Patent ID: 8523778

Claim:
A catheter assembly for an intravascular ultrasound system, the catheter assembly comprising: an elongated catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, the catheter defining a lumen extending along the catheter from the proximal end to the distal end, the catheter comprising a hub disposed at the proximal end of the catheter, the hub comprising a rotatable connector shaft disposed at least partially in the lumen; a pumping apparatus coupled to the connector shaft such that rotation of the connector shaft causes a corresponding rotation of the pumping apparatus; a reservoir in fluid communication with the pumping apparatus, the reservoir configured and arranged for inputting an acoustically-favorable medium to the pumping apparatus; and an imaging core configured and arranged for inserting into the lumen, the imaging core comprising an imaging device coupled to a distal end of an elongated, rotatable drive member, the imaging device comprising at least one transducer mounted to the imaging device, the at least one transducer configured and arranged for transforming applied electrical signals to acoustic signals and also for transforming received echo signals to electrical signals; wherein the rotatable connector shaft is coupled to a proximal end of the drive member such that rotation of the connector shaft causes a corresponding rotation of the imaging core.