Abstract: A steerable catheter including a flexible elongate tube having control line lumens disposed between the inner wall surface and the outer wall surface and extending along a length of the elongate tube. The catheter further includes an anchor disposed at a distal end of the elongate tube. The catheter further includes continuous control lines, extending through the control line lumens. A portion of each of the continuous control lines is secured at the anchor so that retraction toward a proximal end of the elongate tube of ends of the continuous control lines causes movement of the distal end of the elongate tube in two directions in two orthogonal planes of movement.

Abstract: The disclosed method includes the steps of positioning an ultrasonic transmitter (50, 52) on the exterior body portion (54) of the valve (14), oriented so that the transmitted ultrasonic wave intercepts the path (46) of the closure member (30) at least at one location, and positioning an ultrasonic receiver on the body portion oriented to detect reflected ultrasonic waves when the closure member passes through such location. The valve body (20) is filled with water and the closure member is caused to move along the path. The transmitter and receiver are operated to generate an output signal trace (64) commensurate with the magnitude of the ultrasonic wave reflected from the closure member at the targeted locations along the path.