Imaging via Blood Vessels

Abstract

A method and system are described for generating a signal indicative of an intravascular image received at least partly via a light transducer and invoking circuitry for passing the generated signal out of a subject's body.

1 - 84 . (canceled) 
     
     
         85 . A method of obtaining in vivo images, comprising:
 positioning at least an imaging portion of a device into an in vivo region within a subject's body;   emitting at least one of infrared or near-infrared illuminating light from the imaging portion of the device onto a tissue within the subject's body proximate the imaging portion;   receiving reflected light at the imaging portion of the device that is reflected from the tissue;   processing the received reflected light to provide imaging data indicative of an image of the tissue; and   emitting the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue from the in vivo region to a display external to the subject's body for display.   
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85  wherein emitting at least one of infrared or near-infrared illuminating light from the imaging portion of the device onto a tissue within the subject's body proximate the imaging portion comprises:
 projecting ablation energy onto a tissue as part of an ablation operation. 
 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 85  wherein positioning at least an imaging portion of a device into an in vivo region within a subject's body comprises:
 positioning at least an imaging portion of a device into a blood vessel within a subject's body. 
 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 85 , further comprising:
 removing a volume of fluid from a field of view of the imaging portion of the device.   
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 85  wherein positioning at least an imaging portion of a device into an in vivo region within a subject's body comprises:
 positioning a light-conductive structure between a light transducer and the tissue within the subject's body. 
 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 85  wherein processing the received reflected light to provide imaging data indicative of an image of the tissue comprises:
 processing the received reflected light to provide shape information of one or more features of the tissue. 
 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 85  wherein emitting the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue from the in vivo region to a display external to the subject's body for display comprises:
 emitting the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue out of the subject's body at least partly via an antenna. 
 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 85  wherein emitting the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue from the in vivo region to a display external to the subject's body for display comprises:
 deploying a transmitting device at least partly within a field of view of the imaging portion of the device. 
 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the in vivo region comprises an intravascular region, and wherein receiving reflected light at the imaging portion of the device that is reflected from the tissue comprises:
 receiving at least a portion of the reflected light that is reflected from one or more tissues outside the intravascular system. 
 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 85  wherein emitting the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue from the in vivo region to a display external to the subject's body for display comprises:
 emitting the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue from the in vivo region via a lens and the light transducer. 
 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 85  wherein processing the received reflected light to provide imaging data indicative of an image of the tissue comprises:
 processing the received reflected light to provide imaging data including an anatomical reference structure relative to the tissue. 
 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 85  wherein processing the received reflected light to provide imaging data indicative of an image of the tissue comprises:
 processing the received reflected light to provide imaging data including optical-range frequency information from the image of the tissue. 
 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 85 , further comprising:
 displaying the image of the tissue at the display external to the subject's body.   
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 85  wherein emitting the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue from the in vivo region to a display external to the subject's body for display comprises:
 passing the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue out of the subject's body via a portion of at least one of a vein or an artery. 
 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the imaging portion of the device includes a light transducer, and wherein positioning at least the imaging portion of the device into the in vivo region within the subject's body comprises:
 urging the light transducer toward the tissue within a field of view of the light transducer while emitting at least one of infrared or near-infrared illuminating light from the light transducer of the device. 
 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 99  wherein receiving reflected light at the imaging portion of the device that is reflected from the tissue comprises:
 receiving at least a portion of the receiving reflected light via the light transducer. 
 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 99  wherein receiving reflected light at the imaging portion of the device that is reflected from the tissue comprises:
 receiving at least a portion of the reflected light via one or more other transducers arranged in a common grid with the light transducer. 
 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 99  wherein emitting at least one of infrared or near-infrared illuminating light from the imaging portion of the device onto a tissue within the subject's body proximate the imaging portion comprises:
 performing an ablation operation using the at least one of infrared or near-infrared illuminating light at least partly within a field of view of the light transducer. 
 
     
     
         103 . A system comprising:
 circuitry for positioning at least an imaging portion of a device into an in vivo region within a subject's body;   circuitry for emitting at least one of infrared or near-infrared illuminating light from the imaging portion of the device onto a tissue within the subject's body proximate the imaging portion;   circuitry for receiving reflected light at the imaging portion of the device that is reflected from the tissue;   circuitry for processing the received reflected light to provide imaging data indicative of an image of the tissue; and   circuitry for emitting the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue from the in vivo region to a display external to the subject's body for display.   
     
     
         104 . A system comprising:
 means for positioning at least an imaging portion of a device into an in vivo region within a subject's body;   means for emitting at least one of infrared or near-infrared illuminating light from the imaging portion of the device onto a tissue within the subject's body proximate the imaging portion;   means for receiving reflected light at the imaging portion of the device that is reflected from the tissue;   means for processing the received reflected light to provide imaging data indicative of an image of the tissue; and   means for emitting the imaging data indicative of the image of the tissue from the in vivo region to a display external to the subject's body for display.