Systems and methods for magnetic-resonance-guided interventional procedures

• US 20030050557A1
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated), SurgiVision Inc.
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bottmley, Paul, Berger, Ronald D., Lardo, Albert C., Halperin, Henry R., Atalar, Ergin, Calkins, Hugh, Susil, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/285 Invasive instruments, e.g. catheters or biopsy needles, specially adapted for tracking, guiding or visualization by NMR

Abstract

Herein is disclosed a probe, including a first electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface, a second electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface, a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode, a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode, and a reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor.

Claims

1. A probe, comprising:

a first electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a second electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor.

2. The probe of claim 1, wherein the reactive element conducts a high frequency signal between the first conductor and the second conductor.

3. The probe of claim 2, wherein the high frequency signal has a frequency higher than about 10 MegaHertz (MHz).

4. The probe of claim 1, wherein the reactive element conducts a signal including magnetic resonance imaging frequency energy between the first conductor and the second conductor.

5. The probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor conducts a low frequency signal to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

6. The probe of claim 5, wherein the low frequency signal has a frequency of up to about 500 kiloHertz (kHz).

7. The probe of claim 6, wherein the frequency is in the range from about 100 Hertz (Hz) to about 1 kHz.

8. The probe of claim 6, wherein the frequency is about 100 kHz.

9. The probe of claim 1, wherein the reactive element conducts a signal including ablation frequency energy to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

10. The probe of claim 1, wherein the reactive element conducts a signal including biopotential recording frequency energy to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

11. The probe of claim 1, wherein the probe further comprises a lumen.

12. The probe of claim 1, wherein the reactive element comprises at least one of a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, and a capacitor.

13. The probe of claim 1, wherein the first conductor couples to the first electrode through a reactance.

14. The probe of claim 13, wherein the reactance comprises at least one of an inductor and an LC circuit.

15. The probe of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first conductor, the second conductor, the first electrode, and the second electrode comprises at least one of a magnetic resonance compatible material, a superelastic material, copper, gold, silver, platinum, iridium, MP35N, tantalum, titanium, Nitinol, L605, gold-platinum-iridium, gold-copper-iridium, and gold-platinum.

16. The probe of claim 1, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are electrically coupled to a tuning/matching/decoupling circuit.

17. The probe of claim 1, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are electrically coupled to a signal splitting circuit.

18. The probe of claim 1, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are electrically coupled by at least one capacitor.

19. The probe of claim 1, further comprising a third conductor electrically coupled to a third electrode, and a fourth conductor electrically coupled to a fourth electrode, wherein a first signal including high frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor through the reactive element, and a second signal including low frequency energy is conducted to at least one of the third electrode and the fourth electrode.

20. The probe of claim 1 further comprising a shaft, the shaft including at least one of Kevlar, nylon, Teflon, polyethylene, polyolefin, PTFE, polyurethane, PEBAX, braided Kevlar, and braided nylon.

21. The probe of claim 1, wherein the probe surface is covered by a lubricious coating.

22. The probe of claim 1, wherein the probe has an outer diameter in the range of about 1 French to about 15 French.

23. The probe of claim 1, wherein the probe has a length in the range of about 50 cm to about 200 cm.

24. The probe of claim 1, wherein the probe further comprises a pull wire.

25. The probe of claim 1, wherein the first conductor, the reactive element, and the second conductor form a loop antenna.

26. The probe of claim 1, wherein the first conductor, the reactive element, and the second conductor form a loopless antenna.

27. A magnetic resonance imaging probe, comprising:

a coaxial cable including an inner conductor and an outer shield; and

a split ring electrode including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being electrically coupled to the inner conductor, and the second portion being electrically coupled to the outer shield.

28. The probe of claim 27, wherein the inner conductor and the outer shield are electrically coupled by a reactive element.

29. The probe of claim 28, wherein the reactive element comprises at least one of a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, and a capacitor.

30. A magnetic resonance imaging probe, comprising:

a coaxial cable including an inner conductor and an outer shield;

a first split ring electrode electrically coupled to the inner conductor; and

a second split ring electrode electrically coupled to the outer conductor;

wherein the first split ring and the second split ring are electrically coupled by a first reactive element.

31. The probe of claim 30, wherein the inner conductor and the outer shield are electrically coupled by a second reactive element.

32. The probe of claim 31, wherein the second reactive element comprises at least one of a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, and a capacitor.

33. The probe of claim 30, wherein the first reactive element comprises at least one of a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, and a capacitor.

34. A magnetic resonance imaging probe, comprising:

a coaxial cable including an inner conductor and an outer shield;

a first split ring electrode electrically coupled to the inner conductor; and

a second split ring electrode electrically coupled to the outer conductor;

a first center split ring electrode electrically coupled to the first split ring electrode and to a first conductor;

a second center split ring electrode electrically coupled to the first center split ring electrode and to the second split ring electrode, and also coupled to a second conductor.

35. A magnetic resonance imaging probe, comprising:

a first electrode disposed on the probe surface;

a second electrode disposed on the probe surface;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode through a reactance;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode through a reactance; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor.

36. A system for magnetic resonance imaging, comprising:

a magnetic resonance imaging probe, including;

a first electrode disposed on the probe surface;

a second electrode disposed on the probe surface;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode through a reactance;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode through a reactance; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor;

an interface electrically coupled to the probe, the interface including a tuning/matching/decoupling circuit and a signal splitting circuit; and

an MRI scanner electrically coupled to the interface.

37. A method for simultaneously imaging and ablating a tissue, comprising:

exposing the tissue to a magnetic field, the field including a static component and a gradient component;

placing a probe adjacent to the tissue, the probe including;

a first electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a second electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor, and low frequency energy is conducted to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode;

directing low-frequency energy to the probe, the low frequency energy being conducted to the tissue by at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode; and

receiving high-frequency energy from at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor for imaging at least one of the probe and the tissue.

38. A method for simultaneously imaging a tissue and measuring a bioelectric potential in the tissue, comprising:

exposing the tissue to a magnetic field, the field including a static component and a gradient component;

placing a probe adjacent to the tissue, the probe including;

a first electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a second electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor, and low frequency energy is conducted to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode;

receiving low-frequency energy from the probe, the low frequency energy being conducted from at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode; and

receiving high-frequency energy from at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor for imaging at least one of the probe and the tissue.

39. A method for simultaneously imaging a tissue, ablating the tissue, and measuring a bioelectric potential in the tissue, comprising:

exposing the tissue to a magnetic field, the field including a static component and a gradient component;

placing a probe adjacent to the tissue, the probe including;

a first electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a second electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor, and low-frequency and medium-frequency energy is conducted to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode;

receiving low-frequency energy from the probe, the low frequency energy being conducted from at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode;

directing medium-frequency energy to the probe, the medium-frequency energy being conducted to the tissue by at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode; and

receiving high-frequency energy from the probe, the high-frequency energy including magnetic resonance imaging data.

40. A method for simultaneously imaging and treating a tissue, comprising:

exposing the tissue to a magnetic field, the field including a static component and a gradient component;

placing a probe adjacent to the tissue, the probe including;

a first electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a second electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor;

delivering a therapy to the tissue; and

receiving high-frequency energy from the probe, the high-frequency energy having magnetic resonance imaging data.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the therapy comprises at least one of ablation energy, heat, ultrasound energy, a substance discharged through a lumen of the probe, and monitoring the delivering.