Electromagnetic interference immune tissue invasive system

• US 20020147470A1
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biophan Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Biophan Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: MacDonald, Stuart G., Connelly, Patrick R., Miller, Victor, Weiner, Michael L., Helfer, Jeffrey L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,718,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/285 Invasive instruments, e.g. catheters or biopsy needles, specially adapted for tracking, guiding or visualization by NMR
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/288 Provisions within MR facilities for enhancing safety during MR, e.g. reduction of the specific absorption rate [SAR], detection of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room

Abstract

An electromagnetic immune tissue invasive system includes a primary device housing. The primary device housing having a control circuit therein. A shielding is formed around the primary device housing to shield the primary device housing and any circuits therein from electromagnetic interference. A lead system transmits and receives signals between the primary device housing. The lead system is either a fiber optic system or an electrically shielded electrical lead system.

Claims

1. A tissue invasive photonic system, comprising:

a photonic lead having a proximal end and a distal end;

a light source, in the proximal end of said photonic lead, to produce a first light having a first wavelength and a second light having a second wavelength;

a wave-guide between the proximal end and distal end of said photonic lead;

a radiation scattering medium at the distal end of the photonic lead to receive radiation from said wave-guide;

a plurality of power sensors to receive scattered radiation from said radiation scattering medium and convert the received scattered radiation into electrical energy;

a bio-sensor, in the distal end of said photonic lead, to sense characteristics of a predetermined tissue region;

a distal sensor, in the distal end of said photonic lead, responsive to said bio-sensor, to reflect the second light back to the proximal end of said photonic lead such that a characteristic of the second light is modulated to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region; and

a beam splitter to direct the second light to said distal sensor.

2. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power sensors are alternately mounted circumferentially along a periphery of said radiation scattering medium.

3. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power sensors are electrically connected in series.

4. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiation scattering medium has a decreasing radiation transmission rate along an axis of said radiation scattering medium.

5. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said power sensors are electrically connected in series with consecutive sensors in an electrical circuit placed further along the axial direction of said radiation scattering medium.

6. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power sensors vary in size along an axis of said radiation scattering medium.

7. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said power sensors increase in size along the axis of said radiation scattering medium towards a distal end of said radiation scattering medium.

8. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a proximal sensor, in the proximal end of said photonic lead, to convert the modulated second light into electrical energy.

9. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a transmitter, in the proximal end of said photonic lead and operatively connected to said proximal sensor, to transmit, in response the electrical energy from the converted modulated second light, information representing the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

10. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light source includes a first emitter to emit the first light having the first wavelength and a second emitter to emit the second light having the second wavelength.

11. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light source includes a first laser to produce the first light having the first wavelength and a second laser to produce the second light having the second wavelength.

12. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distal sensor includes:

an optical attenuator coupled to a mirror; and

an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy;

said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

13. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

14. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

15. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a beam splitter to direct the second light to said optical feedback device and to direct said first light to said optical-electrical conversion device.

16. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said optical attenuator comprises liquid crystal material having a variable optical transmission density responsive to applied electrical voltage.

17. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distal sensor includes:

a variable reflectance optical reflector; and

an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy;

said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

18. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

19. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

20. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distal sensor includes an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy and a variable reflectance optical reflector overlaying said optical-electrical conversion device;

said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region and being optically transparent to said first light.

21. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

22. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

24. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said power sensors are electrically connected in series.

25. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said power beam splitters have decreasing radiation transmission rates along an axis of said second wave-guide.

26. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said sensor beam splitter is located in said second wave-guide.

27. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 23, further comprising:

a proximal sensor, in the proximal end of said photonic lead, to convert the modulated second light into electrical energy.

28. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

a transmitter, in the proximal end of said photonic lead and operatively connected to said proximal sensor, to transmit, in response the electrical energy from the converted modulated second light, information representing the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

29. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said light source includes a first emitter to emit the first light having the first wavelength and a second emitter to emit the second light having the second wavelength.

30. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said light source includes a first laser to produce the first light having the first wavelength and a second laser to produce the second light having the second wavelength.

31. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said distal sensor includes:

an optical attenuator coupled to a mirror; and

an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy;

said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

32. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 31, wherein said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

33. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 31, wherein said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

34. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 31, wherein said optical attenuator comprises liquid crystal material having a variable optical transmission density responsive to applied electrical voltage.

35. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said distal sensor includes:

a variable reflectance optical reflector; and

an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy;

said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

36. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 35, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

37. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 35, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

38. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said distal sensor includes an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy and a variable reflectance optical reflector overlaying said optical-electrical conversion device;

said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region and being optically transparent to said first light.

39. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 38, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

40. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 38, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

23. A tissue invasive photonic system, comprising:

a photonic lead having a proximal end and a distal end;

a light source, in the proximal end of said photonic lead, to produce a first light having a first wavelength and a second light having a second wavelength;

a first wave-guide between the proximal end and distal end of said photonic lead;

a second wave-guide, having a plurality of power beam splitters therein at the distal end of the photonic lead to receive and reflect the first light from said first wave-guide;

a plurality of power sensors to receive the first light from said power beam splitters in said second wave-guide and convert the received first light into electrical energy;

a bio-sensor, in the distal end of said photonic lead, to sense characteristics of a predetermined tissue region;

a sensor beam splitter to reflect the second light from said first wave-guide; and

a distal sensor, in the distal end of said photonic lead, responsive to said bio-sensor, to receive the second light from said sensor beam splitter and to reflect the second light back to the proximal end of said photonic lead such that a characteristic of the second light is modulated to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

41. An tissue invasive photonic system, comprising:

a photonic lead having a proximal end and a distal end;

a light source, in the proximal end of said photonic lead, to produce a first light having a first wavelength and a second light having a second wavelength;

a wave-guide between the proximal end and distal end of said photonic lead;

a plurality of power sensors to receive the first light from said wave-guide and convert the received first light into electrical energy, each power sensor absorbing a fraction of the received first light;

a bio-sensor, in the distal end of said photonic lead, to sense characteristics of a predetermined tissue region;

a sensor beam splitter to reflect the second light from said wave-guide; and

a distal sensor, in the distal end of said photonic lead, responsive to said bio-sensor, to receive the second light from said sensor beam splitter and to reflect the second light back to the proximal end of said photonic lead such that a characteristic of the second light is modulated to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

42. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said power sensors are electrically connected in series.

43. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said power sensors are stacked.

44. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 43, wherein radiation captured is increased with increasing distance into the sensor stack.

45. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said power sensors are concentric.

46. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 45, further comprising a reflective grating to disperse radiation uniformly over a surface of said concentric sensors.

47. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 41, further comprising:

a proximal sensor, in the proximal end of said photonic lead, to convert the modulated second light into electrical energy.

48. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 47, further comprising:

a transmitter, in the proximal end of said photonic lead and operatively connected to said proximal sensor, to transmit, in response the electrical energy from the converted modulated second light, information representing the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

49. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said light source includes a first emitter to emit the first light having the first wavelength and a second emitter to emit the second light having the second wavelength.

50. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said light source includes a first laser to produce the first light having the first wavelength and a second laser to produce the second light having the second wavelength.

51. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said distal sensor includes:

an optical attenuator coupled to a mirror; and

an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy;

said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

52. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 51, wherein said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

53. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 51, wherein said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

54. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 51, wherein said optical attenuator comprises liquid crystal material having a variable optical transmission density responsive to applied electrical voltage.

55. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said distal sensor includes:

a variable reflectance optical reflector; and

an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy;

said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

56. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 55, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

57. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 55, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

58. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said distal sensor includes an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy and a variable reflectance optical reflector overlaying said optical-electrical conversion device;

said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region and being optically transparent to said first light.

59. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 58, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

60. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 58, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

61. An tissue invasive photonic system, comprising:

a photonic lead having a proximal end and a distal end;

a light source, in the proximal end of said photonic lead, to produce a first light having a first wavelength and a second light having a second wavelength;

a wave-guide between the proximal end and distal end of said photonic lead;

a bio-sensor, in the distal end of said photonic lead, to sense characteristics of a predetermined tissue region;

a sensor beam splitter to reflect the second light from said wave-guide;

a distal sensor, in the distal end of said photonic lead, responsive to said bio-sensor, to receive the second light from said sensor beam splitter and to reflect the second light back to the proximal end of said photonic lead such that a characteristic of the second light is modulated to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region;

a power sensor to receive the first light from said wave-guide and convert the received first light into electrical energy; and

a plurality of switchable capacitors operatively connected to an output of said power sensor.

62. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 61, further comprising a control circuit operatively connected between said power sensor and said plurality of switchable capacitors to control charging, switching, and discharging of said capacitors.

63. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 62, wherein said control circuit switching said plurality of switchable capacitors into a series electrical circuit so that the voltage output of each capacitor is additive.

64. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 62, wherein said control circuit switching said plurality of switchable capacitors into a parallel electrical circuit to enable simultaneous charging of said capacitors.

65. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 61, wherein each switchable capacitor has a variable capacitance.

66. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 62, wherein said control circuit switching said plurality of switchable capacitors to enable sequential charging of said capacitors with a pre-determined pulse intensity and duration.

67. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 61, further comprising:

a proximal sensor, in the proximal end of said photonic lead, to convert the modulated second light into electrical energy.

68. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 67, further comprising:

a transmitter, in the proximal end of said photonic lead and operatively connected to said proximal sensor, to transmit, in response the electrical energy from the converted modulated second light, information representing the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

69. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 61, wherein said light source includes a first emitter to emit the first light having the first wavelength and a second emitter to emit the second light having the second wavelength.

70. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 61, wherein said light source includes a first laser to produce the first light having the first wavelength and a second laser to produce the second light having the second wavelength.

71. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 61, wherein said distal sensor includes:

an optical attenuator coupled to a mirror; and

an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy;

said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

72. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 71, wherein said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

73. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 71, wherein said optical attenuator attenuating the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

74. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 71, wherein said optical attenuator comprises liquid crystal material having a variable optical transmission density responsive to applied electrical voltage.

75. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 61, wherein said distal sensor includes:

a variable reflectance optical reflector; and

an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy;

said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

76. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 75, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

77. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 75, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.

78. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 61, wherein said distal sensor includes an optical-electrical conversion device to convert the first light into electrical energy and a variable reflectance optical reflector overlaying said optical-electrical conversion device;

said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to encode the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region and being optically transparent to said first light.

79. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 78, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create pulses of light having equal intensity and periods of no light, the periods of no light differing in time in response to the sensed characteristics of the predetermined tissue region.

80. The tissue invasive photonic system as claimed in claim 78, wherein said variable reflectance optical reflector variably reflecting the second light to create light having differing intensities over a period of time.