Catheter Sheath Foreign Substance Detection for Vascular Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging apparatuses for vascular diagnosis face challenges in detecting air bubbles and blood within the catheter sheath, leading to image degradation and blurring, especially when air is not properly primed out and blood enters due to pressure, causing inefficiencies in image reconstruction.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus with an optical transceiver and ultrasound wave transceiver that generates line data from interference light to determine the presence of foreign substances like air bubbles and blood within the catheter sheath, displaying a message to the user to perform priming and ensuring accurate image reconstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hole is provided in the distal end of the catheter sheath to discharge air during priming, then air can be easily released and priming can be completed, but blood may flow into the catheter sheath through the hole during pull-back processing due to negative pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of air bubbles in the catheter sheath before the pull-back operation. By analyzing the optical signal characteristics during the initial positioning phase, the system identifies the presence of air bubbles and alerts the operator to complete priming before proceeding, thus preventing blood contamination during the subsequent pull-back operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the optical signal from the imaging core and provides real-time feedback about the presence of air bubbles or blood in the catheter sheath. This feedback mechanism allows the operator to adjust the priming status or stop the procedure if contamination is detected, preventing image degradation and ensuring diagnostic quality.
2Reliability
If liquid is injected from the proximal end to fill the space between imaging core and catheter sheath, then ultrasound wave transmission is improved and air can be discharged, but it becomes difficult to visually check whether priming is complete due to the small size of the catheter sheath
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical/visual inspection method with an optical detection system. The imaging core uses light to detect the presence of air bubbles or blood in the catheter sheath by analyzing changes in optical signal characteristics, eliminating the need for visual verification through the small catheter sheath while ensuring reliable ultrasound wave transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical signal acts as an intermediary between the liquid medium in the catheter sheath and the detection system. By measuring the optical properties of the liquid (such as scattering or absorption characteristics), the system indirectly detects the presence of air bubbles or blood, providing a non-invasive method to verify priming status.
3Reliability
If air is present between the ultrasound transducer and test object, then ultrasound waves are totally reflected and transmission to the test object is blocked, but providing a hole for air discharge may cause blood to enter the catheter sheath
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of air bubbles using optical signals before initiating the pull-back operation. By identifying air bubbles in advance and alerting the operator to complete priming, the system ensures proper ultrasound wave transmission while preventing blood from entering the catheter sheath during the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback about the presence of air bubbles or blood in the catheter sheath by analyzing optical signal characteristics. This feedback allows the operator to maintain proper priming status, ensuring efficient ultrasound wave transmission to the test object while preventing blood contamination that would occur if a discharge hole were present.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively detects foreign substances within the catheter sheath, prompting the user to address priming issues and preventing image blurring, thereby enhancing the accuracy and clarity of vascular images obtained.
Implementation Method 1
reconstructing a blood vessel image based on interference light data obtained by converting into an electric signal interference light in which measurement light obtained by rotating the imaging core and reference light separated from the light from the light source are synthesized
Implementation Method 2
an ultrasound wave transceiver which can transceive ultrasound waves... ultrasound waves are remarkably attenuated in the air, and when air is present between an ultrasound transducer and a test object, most of the ultrasound waves are totally reflected by the interface therebetween
Implementation Method 3
refraction of light can be reduced on an interface of the optical member and an interface of the catheter sheath by containing liquid having a refractive index closer to the refractive index of the optical member or the refractive index of the catheter sheath compared to the refractive index of air
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus, method, and computer readable medium are disclosed, which can detect in a case where a foreign substance such as air and blood other than transparent liquid is present inside a catheter, and can urge a user to perform priming so that an image having higher accuracy can be reconstructed. According to the present disclosure, the imaging apparatus can determined whether or not the foreign substance such as air and blood is present between an imaging core and an inner surface of a catheter sheath, from line data which is generated based on interference light data obtained when the priming is performed or at stages before and after pull-back scanning is performed. In a case where the foreign substance enters, a message urging the user to perform the priming is displayed.