K971397 · Quinton, Inc. · ITX · Aug 25, 1997 · Radiology
Device Facts
Record ID
K971397
Device Name
VIEWCATH 3-D CATHETER PULLBACK
Applicant
Quinton, Inc.
Product Code
ITX · Radiology
Decision Date
Aug 25, 1997
Decision
SESE
Submission Type
Traditional
Regulation
21 CFR 892.1570
Device Class
Class 2
Indications for Use
The ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback is a device used for motorized pullback of medical Ultrasound intravascular imaging catheters to assist in consistent, selectable speed, 2-D image acquisition for use by medical imaging software for longitudinal view display or 3-D reconstruction and rendering and volumetric presentation of 3-D images for diagnostic review.
Device Story
ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback is a motorized device for intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) catheters; used in clinical settings to assist in consistent, selectable speed pullback of transducer drive motors. Device consists of a cradle to hold catheter motors, a high-torque motor, a step-down gear mechanism, a stainless steel drive screw, a control switch, and a travel readout scale. Powered by four AA alkaline batteries. By pulling the catheter at a consistent speed, the device enables the acquisition of multiple 2-D ultrasound images. These images are subsequently processed by external medical imaging software to generate longitudinal views, 3-D reconstructions, and volumetric presentations for diagnostic review by clinicians. The device ensures uniform image acquisition, which is critical for accurate 3-D rendering and clinical decision-making regarding vascular anatomy.
Clinical Evidence
No clinical data. Performance evaluations were based on bench testing, comparing the system's performance against design specifications and the predicate devices to ensure consistent operation.
Technological Characteristics
Molded plastic enclosure (3.5" x 6.25" x 1.875"); high-torque motor; step-down gear mechanism; machined stainless steel drive screw; scribed metal readout scale; Mylar labels. Power source: four AA alkaline batteries. Mechanical sensing/actuation principle. No software or electronic algorithm components; purely electromechanical device.
Indications for Use
Indicated for use with medical ultrasound intravascular imaging catheters to facilitate consistent, selectable speed motorized pullback for 2-D image acquisition, enabling subsequent longitudinal display, 3-D reconstruction, rendering, and volumetric presentation for diagnostic review.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
A diagnostic ultrasonic transducer is a device made of a piezoelectric material that converts electrical signals into acoustic signals and acoustic signals into electrical signals and intended for use in diagnostic ultrasonic medical devices. Accessories of this generic type of device may include transmission media for acoustically coupling the transducer to the body surface, such as acoustic gel, paste, or a flexible fluid container.
Predicate Devices
Cardiovascular Imaging Systems, Inc. Catheter Pullback Device (K921879)
Cardiovascular Imaging Systems, Inc. Catheter Pullback Device (K933517)
Submission Summary (Full Text)
{0}------------------------------------------------
Image /page/0/Picture/2 description: The image shows the logo for Quinton Imaging. The word "Quinton" is in a bold, sans-serif font, with the "Q" being a large, open circle. Below "Quinton" is the word "imaging" in a smaller, sans-serif font. The text is black on a white background.
AUG 25 1997
1971397
## SUMMARY OF SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS
July 30, 1997
| Contact Person: | Roy A Smith, Manager of Manufacturing |
|-------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Common or Usual Name: | Catheter Pullback device |
| Proprietary Name: | ViewCath™™ Catheter Pullback |
| Product Classification: | Product Code: CV 74 DQX<br>Wire, Guide, Catheter,<br>Regulatory Class II |
| Applicant: | Quinton Imaging Division<br>Quinton Instrument Company<br>1043 Kiel Court<br>Sunnyvale, California 94089<br>Telephone: (408) 752-8555<br>Fax: (408) 752-8544 |
| Predicate Device: | Cardiovascular Imaging Systems, Inc.<br>Catheter Pullback Device, K921879 and K933517 |
The ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback is a medical Description of Device: Ultrasound Intravascular transducer catheter pullback device used in conjunction with Intravascular Ultrasound system devices. The ViewCath™ Catheter has a cradle that firmly holds various catheter transducer drive motors. Upon actuation, the device pulls the motor cradle at one of two selected speeds. A medical Intravascular Ultrasound catheter attached to the drive motor is pulled back at a consistent speed to obtain multiple 2-D ultrasound images.
It is similar in design to other such catheter pullback devices. It has a motor driven mechanical screw mechanism, Intravascular Ultrasound catheter motor drive cradle, control switch and travel readout scale.
The ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback is a device used for Statement of intended use: motorized pullback of medical Ultrasound intravascular imaging catheters to assist in consistent, selectable speed, 2-D image acquisition for use by medical imaging software for longitudinal view display or 3-D reconstruction and rendering and volumetric presentation of 3-D images for diagnostic review.
ViewCath™ Statement of technological characteristics: The Quinton Imaging 6. Catheter Pullback has no significant change in design, materials, energy source or other
July 30 revision, Page 00019
{1}------------------------------------------------
technological characteristics when compared to the predicate device. It is housed in a molded plastic enclosure, 3.5" wide by 6.25" long by 1.875" (2.25" at cradle) high, with scribed metal readout scale and applied Mylar labels. The housing contains a high torque motor with step-down gear mechanism attached to a machined stainless steel drive screw, speed selection/power switch and LED indicator lights. The power source is four AA alkaline batteries.
There are only minor configuration differences between the ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback and the predicate device. These minor differences do not alter the intended use or affect the safely and effectiveness of the ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback when used as labeled.
The intended use and the technological characteristics are the same as the predicate device and therefore we believe it is substantially equivalent to it.
Special Controls: Although there are no performance standards established by the FDA, or official industry standards for these devices, the ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback has been designed with FDA recommended development processes, within a Quality System including design and development procedures and manufactured in a GMP Quality System compliant facility.
Performance tests were conducted by testing the system to the requirements of the design specifications and comparison to the predicate devices.
The performance evaluations indicated that the system consistently performed within its design parameters, and equivalently to the predicate devices.
This data is summarized in the submission, and supports the safety and efficacy of the Quinton Imaging ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback.
July 30 revision, Page 00020
{2}------------------------------------------------
Image /page/2/Picture/18 description: The image shows the logo for the Department of Health & Human Services USA. The logo consists of a circular border with the text "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES USA" arranged around the circumference. Inside the circle is a stylized image of an eagle with its wings spread, facing left. The eagle is composed of thick, curved lines, giving it a modern and abstract appearance.
Food and Drug Administration 9200 Corporate Boulevard Rockville MD 20850
Roy A. Smith Manager of Manufacturing Quinton Imaging Division Quiton Instrument Company 1043 Kiel Court Sunnyvale, California 94089 Re:
K971397 ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback Dated: July 30, 1997 Received: August 5, 1997 Regulatory class: II 21 CFR 892.1570/Procode: 90 ITX
AUG 25 1997
Dear Mr. Smith:
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) notification of intent to market the device referenced above and we have determined the device is substantially equivalent (for the indications for use stated in the enclosure) to devices marketed in interstate commerce prior to May 28, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or to devices that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Act). You may, therefore, market the device, subject to the general controls provisions of the Act. The general controls provisions of the Act include requirements for annual registration, listing of devices, good manufacturing practice, labeling, and prohibitions against misbranding and adulteration.
If your device is classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (Premarket Approval), it may be subject to such additional controls. Existing major regulations affecting your device can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Parts 800 to 895. A substantially equivalent determination assumes compliance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice requirement, as set forth in the Quality System Regulation (QS) for Medical Devices: General regulation (21 CFR Part 820) and that, through periodic QS inspections, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will verify such assumptions. Failure to comply with the GMP regulation may result in regulatory action. In addition, FDA may publish further announcements concerning your device in the Federal Register. Please note: this response to your premarket notification submission does not affect any obligation you might have under sections 531 through 542 of the Act for devices under Radiation Control provisions, or other Federal laws or regulations.
This letter will allow you to begin marketing your device as described in your 510(k) premarket notification. The FDA finding of substantial equivalence of your device to a legally marketed predicate device results in a classification for your device and thus, permits your device to proceed to the market.
If you desire specific advice for your device on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801 and additionally 809.10 for in yitte diagnostic devices), please contact the Office of Compliance at (301) 594-4613. Additionally, for question and advertising of your device, please contact the Office of Compliance at (301) 594-4639. Also, please note the regulation entitled, "Misbranding by reference to premarket notification" (21 CFR 807.97). Other general information on your responsibilities under the Act may be obtained from the Division of Small Manufacturers Assistance at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 443-6597 or at its Internet address http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsmamain.html".
Sincerely yours
h.Jliau
Lillian Yiu, Ph.D.
Lillian Yin, Ph.D. Director, Division of Reproductive, Abdominal, Ear, Nose and Throat, and Radiological Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
{3}------------------------------------------------
510(k) Number (if known):
ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback Device Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Indications For Use:
Statement of intended use:
The ViewCath™ Catheter Pullback is a device used for motorized pullback of medical Ultrasound intravascular imaging catheters to assist in consistent, selectable speed, 2-D image acquisition for use by medical imaging software for longitudinal view display or 3-D reconstruction and rendering and volumetric presentation of 3-D images for diagnostic review.
(PLEASE DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE - CONTINUE ON ANOTHER PAGE IF NEEDED)
Concurrence of CDRH, Office of Device Evaluation (ODE)
David A. Seymore
(Division Sign-Off) Division of Reproductive, Abdominal, ENT, and Radiological Devi 510(k) Number.
Prescription Use V (Per 21 CFR 801.109)
OR
Over - The - Counter - Use
(Optional Format 1-2-96)
July 30 revision, Page 00014
Predicate graph will load when search results are available.
Embedding visualization will load when search results are available.
PDF viewer will load when search results are available.
Loading panels...
Select an item from Submissions
Click any panel, subpart, regulation, product code, or device to see details here.
Section Matches
Results will appear here.
Product Code Matches
Results will appear here.
Special Control Matches
Results will appear here.
Loading collections...
Loading
My Alerts
You will receive email notifications based on the filters and frequency you set for each alert.
Sort by:
Create Alert
Search Filters
Agent Token
Create a read-only bearer token for Claude, ChatGPT, or other agents that can call HTTP APIs.
Copy this now. It will not be shown again.
Connected apps
Apps you authorized through browser sign-in. Disconnecting revokes their access immediately.
Learn the FDA Browser
Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.