CATHETER-MOUNTED INTRA-CARDIAC ULTRASOUND IMAGING ARRAY

Creare建议开发一种超声系统来成像心脏内解剖特征。我们的系统将包含一种新型的导管安装传感器阵列，该传感器阵列由许多单独的传感器元件组成，排列在导管尖端的保形二维阵列中。该系统将为临床医生提供一种强大的新型诊断工具，提高医生看到心房和心室内部实时超声图像的能力。该图像可能有助于指导设备的放置和部署（如支架和气球），可视化细微特征（如射频消融军团），以及先天性心脏缺陷患者的成像。在这个项目的第一阶段，将制造一个原型，导管安装的心内换能器阵列，并在一系列体外测试中评估其性能。在第二阶段，Creare将制造一个成像导管，并在临床环境中安装该系统。该系统将用于成像细微的解剖特征和消融军团的形成。建议的商业应用：临床有效的心内显像导管的商业意义是巨大的。我们的商业化合作伙伴承诺在成功完成该项目后寻求技术许可，这证明了这一点。

Creare proposes to develop an ultrasound system for imaging intracardiac anatomic features. Our system will incorporate a novel catheter-mounted transducer array comprised of a number of individual transducer elements arranged in a conformal two- dimensional array mounted on the catheter tip. This system will provide the clinician with a powerful new diagnostic tool that increases the capability of the physician to see a real-time ultrasound image of the inside of both the atria and ventricles. This image will potentially assist in guiding device placement and deployment (such as stents and balloons), visualizing subtle features (such as radio frequency ablation legions), and imaging patients with congenital heart defects. During Phase I of this project, a prototype, catheter-mounted intracardiac transducer array will be fabricated and its performance evaluated in a series of in vitro tests. In Phase II, Creare will build an imaging catheter and install the system in a clinical setting. The system will be used to image subtle anatomical features and the formation of ablation legions. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The commercial significance of a clinically effective intracardiac imaging catheter is tremendous. This is evidenced by the commitment of our commercialization partner to seek a license to the technology resulting from successful completion of this project.