Catheter balloon methods and apparatus employing sensing elements

Abstract

An apparatus for medical diagnosis and/or treatment is provides. The apparatus includes a flexible substrate forming an inflatable body and a plurality of sensing elements disposed on the flexible substrate. The plurality of sensing elements are disposed about the inflatable body such that the sensing elements are disposed at areas of minimal curvature of the inflatable body in a deflated state.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus for displaying a representation of measurements of a plurality of sensing elements disposed about at least a portion of a circumference of an inflatable body during a medical diagnosis and/or treatment of a tissue, the apparatus comprising:
 a display;   a memory storing machine-readable instructions; and   one or more processor units to execute the machine-readable instructions,
 wherein execution of the machine-readable instructions causes the display to display the representation of the measurements, and 
 wherein the representation comprises (i) a plurality of first indicators, each first indicator corresponding to a sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements that measures a signal below a threshold value, and (ii) a plurality of second indicators, each second indicator corresponding to a sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements that measures a signal above the threshold value. 
   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the measurement below the threshold value indicates that the corresponding sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements is not in contact with the tissue. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the measurement above the threshold value indicates that at least a portion of the corresponding sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements is in contact with the tissue. 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus for displaying a representation of measurements of a plurality of sensing elements disposed about at least a portion of a circumference of an inflatable body during a medical diagnosis and/or treatment of a tissue, the apparatus comprising:
 a display;   a memory storing machine-readable instructions; and   one or more processor units to execute the machine-readable instructions,
 wherein execution of the machine-readable instructions causes the display to display the representation of the measurements, 
 wherein the representation comprises (i) a plurality of first spatial representations, each first spatial representation corresponding to a sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements that is disposed at a first latitude of the inflatable body, and (ii) a plurality of second spatial representations, each second spatial representation corresponding to a sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements that is disposed at a second latitude of the inflatable body that is different from the first latitude. 
   
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein each of the first spatial representations or each of the second spatial representations displays a first indication if the corresponding sensing element measures a signal above a threshold value. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein each of the first spatial representations or each of the second spatial representations displays a second indication if the corresponding sensing element measures a signal below a threshold value. 
     
     
         39 - 61 . (canceled)