Patent ID: 7822464

Claim:
A guidewire system, comprising: a catheter; and a guidewire, wherein said guidewire comprises: an external guidewire housing configured to guide the catheter within a vascular cavity; a plurality of electromagnetic receiver or transmitter coils arranged within the external guidewire housing wherein the receiver or transmitter coils are configured to locate a position of the guidewire within the vascular cavity via cooperation with corresponding external electromagnetic transmitter or receiver antennas; signal lines arranged within the external guidewire housing connecting the plurality of electromagnetic receiver or transmitter coils to a processing unit that controls the transmitter coils or the transmitter antennas; a plurality of ultrasonic sensors distributed across and arranged annularly around and within the external guidewire housing; and a multiplexer configured to cyclically scan the plurality of ultrasonic sensors; wherein one side of each of the plurality of electromagnetic receiver or transmitter coils are linked to the external guidewire housing so that only one signal line is used for each of the plurality of electromagnetic receiver or transmitter coils, and wherein the guidewire is provided with a slide coating for easing the movement of the catheter over the guidewire.