Patent ID: 8721564

Claim:
A multi-segment intravascular guide wire, comprising: a discrete, proximal, high modulus core portion with proximal and distal ends made of a first material selected from the list consisting of stainless steel, tungsten, or tungsten-rhenium alloy and having a first outer diameter; a discrete, intermediate, medium modulus core portion with proximal and distal ends, wherein the proximal end is joined to the distal end of the proximal core portion, the intermediate core portion being made of a second material of superelastic nitinol and having a second outer diameter; a discrete, shapeable, low modulus distal core portion made of a third material selected from the list consisting of cold worked stainless steel, cold worked linear elastic nitinol, or beta titanium and having a third outer diameter; and a plurality of weld zones formed by resistance welding, joining the discrete core portions together, the weld zones having outer diameters equivalent to the first, second and third outer diameters of the respective core portions.