Patent ID: 7914458

Claim:
An ultrasound catheter for insertion into a vasculature, the catheter comprising: an elongate flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a capacitive microfabricated ultrasonic transducer device mounted on the shaft near the distal end, wherein the transducer comprises a drum structure having a membrane disposed such that a face of the membrane is oriented to emit ultrasound waves; and a sonic reflector mounted on the shaft adjacent to and separate from the drum structure such that the sonic reflector is movable relative to the transducer about a flex point, the sonic reflector comprising a reflective surface and positioned such that the reflective surface redirects the ultrasonic waves to and from the transducer; wherein the transducer and reflector are oriented to facilitate forward viewing; and wherein the face of the membrane is skewed to emit the ultrasound waves other than along a longitudinal axis of the catheter.