Impedance systems and methods to use the same to obtain luminal organ measurements

Abstract

Impedance systems and methods of using the same to obtain luminal organ measurements. Such impedance systems include a device for insertion into a mammalian luminal organ and one or more external electrodes that are independent of the device. The device of the system comprises at least two electrodes positioned thereon—at least one of which comprises an excitation electrode and at least one of which comprises a detection electrode. The one or more external electrodes may comprise excitation electrodes, detection electrodes, or a combination of both. The methods hereof generate an electric field using the excitation electrodes of the impedance system, obtain one or more conductance values from a mammalian luminal organ within the electric field using the detection electrode(s), and calculate a parameter of the luminal organ based at least in part on the measured one or more conductance values.

1 . An impedance system comprising:
 an impedance device comprising:
 an elongated body comprising a distal end, the distal end configured for advancement through a mammalian luminal organ, 
 a first electrode positioned on the elongated body and configured to generate an electric field, and 
 a second electrode positioned on the elongated body and comprising a first detection electrode; and 
   one or more external electrodes, at least one of which is configured to generate an electric field in conjunction with the first electrode of the impedance device and each of the one or more external electrodes independent of the elongated body of the impedance device;   wherein when the first electrode and the at least one external electrode configured to generate an electric field are activated such that an electric field is generated, the second electrode of the impedance device operates to detect one or more conductance measurements within the electric field.   
     
     
         2 . The impedance system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more external electrodes are coupled with an item external to the impedance device. 
     
     
         3 . The impedance system of  claim 2 , wherein the item external to the impedance device is selected from a group consisting of a patch, a sheath, and a clip. 
     
     
         4 . The impedance system of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode of the impedance device further comprises a second detection electrode and, when the electric field is generated, the first electrode operates to detect one or more conductance measurements within the electric field. 
     
     
         5 . The impedance system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more external electrodes comprise a first external electrode and a second external electrode, with the first external electrode configured to generate an electric field in conjunction with the first electrode of the impedance device and the second external electrode comprising a third detection electrode; and   when the first electrode and the first external electrode are activated such that the electric field is generated, the second external electrode operates to detect one or more conductance measurements within the electric field.   
     
     
         6 . The impedance system of  claim 1 , further comprising a data acquisition and processing system in communication with the impedance device, the data acquisition and processing system operable to receive the one or more conductance measurements from the second electrode and calculate a parameter of a mammalian luminal organ in which the distal end of the impedance device is positioned based at least in part on the one or more conductance measurements obtained from the second electrode. 
     
     
         7 . The impedance system of  claim 1 , wherein the impedance device further comprises a third electrode positioned on the elongated body and configured to detect the electric field generated by the first electrode and the at least one external electrode. 
     
     
         8 . The impedance system of  claim 7 , further comprising a data acquisition and processing system in communication with the impedance device, the data acquisition and processing system operable to:
 receive the one or more conductance measurements from the second and third electrodes of the impedance device; and   calculate a parameter of a mammalian luminal organ in which the distal end of the impedance device is positioned based at least in part on the one or more conductance measurements obtained from the second and third electrodes of the impedance device.   
     
     
         9 . An impedance system comprising:
 an impedance device comprising:
 an elongated body comprising a distal end, the distal end configured for advancement through a mammalian luminal organ, 
 a first electrode positioned on the elongated body and configured to generate an electric field, and 
 a second electrode positioned on the elongated body and comprising a first detection electrode; and 
   two or more external electrodes, at least one of which is configured to generate an electric field in conjunction with the first electrode of the impedance device, at least one of which is configured to detect one or more conductance measurements within an electric field, and each of the two or more external electrodes independent of the elongated body of the impedance device;   wherein when the first electrode and the at least one external electrode configured to generate an electric field are activated such that an electric field is generated, the second electrode of the impedance device and the at least one external electrode configured to detect one or more conductance measurements operate to detect one or more conductance measurements within the electric field.   
     
     
         10 . The impedance system of  claim 9 , further comprising a data acquisition and processing system in communication with the impedance device and the at least one external electrode configured to detect, the data acquisition and processing system operable to:
 receive the one or more conductance measurements from the second electrode and the at least one external electrode configured to detect one or more conductance measurements; and   calculate a first parameter of a mammalian luminal organ in which the distal end of the impedance device is positioned based at least in part on the one or more conductance measurements obtained from the second electrode and the at least one external electrode configured to detect one or more conductance measurements.   
     
     
         11 . The impedance system of  claim 10 , wherein the first parameter of a mammalian luminal organ is selected from the group consisting of a cross-sectional area, a pressure, a wall thickness, and a flow data on fluid flowing therethrough. 
     
     
         12 . The impedance system of  claim 11 , wherein the data acquisition and processing system is further operable to calculate a second parameter of a mammalian luminal organ in which the distal end of the impedance device is positioned based at least in part on the first parameter. 
     
     
         13 . The impedance system of  claim 12 , wherein the second parameter is selected from a group consisting of a vessel compliance, a tension, a stress measurement, a strain value, and wall shear stress. 
     
     
         14 . The impedance system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the two or more external electrodes is coupled with an item external to the impedance device. 
     
     
         15 . The impedance system of  claim 14 , wherein the item external to the impedance device is selected from a group consisting of a patch, a sheath, and a clip. 
     
     
         16 . The impedance system of  claim 9 , further comprising a second device selected from a group consisting of: a guide catheter, a stent, a valve device, a lead, a needle, a diagnostic device, a therapeutic device, an injection source, and a vacuum source;
 wherein the second device, the impedance device, and the two or more external electrodes are in communication with one another to facilitate a coordinated operation thereof.   
     
     
         17 . The impedance system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a processor and a storage medium, both of which are in communication with the data acquisition and processing system; and   a power source coupled with the data acquisition and processing system.   
     
     
         18 . A method of using an impedance system, the method comprising the steps of:
 introducing at least part of an impedance device of an impedance system into a mammalian luminal organ of a mammalian body, the impedance device comprising:
 an elongated body, 
 a first electrode positioned on the elongated body and configured to generate an electric field, and 
 a second electrode positioned on the elongated body and comprising a first detection electrode; 
   positioning one or more external electrodes on or within the mammalian body, at least one of which is configured to generate an electric field in conjunction with the first electrode of the impedance device and each of the one or more external electrodes independent of the elongated body of the impedance device;   providing electrical current to the at least one external electrode configured to generate an electric field and the first electrode of the impedance device to generate the electric field;   obtaining one or more conductance measurements within the electric field using the second electrode of the impedance device; and   calculating a first parameter of the mammalian luminal organ using the one or more conductance measurements.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first electrode of the impedance device is further configured to detect one or more conductance measurements within an electric; and   the step of obtaining one or more conductance measurements within the electric field further comprises using the first electrode of the impedance device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the one or more external electrodes comprise a first external electrode and a second external electrode, with the first external electrode configured to generate an electric field in conjunction with the first electrode of the impedance device and the second external electrode comprising a second detection electrode; and   the step of obtaining one or more conductance measurements within the electric field further comprises using the second external electrode.