurality of vacuum passageways connected to a corresponding plurality of openings. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising:
 analyzing the plurality of blood samples so as to locate parts of the blood vessel requiring treatment.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of analyzing includes calculating background levels for markers detected in the plurality of blood samples. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of samples are obtained substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the profile of one or more biomarkers is used to calculate the background level of said biomarker. 
     
     
         11 . A method for identifying a physiological or pathological state of a region of a blood vessel comprising applying at least one test to determine the level of at least one biological marker to a plurality of discrete blood samples, wherein the blood samples to be tested have been collected from along a length of the blood vessel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said physiological or pathological state is useful in predicting a stroke. 
     
     
         13 . A method for predicting a coronary condition caused by a vulnerable plaque, comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of blood samples along a length of a blood vessel;   analyzing said plurality of blood samples for the concentration level of one or more biomarkers;   generating a profile for the said biomarkers; and   providing an output map which displays concentration gradient of at least one biochemical marker along the length of the blood vessel.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said coronary condition is myocardial infarction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of blood samples are obtained by applying suction to a plurality of vacuum passageways connected to a corresponding plurality of openings. 
     
     
         16 . A collection of discrete blood samples that have been extracted from along a length of a blood vessel, the length of the blood vessel being considered to potentially include a region of vulnerable plaque, wherein the discrete blood samples have been collected at a plurality of locations along the length of the blood vessel.