Systems and Methods for Improved Visualization During Minimally Invasive Procedures

1. A method of directing a medium displacement operation for performing a medical procedure, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first set of images from a first imaging modality when a first translation operation of a functional component of an imaging probe is performed; spatially correlating the first set of images with an associated position of the functional component of the imaging probe, wherein the first imaging modality is compatible with a presence of a displaceable medium; processing the first set of images and identifying a region of interest; and directing a medium displacement operation while a second translation operation of the functional component of the imaging probe is performed over the region of interest; wherein the medical procedure is performed within the region of interest during the medium displacement operation.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the imaging probe comprises an additional imaging modality compatible with a presence of the displaceable medium, the method further comprising the steps of: obtaining an additional set of images from the additional imaging modality when the first translation operation is performed, and wherein the additional set of images are spatially correlated with the position of the functional component of the imaging probe; and processing the additional set of images and further identifying the region of interest.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: processing the first set of images and identifying an additional region of interest; directing an additional medium displacement operation while an additional translation operation is performed over the additional region of interest; and wherein an additional medical procedure is performed within the additional region of interest during the additional medium displacement operation.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first imaging modality is selected from the group consisting of grayscale IVUS, radio-frequency IVUS, Virtual Histology™, integrated backscatter, iMap™ elastography, NIR spectroscopy, sono-luminescent imaging, microbubble enhanced IVUS, targeted microbubble enhanced IVUS, photo-acoustic imaging, fluorescence spectroscopy, biosensors, and ion-selective field effect transistors.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the medical procedure includes the steps of obtaining a second set of images obtained from a second imaging modality while the medium displacement operation is performed, and spatially correlating the second set of images with an associated position of the functional component of the imaging probe.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising processing the first set of images and the second set of images to spatially correlate the first set of images with the second set of images.

7. The method according to claim 5 wherein the second imaging modality is selected from the group consisting of OCT, angiography, angioscopy, NIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, IVUS, radio-frequency IVUS, elastography, sono-luminescent imaging, microbubble enhanced IVUS, targeted microbubble enhanced IVUS, fluorescence spectroscopy, and photo-acoustic imaging.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the medium displacement operation comprises the step of providing a flushing solution including a contrast medium, wherein the method further comprises the step of determining an adequacy of the medium displacement operation using an external imaging modality.

9. A method of directing a medium displacement operation for performing a medical procedure, the method comprising the steps of: a) obtaining one or more images from a first imaging modality of an imaging probe, wherein the first imaging modality is compatible with a presence of blood; b) processing the one or more images to identify a region of interest; and c) if a region of interest is identified, directing a medium displacement operation and performing a medical procedure within the region of interest while the medium displacement operation is performed.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the steps of: d) translating a functional component of the imaging probe to a new position, and e) repeating steps a) through c).

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein a functional component of the imaging probe is translated while performing any one or more of steps a), b) and c).

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the medical procedure includes obtaining one or more images from a second imaging modality.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the step of processing the one or more images obtained from the first imaging modality and one or more images obtained from the second imaging modality to spatially correlate one or more images obtained from the first imaging modality with the one or more images obtained from the second imaging modality.

14. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the step of processing the one or more images obtained from the second imaging modality in real-time to determine a measure of a quality of the one or more images obtained from the second imaging modality.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising the steps of: identifying when suboptimal imaging data has been acquired using the second imaging modality and providing a notification that a fault has occurred; and obtaining an additional set of images using the second imaging modality.

16. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of providing an image acquisition triggering signal to an external imaging apparatus during one or more of the first translation operation and the second translation operation for correlating acquisition of images obtained by the external imaging apparatus with the relative position of the imaging probe.

17. A method of directing a medium displacement operation for performing a medical procedure with a probe, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining, with an external imaging apparatus, one or more images of a region within which the medical procedure is to be performed; identifying a region of interest within the one or more images; translating a functional component of the probe to the region of interest while obtaining one or more additional images with the external imaging apparatus; and directing a medium displacement operation while performing a translation operation associated with the functional component of the probe within the region of interest.

18. A method of directing a medium displacement operation for performing a medical procedure, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a set of measurements from a non-imaging detection modality when a first translation operation of a functional component of a probe is performed; spatially correlating the set of measurements with an associated position of the functional component of the probe, wherein the non-imaging detection modality is compatible with a presence of a displaceable medium; processing the set of measurements and identifying a region of interest; and directing a medium displacement operation while a second translation operation of the functional component of the probe is performed over the region of interest; wherein the medical procedure is performed within the region of interest during the medium displacement operation.

19. A method of directing a medium displacement operation for performing a medical imaging procedure, the method comprising the steps of: a) obtaining one or more measurements from a non-imaging detection modality of a probe, wherein the non-imaging detection modality is compatible with a presence of a displaceable medium; b) processing the one or more measurements to identify a region of interest; and c) if a region of interest is identified, directing a medium displacement operation and performing a medical procedure while the medium displacement operation is performed.

20. A method of directing a medium displacement operation for performing a medical procedure, the method comprising the steps of: employing an imaging probe to obtain a set of images using a first imaging modality in the absence of a first translation operation, wherein the first imaging modality imaging probe is compatible with a presence of blood; processing the set of images and identifying a region of interest; directing a medium displacement operation to displace the blood; and performing a medical procedure within the region of interest during the medium displacement operation.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the imaging probe employs a scanning mechanism for varying an imaging angle when collecting the set of images.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the imaging probe is configured for imaging in a forward-looking direction, and where the set of images are obtained in the forward-looking direction.

23. The method according to claim 20 wherein the imaging probe comprises an array of ultrasound transducers and wherein the set of images are obtained using electronic beam steering.

24. A method of performing imaging within a lumen, the method comprising: providing an elongate imaging probe comprising an imaging assembly configured to obtain images according to a first imaging modality and a second imaging modality, and wherein the first imaging modality is compatible with a presence of a displaceable medium, the imaging assembly configured such that during translation of the imaging assembly in a first direction relative to the lumen, a first imaging energy beam associated with the first imaging modality would encounter a given region prior to a second imaging energy beam associated with the second imaging modality; performing a first translation operation in which the imaging assembly is translated, from a first location, in the first direction relative to the lumen; while performing the first translation operation: obtaining at least one image according to the first imaging modality in the presence of the displaceable medium; and processing the at least one image associated with the first imaging modality to identify a region of interest prior to the imaging assembly being positioned to facilitate assessment of the region of interest by the second imaging energy beam; in absence of returning the imaging assembly to the first location, performing a second translation operation in which the imaging assembly is translated in the first direction such that the second imaging energy beam interrogates the region of interest; and while performing the second translation operation: controlling a medium displacement apparatus to displace the displaceable medium; and during displacement of the displaceable medium, employing the second imaging modality to obtain at least one image comprising image data pertaining to the region of interest; the method further comprising, while obtaining a set of images with the second imaging modality: processing the set of images in real time to obtain an image quality measure associated therewith, the image quality measure being generated by processing an intraluminal image region within which displacement of the displaceable medium is desired, such that the image quality measure is dependent on an amount of the displaceable medium residing within the intraluminal image region; and controlling the medium displacement apparatus based on feedback associated with the image quality measure, such that displacement of the displaceable medium is achieved within the intraluminal image region, thereby improving the image quality of the set of images.

25. The method according to claim 24 wherein the first imaging modality is intravascular ultrasound and the second imaging modality is optical coherence tomography.

26. The method according to claim 24 wherein the first direction is a pullback direction.

27. The method according to claim 24 wherein the first direction is a push-forward direction.

28. The method according to claim 24 wherein the first translation operation is continuous with the second translation operation.

29. The method according to claim 24 wherein translation of the imaging assembly is interrupted between performing the first translation operation and the second translation operation.

30. The method according to claim 29 further comprising performing an additional translation operation in which the imaging assembly is translated in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction prior to performing the second translation operation.

31. The method according to claim 24 wherein the intraluminal image region is a sector of an intraluminal region.

32. The method according to claim 24 wherein translation of the imaging assembly is automated.

33. The method according to claim 24 control of the medium displacement apparatus is automated.

34. The method according to claim 24 wherein translation of the imaging assembly and control of the medium displacement apparatus is automated.

35. The method according to claim 24 wherein the displaceable medium is blood.

36. The method according to claim 24 further comprising processing the at least one image associated with the first imaging modality and the at least one image associated with the second imaging modality to spatially correlate the at least one image associated with the first imaging modality with the at least one image associated with the second imaging modality.

37. The method according to claim 24 wherein the at least one image associated with the first imaging modality is processed in real-time.

38. The method according to claim 24 wherein the imaging assembly comprises a first distal component for emitting the first imaging energy beam and a second distal component for emitting the second imaging energy beam, and wherein the first distal component and the second distal component are spatially offset in a longitudinal direction of the elongate imaging probe.

39. The method according to claim 24 wherein the imaging assembly comprises a first distal component for emitting the first imaging energy beam and a second distal component for emitting the second imaging energy beam, and wherein the first distal component and the second distal component are oriented such that the first imaging energy beam associated with the first imaging modality encounters the region of interest prior to the second imaging energy beam associated with the second imaging modality.