Patent ID: 7922654

Claim:
A steerable imaging catheter comprising: an elongated catheter tube having a proximal end and a distal end; at least one steering cable extending along the catheter tube substantially from the proximal end to the distal end of the catheter tube to control the movement of the distal end of the catheter tube; and a fiber optic cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the fiber optic cable extending along the catheter tube substantially from the proximal end to the distal end of the catheter tube, and the fiber optic cable transmitting illumination light from its proximal end to its distal end while transmitting an image from its distal end to its proximal end; wherein the diameter of the steerable imaging catheter is between 1 mm and about 4.5 mm; wherein the fiber optic cable comprises a lens and one or more imaging fibers, a first tube having a distal end and a proximal end, said first tube overlapping the lens and a distal portion of the one or more imaging fibers and wherein the proximal end of the first tube terminates substantially distal from the proximal end of the catheter tube, a second tube extending over both the first tube and a substantial length of the one or more imaging fibers, illumination fibers concentrically surrounding the second tube, and a protecting tube surrounding a length of the illumination fibers; wherein the first tube is adhered directly to both the lens and the distal portion of the one or more imaging fibers; and wherein an outermost radius of the one or more imaging fibers is greater than an outermost radius of the lens.