Patent ID: 8926519
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: A61B,G01H

Abstract:
1. A device comprising: an elongate member including proximal and distal ends, and defining a longitudinal direction therebetween, the elongate member comprising a plurality of optical fibers extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein a distal portion of the elongate member is configured to be introduced into a human or animal body for internally imaging a portion of the body; a strength member disposed about the elongate member, the strength member defining a plurality of apertures; an acoustic transmitter on the distal portion of the elongate member that is configured to be introduced into a human or animal body for internally imaging a portion of the body; and an acoustic-to-optical transducer at each of a plurality of separately addressable discrete locations, the discrete locations including locations on different ones of the optical fibers and respectively corresponding to the plurality of apertures, the locations distributed around a circumference of the distal portion of the elongate member that is configured to be introduced into a human or animal body for internally imaging a portion of the body, and wherein the plurality of separately addressable discrete locations distributed around the circumference are configured to be scanned for performing the imaging in a number of different directions respectively directed outward through the plurality of apertures from the corresponding discrete locations distributed around the circumference.