Abstract: A vulnerable plaque treatment catheter arrangement for the analysis and treatment of the lipid pool of a vulnerable plaque in a coronary artery is disclosed. The arrangement comprises a flexible, elongated, hollow sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, the sheath being arranged for insertion into a coronary artery. A first energy emitter and receiver device is arranged in an annular array in the distal end of the sheath. An energy generator source and an energy control unit is arranged in communication with the first device to provide both diagnosis and treatment to vulnerable plaque within a coronary artery.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a vulnerable plaque treatment catheter arrangement for the treatment of a lipid pool at a site of vulnerable plaque within an artery. The catheter arrangement includes an elongated, hollow, flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and an elongated, flexible, steerable, lipid-enterable needle arranged within the shaft. The needle has at least one lumen therethrough in communication with a treatment source, to permit the rendering of the lipid pool into an innocuous entity.