Non-contact infrared fiber-optic device for measuring temperature in a vessel

Abstract

An endoscopic system may include an endoscopic device and a control apparatus. The device may include a housing membrane having a distal end and a transparent outer layer around a periphery of the housing membrane and extending longitudinally from the distal end to define a side volume of interest, and an optical infrared sensor array comprising infrared sensors extending longitudinally along and circumferentially about a longitudinal axis of the device to detect infrared radiation over the side volume. The control apparatus may include a processor and a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to, determine temperature data for the side volume in response to infrared data from the infrared sensor array, determine if the temperature data is in a temperature region of concern in a vessel, and provide a temperature control signal to a subsystem to instruct the subsystem to reduce temperature in the vessel.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An endoscopic system for measuring infrared radiation in a vessel, the endoscopic system comprising:
 an endoscopic device comprising
 a housing membrane having a distal end and a transparent outer layer around a periphery of the housing membrane and extending longitudinally from the distal end to define a side volume of interest, and 
 an optical infrared sensor array comprising a plurality of infrared sensors extending longitudinally along and circumferentially about a longitudinal axis of the endoscopic device to detect infrared radiation over the side volume of interest; and 
   a control apparatus comprising
 a processor, and 
 a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to, a) determine temperature data for the side volume of interest in response to infrared data from the infrared sensor array, b) determine if the temperature data is in a temperature region of concern in the vessel, and c) provide a temperature control signal to a subsystem to instruct the subsystem to reduce temperature in the vessel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared sensor array is disposed to detect the infrared radiation over a 360° volume in real time. 
     
     
         3 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature region of concern is when the temperature data for the side volume of interest is above a high temperature threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature region of concern is when the temperature data for the side volume of interest is below a low temperature threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The endoscopic system of  claim 1 , wherein the subsystem is an ablation catheter in an adjacent vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The endoscopic system is of  claim 1 , wherein the subsystem is an applicant catheter connected to a fluid source having a cooling fluid that when applied to the vessel reduces the temperature in the vessel.