Patent ID: 8206300

Claim:
An imaging and therapeutic delivery system comprising: a straight shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; a needle reciprocatably coupled to the shaft so that a tissue-penetrating tip on the needle can be distally advanced from the shaft along an axial path; a tip pivotally attached to the distal end of the shaft and movable between a position parallel to the axial path and a position at an acute or right angle relative to the axial path, wherein the pivotally attached tip includes a stop structure disposed thereon which prevents advancement of the needle when the pivotally attached tip is parallel to the axial path; and an ultrasonic imaging array carried by the pivotally attached tip, wherein the pivotally attached tip can be oriented to align a field of view of the imaging array with the needle as the needle is advanced along the axial path so as to sweep the ultrasound field of view relative to the needle and anatomy to be imaged.