Device, system, and method for imaging and tissue characterization of ablated tissue

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for ablating and characterizing tissue. The system comprises an ablation element configured to emit ablative energy toward a tissue of interest, an imaging apparatus configured to emit energy and collect imaging data including reflected signals from the tissue of interest, and a characterization application. The characterization application comprises a signal analyzer for analyzing the imaging data and determining one or more signal properties from the reflected signals, and a correlation processor configured to associate the one or more signal properties to pre-determined tissue signal properties of different tissue components through a pattern recognition technique. The pre-determined tissue signal properties are embodied in a database, and the correlation processor is configured to identify a tissue component and an ablation level of the tissue of interest based on the pattern recognition technique.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a database configured to store a plurality of pre-determined signal properties and a plurality of ablation levels such that the plurality of pre-determined signal properties is respectively associated with the plurality of ablation levels; and   a processor configured for communication with the database, an intravascular catheter comprising an ablative element and an imaging apparatus, and a display, wherein the processor is configured to:
 control the ablative element to direct a first ablative energy toward a blood vessel while the intravascular catheter is positioned within the blood vessel and the ablative element is adjacent to a wall of the blood vessel; 
 control the imaging apparatus to emit imaging energy toward the blood vessel while the intravascular catheter is positioned within the blood vessel and the imaging apparatus is adjacent to the wall of the blood vessel; 
 receive a signal representative of reflections of the imaging energy from the blood vessel; 
 determine a signal property of the signal; 
 perform a comparison between:
 the signal property; and 
 the pre-determined signal properties and the plurality of ablation levels stored in the database; 
 
 determine, based on the comparison, the wall of the blood vessel to have a first ablation level of the plurality of ablation levels; and 
 control, if the first ablation level for the wall of the blood vessel is not therapeutically effective, the ablative element to direct a second ablative energy toward the blood vessel to cause a second ablation level of the plurality of ablation levels for the wall of the blood vessel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging energy comprises ultrasound imaging energy. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to output an image of the blood vessel based on the reflections of the imaging energy. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to output a score based on the determination of the wall of the blood vessel to have the first ablation level. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the wall of the blood vessel comprises a plurality of tissue components,   wherein the processor is configured to identify a tissue component of the plurality of tissue components.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 ,
 wherein, to determine the wall of the blood vessel to have the first ablation level, the processor is configured to determine the tissue component to have the first ablation level.   wherein, to control the ablative element to direct the second ablative energy toward the blood vessel to cause the second ablation level for the wall of the blood vessel, the processor is configured to control the ablative element to direct the second ablative energy toward the blood vessel to cause the second ablation level for the tissue component.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of pre-determined signal properties and the plurality of ablation levels stored in the database are associated with the tissue component. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to generate a treatment plan for ablation of the blood vessel. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to modify the treatment plan based on the determination that the wall of the blood vessel to have a first ablation level of the plurality of ablation levels. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to control, if the first ablation level for the wall of the blood vessel is therapeutically effective, the ablative element to stop ablation of the blood vessel. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the intravascular catheter.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the intravascular catheter is sized to be positioned within a renal blood vessel.