LightLab Imaging has developed the ImageWire and Helios occlusion balloon catheters for imaging of coronary artherosclerotic plaques.   The ImageWire houses the fiber optic probe which enables imaging, while the Helios provides proximal occlusion to allow for a blood-free imaging zone.  

The animation shows the following steps:

• The primary guidewire accesses the lesion.  
• The Helios is delivered over the primary guidewire.  
• The guidewire is removed and the ImageWire is introduced to the lesion.
•   The Helios is then pulled back proximal to the imaging area, inflated to interrupt the blood flow, and the imaging probe pulls back inside the ImageWire to obtain images.
• Finally the ImageWire is removed, the guidewire is re-introduced, and the Helios is removed.

Clicking on the "Begin Animation..." button below will open a new window and start a 43 second animation that illustrates LightLab's catheter system. A sample frame is shown above. The file is approx. 32 MB in size and requires a high-speed internet link. Your computer system will need a video player capable of playing MPEG-1 files.