Patent ID: 8882656

Claim:
A method of analyzing tissue within the body of a patient comprising: inserting an endoscope having a distal end through a natural body orifice and into a body lumen in natural communication with the natural body orifice, the endoscope comprising a working channel extending longitudinally therethrough, wherein the distal end of the endoscope contains an optical sensor; inserting a catheter into the working channel of the endoscope, the catheter having a sensor at a distal end and a catheter orifice through and flush with an external peripheral surface of the catheter, the catheter orifice being proximate to the sensor; applying a vacuum force through the catheter orifice to secure a portion of tissue to be analyzed flush with the external peripheral surface of the catheter and adjacent to the sensor of the catheter, wherein the tissue to be analyzed defines the body lumen; analyzing the tissue with the sensor of the catheter; manipulating the catheter, with the portion of the tissue secured on the external peripheral surface of the catheter by the vacuum force through the catheter orifice, to move the tissue towards the distal end of the endoscope; and viewing the tissue using the optical sensor.