Patent ID: 8403856

Claim:
A rotational intravascular ultrasound probe for insertion into a vasculature, the probe comprising: an elongate catheter having a flexible body, an elongate transducer shaft disposed within the flexible body, the transducer shaft having a drive cable and a transducer coupled to the drive cable adjacent a distal portion of the flexible body, and a proximal connector adjacent a proximal portion of the flexible body; and an interface module configured to interface with the proximal connector of the elongate catheter, the interface module including: a spinning element configured to be fixedly coupled to a proximal portion of the transducer shaft, the spinning element having an electronic component coupled thereto such that when the spinning element is fixedly coupled to the proximal portion of the transducer shaft the electronic component is in electrical contact with the transducer; a stationary element positioned adjacent to and spaced from the spinning element, wherein the stationary element is configured to pass signals to the spinning element and receive signals from the spinning element; and a motor coupled to the spinning element for rotating the spinning element and the transducer shaft when the spinning element is fixedly coupled to the proximal portion of the transducer shaft.