Microcatheter sensor design for minimizing profile and impact of wire strain on sensor

A catheter, such as a fractional flow reserve catheter, includes an elongate shaft having a pressure sensing wire extending to the distal portion of the elongate shaft. The wire has a pressure sensor mounted on the distal end for measuring a pressure of a fluid within lumen of vessel. The pressure sensor wire is disposed within a pocket formed adjacent to the pressure sensor thereby minimizing the profile of the catheter. Bending stresses experienced by a pressure sensor mounted to a fractional flow reserve catheter when tracking the catheter through the vasculature creates a distortion of the sensor resulting in an incorrect pressure reading or bend error. In order to isolate the sensor from bending stresses, the sensor is spaced apart from the pressure sensor wire to allow the pressure sensor and the pressure sensor wire to move independently from one another.