1. A method of determining tissue type comprising the steps of:
acquiring a value of an electrical parameter between a first electrode electrically coupled with tissue and a second electrode; and
identifying a tissue type from a plurality of tissue types based on at least said acquired value of said electrical parameter.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said electrical parameter comprises at least one component of a complex impedance between said first and second electrodes.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said acquiring step comprises acquiring a value for each of a plurality of electrical parameters between said first and second electrodes, and said identifying step comprises identifying said tissue type based on said acquired values of said plurality of electrical parameters.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising defining the plurality of tissue types to include regular, lesioned, scar, and fat.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second electrode is a dispersiveindifferent reference electrode, and said acquired value of said electrical parameter reflects properties of tissue proximate said first electrode.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second electrodes are each electrodes electrically coupled with the tissue, and said acquired value of said electrical parameter reflects properties of tissue between said first and second electrodes.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said first and second electrodes are mounted on a catheter, and said acquired value of said electrical parameter reflects properties of tissue between said first and second electrodes
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of acquiring a value of an electrical parameter between a third electrode electrically coupled with tissue and one of said first electrode, said second electrode, and a fourth electrode, and wherein said identifying step comprises identifying at least one tissue type based on said values of said electrical parameters between first and second electrodes, and said third and said one of said first, second and fourth electrodes.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said steps of acquiring said values of said electrical parameters between said first and second electrodes, and said third and said one of said first, second and fourth electrodes are performed substantially simultaneously.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifying step comprises comparing said value to at least one predetermined threshold value of said electrical parameter corresponding to one of said plurality of tissue types.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifying step comprises looking up said value in a look-up table.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifying step comprises determining a change in the value of said electrical parameter over a predetermined period of time.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a tissue morphology map based on said identified tissue type.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the tissue is epicardial tissue of a heart.
15. A system for determining tissue type, comprising
an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to:
acquire a value of an electrical parameter between a first electrode electrically coupled with tissue and a second electrode; and
identify a tissue type from a plurality of tissue types based on at least said acquired value of said electrical parameter.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein said electrical parameter comprises at least one component of a complex impedance between said first and second electrodes.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein said ECU is configured to acquire a value for each of a plurality of electrical parameters between said first and second electrodes, and to identify said tissue type based on said acquired values of said plurality of electrical parameters.
18. The system of claim 15 wherein said ECU is configured to:
acquire a value of an electrical parameter between a third electrode electrically coupled with tissue and one of said first electrode, said second electrode, and a fourth electrode; and
identify at least one tissue type based on said values of said electrical parameters between said first and second electrodes, and said third and said one of said first, second and fourth electrodes.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein said ECU is configured to acquire said values of said electrical parameters between said first and second electrodes and said third and said one of said first, second, and fourth electrodes substantially simultaneously.
20. The system of claim 15 wherein said ECU is further configured to generate a tissue morphology map based on said identified tissue type.
21. A method of presenting information representative of determined tissue type comprising the steps of:
acquiring a value of an electrical parameter between a first electrode electrically coupled with tissue and a second electrode;
identifying a tissue type from a plurality of tissue types based on at least said acquired value of said electrical parameter;
determining a location in the tissue corresponding to said acquired value based on a position of said first electrode;
generating a marker representative of the identified tissue type; and
superimposing said marker onto a portion of an image or model of the tissue corresponding to said location.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A hydraulic assembly for a hydraulic disc brake system, comprising:
(a) a housing defining a cylinder,
(b) a piston received in and moveable within the cylinder,
(c) a first lever operatively associated with one of the piston or the cylinder,
(d) a second lever operatively associated with the other of the piston or the cylinder,
(e) a cable having first and second ends, wherein the first end engages the piston or the cylinder and the second end engages the second lever,
wherein moving the first lever pushes one of the piston or the cylinder in a first direction, and wherein moving the second lever pulls the other of the cylinder or the piston in a second direction.
2. The hydraulic assembly of claim 1, wherein the piston has a non-actuated position and a fully actuated position, and the piston is biased towards the non-actuated position, and wherein the cylinder has a non-actuated position and a fully actuated position, and the cylinder is biased towards the non-actuated position.
3. The hydraulic assembly of claim 1, wherein moving the first lever pulls the cable, thereby moving the piston with respect to the cylinder or moving the cylinder with respect to the piston.
4. The hydraulic assembly of claim 1 wherein the piston defines an opening extending axially therethrough, and wherein the cable extends through the opening.
5. The hydraulic assembly of claim 4, wherein the first end of the cable extends outside of the piston and is secured by a connector.
6. The hydraulic assembly of claim 1, wherein moving the second lever pulls the cylinder or the piston, thereby moving the cylinder with respect to the piston or the piston with respect to the cylinder, respectively.
7. The hydraulic assembly of claim 1 further comprising a volume of hydraulic fluid contained in the cylinder, wherein moving either the first or the second lever displaces a volume of hydraulic fluid from the housing.
8. The hydraulic assembly of claim 5 wherein the connector comprises a first piece that clamps the cable to a second piece.
9. A hydraulic assembly for a hydraulic disc brake system, comprising:
(a) a base plate that includes at least one track,
(b) a housing defining a cylinder, wherein the housing is slidingly seated on the track,
(c) a piston received in and moveable within the cylinder,
(d) a cable having first and second ends, wherein the first end engages the piston and the second end is adapted to engage a lever, such that when the lever is pivoted the piston moves within the cylinder, and
(e) a bracket connected to the base plate, wherein the bracket is configured to attach the base plate to a handlebar.
10. A hydraulic assembly for a hydraulic disc brake system, comprising:
(a) a base plate that includes at least one track and at least one upwardly extending side plate that comprises an opening for receiving a cable,
(b) a housing defining a cylinder, wherein the housing is slidingly seated on the track,
(c) a piston received in and moveable within the cylinder, and
(d) a bracket connected to the base plate, wherein the bracket is configured to attach the base plate to a handlebar.
11. A hydraulic assembly for a hydraulic disc brake system, comprising:
(a) a base plate that includes at least one track and a lever attachment bracket that connects the base plate to a first lever, wherein the first lever moves in a plane generally parallel to the base plat,
(b) a housing defining a cylinder, wherein the housing is slidingly seated on the track,
(c) a piston received in and moveable within the cylinder,
(d) a cable having first and second ends, wherein the first end engages the piston and the second end is adapted to engage a second lever, such that when the second lever is pivoted the piston moves within the cylinder, and
(e) a bracket connected to the base plate, wherein the bracket is configured to attach the base plate to a handlebar.
12. The hydraulic assembly of claim 9 wherein the housing is slideable on the base plate in a direction substantially parallel to an axis of the cylinder.
13. The hydraulic assembly of claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the piston extends outside of the housing.