INTRA-VASCULAR IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the ultrasonic scanning of the in-vivo vessel of a small diameter by using a transducer probe which may be located within a vessel of the patient's body. SOLUTION: This device includes a slender member 26 which has a distal end 28 locatable within the small vessel of the patient, a proximal end 32 which exists in an extracorporeal portion and a signal processor 34 which exists at the distal end of this slender member and is connected to a transducer manipulatable for the purpose of scanning the distal coronary vessel by ultrasonic pulses and a transducer for generating pulses to the proximal end of the slender member and the transducer and receiving the pulses from the transducer. A motor 36 may be connected to the proximal end of the slender member for the purpose of rotating the transducer. A controller 38 manipulates the motor and the signal processor.