Patent ID: 9526424
Filing Date: 2016-12-27
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A computer-implemented method of triggering optical coherence tomographic data collection in a length of a vessel, the method comprising: collecting optical coherence tomography data with respect to a location in the vessel using an optical coherence tomography probe disposed in the vessel; determining, using a computer, a line radius for each rotation angle of the probe within a frame of the optical coherence tomography data to generate line radii; determining, using a computer, a smoothed radius profile of the vessel using the line radii; determining, using a computer, a parameter indicative of blood clearing in response to measured intensity values for one or more frames of optical coherence tomography data using a maximum smoothed radius value determined from the smoothed radius profile; determining if a blood clearing state has occurred using the parameter; and generating a trigger signal in response to the blood clearing state.