Patent ID: 8819928

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an apparatus for ultrasonic imaging, the method comprising: providing a catheter having a distal region; coupling an annular ultrasonic imaging transducer array to the distal region of the catheter such that the annular ultrasonic imaging transducer array extends annularly about a longitudinal axis of the catheter, wherein the ultrasonic imaging transducer array is fixedly secured to the distal region of the catheter in the annular configuration such that the ultrasonic imaging transducer array extends annularly about the longitudinal axis of the catheter when the distal region of the catheter extends linearly along the longitudinal axis of the catheter; electrically coupling a flexible circuit to the transducer array and helically winding at least a portion of the flexible circuit about the catheter, the flexible circuit configured to supply electrical power to the transducer array; and electrically coupling a plurality of multiplexers to the flexible circuit proximal of the transducer array such that a section of the helically wound portion of the flexible circuit is disposed between the transducer array and the plurality of multiplexers and such that the plurality of multiplexers are longitudinally separated from one another along the longitudinal axis of the catheter.