Figures

Figure 1: Non-compliant balloon/integrated catheter with imaging array mounted inside an angioplasty balloon.

Figure 2: Photo of non-compliant integrated catether.

Figure 3: Real-time data capture system.

Figure 4: Hard-soft phantom experimental geometry: (left) polar coordinates and (right) Cartesian coordinates.

Figure 5: Non-compliant balloon catheter strain images. Radial strain images superimposed on B-Scans for the two geometries (polar and Cartesian) where low strains are in red and high strains are in yellow over a dynamic range of 1-4% strain. B-scan data is shown where the Strain is less than 1%. Format is similar to a conventional color flow imaging display. The polar coordinate image on the left has been offset (1 mm from the catheter surface) and magnified to be displayed over a depth of 2.2 mm. The scan-converted image on the right is displayed over a 4.4 mm diameter.

Figure 6: Compliant balloon catheter (longitudinal & cross-sectional views): 6 F (2.0 mm) diameter.

Figure 7: Compliant balloon catheter inflated (left) and compliant balloon catheter inflated inside rabbit aorta segment (right).

Figure 8: Hard-soft phantom results using a compliant balloon catheter. Strain range: 21-37%. Left image offset by 1.0 mm and displayed over a 3.5 mm range. Right image displayed over a 7.0 mm diameter.

Figure 9: Finite element simulation assuming hard material is 3 times harder than the soft material. Images displayed over the same ranges and scales as shown in Figure 26.

Figure 10: B-scan and strain image of thrombus inside an in-vitro rabbit abdominal aorta. Experiment was performed in a water tank. Strain range: 10-35% using a red colormap. Displayed over a diameter of 8.0 mm.

Figure 11: B-scan and strain image of calcified human plaques. Human femoral artery segment containing calcified plaques was embedded in gelatin. Calcified plaques are located between 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock and at 8 o'clock. Another hard region is illustrated at 12 o'clock. Display range is 7-20% strain where pink denoted low strain (less than 7%) and blue denotes high strain. B-scan data is shown where strains are higher than 20% to highlight hard regions of the artery. The total image display is over a 7.2 mm diameter.