Tiny 3-D Ultrasound Guides Catheter

An ultrasound probe small enough to ride along at the tip of a catheter can provide physicians with clearer real-time images of soft tissue without the risks associated with conventional x-ray catheter guidance.

Duke University biomedical engineers designed and fabricated the novel ultrasound probe which is powerful enough to provide detailed, 3-D images. The new device works like an insect's compound eye, blending images from 108 miniature transducers working together.

Catheter-based procedures involve snaking instruments through blood vessels to perform various tasks, such as clearing arteries or placing stents, usually with the guidance of x-ray images.

source: Duke University