A tissue-removing catheter comprising: an elongate catheter body having opposite distal and proximal portions and being sized and shaped for introduction into a body lumen of a subject, the catheter body having a window at the distal portion thereof; a drive shaft extending longitudinally within the catheter body, wherein the drive shaft is rotatable relative to the catheter body about a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft; a cutting element at the distal portion of the elongate catheter body adjacent the window, the cutting element having opposite proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the cutting element being operatively connected to the drive shaft for 360-degree rotation about the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, the cutting element including an annular cutting edge at the distal end of the cutting element surrounding the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, the annular cutting edge having a radius as taken from the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, an inner surface extending proximally from the cutting edge and defining an internal cavity, at least one raised element in the internal cavity having a leading radial wall extending generally radially inward toward the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, characterized in that the cutting element and the at least one raised element are extendable through the window during operation such that as the cutting element extends through the window and is being rotated 360 degrees about its longitudinal axis, less than an entire radial portion of the leading radial wall of the at least one raised element passes through the window. an elongate catheter body having opposite distal and proximal portions and being sized and shaped for introduction into a body lumen of a subject, the catheter body having a window at the distal portion thereof; a drive shaft extending longitudinally within the catheter body, wherein the drive shaft is rotatable relative to the catheter body about a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft; a cutting element at the distal portion of the elongate catheter body adjacent the window, the cutting element having opposite proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the cutting element being operatively connected to the drive shaft for 360-degree rotation about the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, the cutting element including an annular cutting edge at the distal end of the cutting element surrounding the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, the annular cutting edge having a radius as taken from the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, an inner surface extending proximally from the cutting edge and defining an internal cavity, at least one raised element in the internal cavity having a leading radial wall extending generally radially inward toward the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, an annular cutting edge at the distal end of the cutting element surrounding the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, the annular cutting edge having a radius as taken from the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, an inner surface extending proximally from the cutting edge and defining an internal cavity, at least one raised element in the internal cavity having a leading radial wall extending generally radially inward toward the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, characterized in that the cutting element and the at least one raised element are extendable through the window during operation such that as the cutting element extends through the window and is being rotated 360 degrees about its longitudinal axis, less than an entire radial portion of the leading radial wall of the at least one raised element passes through the window.