Abstract: An intravascular pressure sensor assembly is disclosed herein that is produced in part using photolithography and DRIE solid-state device production processes. Using DRIE production processes facilitates a number of features that could not be readily incorporated in sensor chips fabricated using mechanical saws. In accordance with a first feature, sensor chips are created with non-rectangular outlines. The sensor chip includes a widened portion that substantially abuts an inner wall of a sensor housing, and a cantilevered portion that is relatively narrow in relation to the widened portion. The non-rectangular outline of the sensor chip is formed using photolithography in combination with DRIE processing. In accordance with another feature, the sensor chip is positioned width-wise in the housing, thereby reducing a required length for the housing.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for manually calibrating imaging systems such as optical coherence tomography systems. In certain aspects, an imaging system displays an image showing a target and a reference item. A user looks at the image and indicates a point within the image near the reference item. A processor detects an actual location of the reference item within an area around the indicated point. The processor can use an expected location of the reference item with the detected actual location to calculate a calibration value and provide a calibrated image. In this way, a user can identify the actual location of the reference point and a processing algorithm can give precision to the actual location.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to devices and methods for imaging and aspirating biological material from inside a vessel. In certain embodiments, the invention provides devices that include a body configured to fit within a lumen of a vessel. The body includes an opening. Devices of the invention also include an aspiration channel within the body. The aspiration channel includes a distal end that is connected to the opening. Devices of the invention also include an imaging assembly coupled to the body.

Abstract: Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the intravascular devices include at least one mounting structure within a distal portion of the device. In that regard, one or more electronic, optical, and/or electro-optical component is coupled to the mounting structure. In some instances, the mounting structure is formed of a plurality of material layers. In some embodiments, the material layers have substantially constant thicknesses. Methods of making and/or assembling such intravascular devices/systems are also provided.

Abstract: Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the intravascular devices are guide wires that include a capacitive pressure-sensing component disposed at a distal portion of the guide wire. Methods of making such intravascular devices, including various manufacturing and assembling techniques, are disclosed. Systems associated with such intravascular devices and methods of using such devices and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to an auxiliary guidewire for an intravascular procedure. The invention provides an auxiliary guidewire that slips over a primary guidewire and can provide a very fine extension beyond the end of the primary guidewire. The primary guidewire can be taken to its limit within the fine vasculature, and the auxiliary guidewire can then extend further into the fine vasculature. The primary guidewire can be taken to a bifurcation. The primary guidewire and the auxiliary guidewire can be sent down separate branches of the bifurcation. A physician can select which of the primary guidewire and the auxiliary guidewire are within the branch that needs to be treated by, for example, consulting an angiography display.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a blockage in a vessel and, in particular, a stenosis in a blood vessel. In some particular embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a stenosis in the coronary arteries without the administration of a hyperemic agent.

Abstract: A medical device including both an intraluminal imaging apparatus and dual guidewire lumens is provided, allowing more accurate and stable catheter navigation and treatment delivery. The dual lumen catheter may also include members for increased torsional rigidity, distally located functional measurement sensors, and patterned radioopaque markers for orientation of the dual lumen exits.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a blockage in a vessel and, in particular, a stenosis in a blood vessel. In some particular embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are configured to provide FFR measurements over a length of a vessel of interest in a small, compact device that integrates with existing proximal and distal pressure measurement systems and does not require a separate power source.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a blockage in a vessel and, in particular, a stenosis in a blood vessel. In some particular embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a stenosis in the coronary arteries without the administration of a hyperemic agent. Further, in some implementations devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are configured to normalize and/or temporally align pressure measurements from two different pressure sensing instruments. Further still, in some instances devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are configured to exclude outlier cardiac cycles from calculations utilized to evaluate a vessel, including providing visual indication to a user that the cardiac cycles have been excluded.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for increasing the open cross-section of a vascular fistula that is obstructed by thrombus. Using a catheter having an imaging element and a thrombus disrupting element, the thrombus can be disrupted and removed, and the fistula evaluated with the imaging element. The imaging element is preferably an ultrasound imaging element.

Abstract: Systems and methods for user control over the acquisition, processing, and presentation of medical data are provided. Some embodiments are particularly directed to controlling the display of multi-modality medical data in a multi-modality processing system. In one embodiment, a medical imaging system receives a set of medical data including a first data subset collected using a first sensor and a second data subset collected using a second sensor, where the first sensor and the second sensor are different. A display attribute to be applied to the first data subset independent of the second data subset is received. An instruction is generated that affects the processing of the first data subset based on the display attribute. The first data subset is processed according to the instruction. The processed first data subset is displayed according to the display attribute, and the second data subset is displayed independent of the display attribute.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system is disclosed. The system comprises an ultrasound emitter and receiver movably disposed within an elongate member, an actuator coupled to the emitter, and a control system. The actuator moves the emitter through a path comprising at least a portion of an arc. The control system controls the emission of a sequence of pulses from the emitter and receives from the receiver ultrasound echo data associated with the sequence of pulses emitted along the path. The control system processes the ultrasound echo data to generate a cross-sectional image of an internal structure based on echo amplitude data and echo velocity data.

Abstract: An intravascular sensor assembly including a flexible elongate member having a longitudinal axis (LA) is provided. The sensor assembly includes a first engagement feature proximal to a distal end of the flexible elongate member; a core member disposed inside a lumen of the flexible elongate member, the core member configured to translate within the flexible elongate member along the LA proximal to the first engagement feature; and a component holding a sensor circuit, the component fixedly secured to a distal end of the core member such that the mounting structure translates along the LA of the flexible elongate member with the core member. A system and a method for performing measurements using a sensor as above are also provided.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for visually depicting a vessel and evaluating treatment options are disclosed. The methods can include introducing instruments into the vessel of a patient and obtaining proximal and distal pressure measurements of a stenosis of the vessel, calculating a pressure ratio based on the obtained proximal and distal pressure measurements, applying a correlation factor to the calculated pressure ratio to produce a predicted diagnostic pressure ratio, and displaying the predicted diagnostic pressure ratio to a user.

Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is directed to managing shared resources in a multi-modality medical system. A multi-modality medical system acquires, stores, processes, and displays data associated with a plurality of different medical modalities. Although different, independent modules within the medical system handle different modality workflows, such modules rely on common resources in the system. The method and systems described herein coordinate usage of the common resources, such as a display viewport, among the independent modality modules. For example, a token-based, locking scheme is utilized to exclusively assign a shared resource to a single modality component. This locking scheme prevents, for example, resource deadlocks from occurring during a patient procedure, thus enhancing patient safety.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a blockage in a vessel and, in particular, a stenosis in a blood vessel. In some particular embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are configured to collect and wirelessly distribute reliable pressure signals to other devices, and do so in a small, compact device that integrates with existing proximal and distal pressure measurement systems and does not require a separate power source.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for identifying and presenting cardiac treatment options, for assessing the severity of a blockage in a vessel and, in particular, a stenosis in a blood vessel, by obtaining an image of the vessel, obtaining pressure measurements from the vessel, generating a diagnostic visualization image, identifying a treatment option, and generating a predictive visualization image. The various images and options are displayed on a medical personnel display and a patient display.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-modality data processing are provided. Some embodiments are particularly directed to navigating sets of multi-modality medical data in a multi-modality processing system. In one embodiment, a method for navigating medical data in a medical processing system includes receiving a reference set of medical data by the medical processing system, where the medical data corresponds to a modality selected from the group consisting of: FFR, iFR, pressure, flow, IVUS, and OCT. The medical processing system also receives a navigation command. An enhancement and a subset of the reference set of medical data to enhance are identified based on the navigation command. The medical processing system performs the selected enhancement on the subset of data and the enhanced subset is displayed. The enhancement may include performing a single-axis zoom on the subset.

Abstract: Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some instances, the intravascular device is a guide wire with electrical conductors printed on a solid core wire. In some instances, the electrical conductors are coupled to conductive bands adjacent a proximal portion of the guide wire. Methods of making, manufacturing, and/or assembling such intravascular devices and associated systems are also provided. In certain aspects, guidewires of the invention include a body having an inner core and an outer layer with one or more embedded conductors. The conductors are exposed at one or more locations along the body and a conductive material can be layered over the exposed locations. A sensor can also be coupled to the body via the conductive material at one of the exposed locations.