Patent ID: 8808186

Claim:
A catheter for deployment in a vessel comprising: a control handle; an elongate proximal segment having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end being connected to the control handle; a distal tip assembly having proximal and distal ends; and a housing having a proximal end portion comprising a first material, a distal end portion comprising a second material, and a body portion extending between the proximal and distal end portions, the body portion comprising a third material, the first and second materials being different from the third material, the proximal end portion being connected to the distal end of the elongate proximal segment, the distal end portion being connected to the proximal end of the distal tip assembly, the housing having a luminal wall with an inner surface defining a lumen, the luminal wall having at least one slot; a transducer mounted at least partially within the lumen of the housing; and a first tubular member having proximal and distal ends and a wall defining a lumen, at least a portion of the first tubular member being positioned within the lumen of the housing and being connected to the proximal end portion of the housing, wherein at least a portion of the transducer is disposed within the lumen of the first tubular member.