A delivery catheter 200 for rapid exchange delivery of an embolic protection filter 301 over a guidewire 22, and rapid exchange deployment of the filter 301 at a desired site in a vasculature. The delivery catheter 200 comprises a catheter body 2, a restraining sheath 10 and an elongate pull wire 9. The catheter body 2 comprises a proximal hypotube portion 5 and a radially offset distal spring pusher 6. The restraining sheath 10 is movable in a sliding manner relative to the catheter body 2 upon retraction of the wire 9, and the distal end of the pusher 6 is engageable with the filter 301 in a reception space 11 upon retraction of the sheath 10 to deploy the filter 301 out of the reception space 11. The pusher 6 has a guidewire lumen 16 and a proximal guidewire opening 17 for passage of the guidewire 22 through the lumen 16 and out through the proximal guidewire opening 17 in a rapid exchange manner.