SHEATH FOR GUIDING IMAGING INSTRUMENTS

摘要

Apparatus, methods and systems including a sheath for use with intracorporeal optical imaging instruments such as imaging guidewires, catheters, or endoscopes. The sheath (13) is suitable for guiding an enclosed instrument (34), that is effective to guide the placement within a patient's body and replacement to a distal position after retraction of the imaging instrument, as during an imaging scan. The sheaths may include at least a portion (25) that is translucent to a desired wavelength of radiation. The translucent portion may have an index of refraction similar to the index of refraction of a bodily fluid such as blood plasma, or an artificial fluid suitable for introduction into a body lumen.