Patent ID: 8439824

Claim:
A method for imaging a wall of a body cavity of a patient, comprising: inserting a distal end of a tubular member into the body cavity, the tubular member comprising a substantially transparent expandable member thereon in a contracted condition; expanding the expandable member within the body cavity; placing a distal surface of the expanded expandable member in contact with a wall of the body cavity in order to image the wall through a central region of the distal surface; applying sufficient force to at least partially clear fluid from between the surface and the wall to enhance imaging the wall; and manipulating the tubular member to move the expandable member along the wall, while imaging the wall through the central region of the distal surface, wherein the tubular member is manipulated to move the expandable member along the wall, while imaging the wall through the expandable member, until a desired body structure is identified, wherein the desired body structure comprises a body lumen communicating with the body cavity, the method further comprising advancing an instrument from the tubular member into the body lumen, wherein the distal surface of the expandable member maintains contact with the wall while being manipulated along the wall until the body lumen is identified, and the wall of the body lumen is orthogonal to a central axis of the tubular member.