Catheter with digitized temperature measurement in control handle

Abstract

A temperature sensing catheter with improved accuracy is provided. The catheter includes a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and a first pair of conductors extending through the catheter shaft. Each one of the first pair of conductors has a first end and a second end, and the first ends of the first pair of conductors are coupled to each other at the distal end of the catheter shaft to form a first thermocouple. A handle is coupled to the proximal end of the catheter shaft and receives the second ends of the first pair of conductors, and the handle includes a digitizing circuit coupled to the second ends of the first pair of conductors for digitizing a voltage signal of the first thermocouple.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catheter comprising:
 a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;   a first pair of conductors extending through the catheter shaft, each one of the first pair of conductors having a first end and a second end, the first ends of the first pair of conductors being coupled to each other at the distal end of the catheter shaft to form a first thermocouple; and   a handle coupled to the proximal end of the catheter shaft and receiving the second ends of the first pair of conductors, the handle comprising a digitizing circuit therein coupled to the second ends of the first pair of conductors for digitizing a voltage signal of the first thermocouple.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the digitizing circuit comprises an isothermal block thermally coupled to the second ends of the first pair of conductors. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 2 , wherein the digitizing circuit further comprises a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the isothermal block. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the digitizing circuit comprises a low pass filter for filtering the voltage signal of the first thermocouple. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the digitizing circuit comprises an amplifier for amplifying the voltage signal of the first thermocouple. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the digitizing circuit comprises an analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital value corresponding to the voltage signal of the first thermocouple. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 6 , wherein the digitizing circuit is adapted to calculate a temperature value of the first thermocouple based on the digital value. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the digitizing circuit is adapted to perform cold-junction compensation. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the digitizing circuit is capable of being identified by at least one digital address. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a second pair of conductors extending through the catheter shaft, each one of the second pair of conductors having a first end and a second end, the first ends of the second pair of conductors being coupled to each other at a portion between the proximal end and the distal end of the catheter shaft to form a second thermocouple,
 wherein the handle receives the second ends of the second pair of conductors, and   wherein the digitizing circuit is coupled to the second ends of the second pair of conductors, and is adapted to digitize a voltage signal of the second thermocouple.   
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 10 , wherein the digitizing circuit is adapted to calculate a temperature value of the second thermocouple based on the digitized voltage signal of the second thermocouple. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 10 , wherein the digitizing circuit is capable of being identified by at least two digital addresses including a first digital address corresponding to the first thermocouple and a second digital address corresponding to the second thermocouple. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the digitizing circuit comprises a digital interface for transmitting data corresponding to the voltage signal of the first thermocouple. 
     
     
         14 . A system for measuring temperature comprising:
 a host; and   a catheter in data communication with the host, the catheter comprising:
 a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 a pair of conductors extending through the catheter shaft, each one of the pair of conductors having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal ends of the pair of conductors being coupled to each other at the distal end of the catheter shaft to form a thermocouple; and 
 a handle coupled to the proximal end of the catheter shaft and receiving the proximal ends of the pair of conductors, the handle comprising a digitizing circuit coupled to the proximal ends of the pair of conductors for digitizing a voltage signal of the thermocouple. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the digitizing circuit comprises an analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital value corresponding to the voltage signal of the thermocouple. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the digitizing circuit is adapted to calculate a temperature value of the thermocouple based on the digital value. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the digitizing circuit comprises a digital interface for transmitting data corresponding to the voltage signal of the thermocouple. 
     
     
         18 . A method of measuring temperature with a catheter, the method comprising:
 sensing a temperature at a distal end of a catheter shaft of the catheter by a thermocouple;   transmitting a voltage signal of the thermocouple to a handle coupled to a proximal end of the catheter shaft; and   digitizing the voltage signal of the thermocouple by a circuit located at the handle to generate a digital value corresponding to the temperature.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising performing cold-junction compensation by the circuit located at the handle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising processing the voltage signal of the thermocouple by a low pass filter. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising transmitting the digital value to a host located away from the handle by a digital link.