Optical MRI catheter system

• US 20040019273A1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biophan Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Biophan Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Gray, Robert W., MacDonald, Stuart G., Thomas, Christopher, Helfer, Jeffrey L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,925,322 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/422
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• 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 33/34084 implantable coils or coils being geometrically adaptable to the sample, e.g. flexible coils or coils comprising mutually movable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3692 involving signal transmission without using electrically conductive connections, e.g. wireless communication or optical communication of the MR signal or an auxiliary signal other than the MR signal

Abstract

An assembly for delivering optical signals that has a nuclear magnetic resonance system, an optical interface assembly, and a catheter assembly with a fiber optic cable assembly and an optical interface and an antenna. The catheter assembly converts electromagnetic signals received by the antenna into optical signals. The optical interface assembly converts optical signals into electrical signals and electrical signals into optical signals.

Claims

1. An assembly for delivering optical signals, wherein said assembly is comprised of a nuclear magnetic resonance system, a optical interface assembly electrically connected to said nuclear magnetic resonance system, and a catheter assembly connected to said optical interface assembly, wherein:

(a) said optical interface assembly converts optical signals into electrical signals; and

(b) said catheter assembly is comprised of a fiber optic cable assembly, and an optical connection assembly at the proximal end of said catheter assembly, and an antenna disposed at the distal end of said catheter assembly, wherein said catheter assembly comprises means for converting electromagnetic signals received by said antenna into optical signals, and wherein said means for converting electromagnetic signals received by said antenna is disposed in said distal end of said catheter assembly.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said nuclear magnetic resonance system is a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging system.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said nuclear magnetic resonance system is a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said catheter assembly is detachably connected to said optic interface assembly.

5. The assembly as recited claim 1 wherein said nuclear magnetic resonance system is comprised of a signal input channel.

6. The assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein said optical interface assembly is connected to said signal input channel.

7. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said nuclear magnetic resonance system is comprised of a gating output channel.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein said optical interface assembly is connected to said gating output channel.

9. The assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for generating a calibration reference optical signal disposed in the distal end of said catheter assembly.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said fiber optic cable assembly is comprised of one strand of optical fiber.

11. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said fiber optic cable assembly is comprised of a multiplicity of strands of optical fiber.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said fiber optic cable assembly is comprised of a hollow lumen.

13. The assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein said hollow lumen is a nonmagnetic, nonconductive hollow lumen.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said optical interface assembly is comprised of means for converting analog optical signals to electrical signals.

15. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said optical interface assembly is comprised of means for converting digital optical signals to electrical signals.

16. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said catheter assembly is comprised of means for converting electrical signals into analog optical signals.

17. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said catheter assembly is comprised of means for converting electrical signals to digital optical signals.

18. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said antenna is selected from the group consisting of a pickup coil, a single loop coil, a multi-loop coil, a loopless antenna, and a dipole antenna.

19. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said catheter assembly is coated with a biocompatible material.

20. The assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein said catheter assembly is a magnetic resonance imaging intraluminal catheter.

21. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said optical interface assembly is comprised of a programmable interface.

22. An assembly for delivering optical signals, wherein said assembly is comprised of a nuclear magnetic resonance system, an optical interface assembly electrically connected to said nuclear magnetic resonance system, and a catheter assembly connected to said optical interface assembly, wherein:

(a) said optical interface assembly converts optical signals into electrical signals, and electrical signals into optical signals.

(b) said catheter assembly is comprised of a fiber optic cable assembly, and an optical connection assembly at the proximal end of said catheter assembly, and an antenna disposed at the distal end of said catheter assembly, wherein said catheter assembly comprises means for converting electromagnetic signals received by said antenna into optical signals and comprises means for converting optical signals received from said optical interface assembly into electrical signals wherein said means for converting electromagnetic signals into optical signals and optical signals into electrical signals is disposed in said distal end of said catheter assembly.

23. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said nuclear magnetic resonance system is a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging system.

24. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said nuclear magnetic resonance system is a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer.

25. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said catheter assembly is detachably connected to said optical interface assembly.

26. The assembly as recited claim 22 wherein said nuclear magnetic resonance system is comprised of a signal input channel.

27. The assembly as recited in claim 26, wherein said optical interface assembly is connected to said signal input channel.

28. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said nuclear magnetic resonance system is comprised of a gating output channel.

29. The assembly as recited in claim 28, wherein said optical interface assembly is connected to said gating output channel.

30. The assembly as recited in claim 22, further comprising means for generating a calibration reference optical signal disposed in the distal end of said catheter assembly.

31. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said fiber optic cable assembly is comprised of one strand of optical fiber.

32. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said fiber optic cable assembly is comprised of a multiplicity of strands of optical fiber.

33. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said fiber optic cable assembly is comprised of a hollow lumen.

34. The assembly as recited in claim 33, wherein said hollow lumen is a nonmagnetic, nonconductive hollow lumen.

35. The assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said optical interface assembly is comprised of means for converting analog optical signals to electrical signals.

36. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said optical interface assembly is comprised of means for converting digital optical signals to electrical signals.

37. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said catheter assembly is comprised of means for converting electrical signals into analog optical signals.

38. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said catheter assembly is comprised of means for converting electrical signals to digital optical signals.

39. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said antenna is selected from the group consisting of a pickup coil, a single loop coil, a multi-loop coil, a loopless antenna, and a dipole antenna.

40. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said catheter assembly is coated with a biocompatible material.

41. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said catheter assembly is a magnetic resonance imaging intraluminal catheter.

42. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said optical interface assembly is comprised of a programmable interface.