Patent ID: 7366563

Claim:
A catheter device for fluorescence or autofluorescence medical examination, comprising: a catheter having a catheter tip for inserting into an examination area; an excitation device arranged adjacent to the catheter tip for emitting excitation light adapted to light-optically exciting an investigation area adjacent to the catheter tip to produce fluorescent or autofluorescent response light; a receiver device for receiving said response light emitted from the investigation area as consequence of the light-optically excitation of the investigation area; a position sensor for detecting a spatial position or an orientation of the catheter tip relative to a coordinate system of a position detecting device; and an image recording control device adapted to: control the light-optically exciting of the investigation area; control a generation of fluorescent or autofluorescent two-dimensional medical images using image signals, the image signals generated using the response light; reconstruct a three-dimensional image of the investigation area using the two-dimensional medical images and the spatial position or the orientation respectively of the catheter tip; and control a recording of at least one of the two-dimensional medical images based on a detected change of position or change of orientation respectively relative to a previous position or orientation respectively of the moving catheter tip for reducing an image data volume to be recorded, wherein the detected change of position or orientation respectively triggers the recording of the two-dimensional image only if the detected change of position or orientation respectively matches or exceeds a pre-defined travel increment.