Mri Systems Having Mri Compatible Universal Delivery Cannulas With Cooperating Mri Antenna Probes and Related Systems and Methods

• US 20080097193A1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SurgiVision Inc.
• Original Assignee: SurgiVision Inc.
• Inventors: Karmarkar, Parag V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/423
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/285 Invasive instruments, e.g. catheters or biopsy needles, specially adapted for tracking, guiding or visualization by NMR

Abstract

In vivio deep brain medical probe systems include: (a) an NMRI compatible cannula comprising a plurality of concentric axially extending tubes with a receiving bore; and (b) an elongate antenna member with a conductor and an insulating layer configured to slidably advance through cannula bore to define an MRI receive antenna.

Claims

1. An in vivo deep brain medical probe system, comprising:

an MRI compatible cannula comprising a plurality of generally concentric axially extending tubes with a receiving bore; and

an elongate antenna member with a core comprising a conductor and an insulating layer configured to slidably advance through the cannula bore to cooperate with the cannula to define an MRI receive antenna.

2. A probe system according to claim 1, wherein the elongate antenna member comprises a center conductor and at least one recording electrode disposed on a distal portion thereof.

3. A probe system according to claim 2, wherein the probe system has at least two operational modes, including a first MRI signal operational mode wherein the antenna member receives MRI signals from local tissue and a second operational recording signal mode wherein the recording electrode obtains electrical signals from local target tissue.

4. A probe system according to claim 3, further comprising a RF decoupling circuit configured to isolate the MRI receive antenna during an MRI excitation RF transmission and a recording splitter circuit to decouple the MRI receive antenna during the recording mode.

5. A probe system according to claim 1, further comprising an MRI compatible interventional probe member configured to slidably extend through the MRI compatible cannula.

6. A probe system according to claim 2, wherein the antenna member electrically cooperates with the cannula to define a loopless MRI antenna.

7. A probe system according to claim 1, wherein the cannula comprises an intermediate tubular member and an outer member that generally encases at least a major length of the intermediate member.

8. A probe system according to claim 7, wherein the antenna member has a first length, the intermediate member has a second length, and the outer member has a third length, the first length being longer than the second and third lengths, and the second length being longer than the third length.

9. A probe system according to claim 1, in combination with an implantable stimulation lead that is sized and configured to slidably extend through the bore of the cannula after the antenna member is removed therefrom.

10. A probe system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna member comprises a hollow core and is configured to slidably receive selected interventional devices therethrough.

11. An MRI compatible deep brain guiding and recording probe system comprising:

a flexible elongate inner member body having opposing proximal and distal portions, the inner member body comprising at least one recording electrode disposed on the distal portion, the inner member comprising at least one axially extending conductor disposed in a core of the inner member body and an axially extending insulating layer having a length that extends for at least a major portion of the length of the conductor;

a cannula member having increased rigidity relative to the inner member and sized and configured to slidably receive the flexible inner member therethrough, wherein, the inner member and cannula cooperate to define an MRI antenna;

an RF transmit decoupling circuit in communication with the inner member with the decoupler circuit configured to decouple the MRI antenna during an MRI RF excitation transmission; and

a splitter circuit in communication with the inner member to electrically isolate a recording circuit from an MRI imaging circuit.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the system is configured to attach to an MRI scanner and a recording circuit for selectively operating the recording electrode or the MRI antenna.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the decoupler circuit comprises a matching and tuning decoupling circuit that engages an MRI scanner and decouples the antenna during RF transmission.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the system has selective operative first and second electrical transmission paths associated with first and second operational modes, the first transmission path connecting the MRI antenna with an MRI scanner and decoupling the electrode during MRI operation and the second transmission path connecting the electrode with a recording source during electrical recording, respectively.

15. A system according to claim 11, wherein the elongate member has a hollow core.

16. A system according to claim 11, wherein the elongate member has a generally solid core, and wherein the conductor is substantially centrally held in the core.

17. A medical kit, comprising:

(a) an elongate sterilized bio and MRI compatible internal MRI-antenna probe member having opposing distal and proximal portions, the probe comprising a core with a conductor; and

(b) a generally rigid cannula comprising at least two generally concentric tubular members sized and configured to slidably receive the elongate MRI antenna probe therein, wherein, in operation, the MRI antenna probe lead cooperates with the cannula to define an internal MRI antenna.

18. A kit according to claim 17, wherein the antenna probe member comprises and at least one recording electrode in communication with the conductor and residing on the distal portion of the probe.

19. A kit according to claim 18, wherein the conductor resides substantially in a center of the core of the inner member.

20. A kit according to claim 17, wherein the core of the antenna member is hollow.

21. A kit according to claim 17, further comprising an implantable flexible elongate stimulation probe sized and configured to slidably extend through an axially extending bore of the cannula.

22. A computer program product for operating a multi-purpose MRI compatible recording probe and MRI antenna, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code that controllably engages a first or second operational mode for an MRI-compatible probe with at least one recording electrode and an MRI antenna, the first operational mode having a first transmission path connecting the MRI antenna with an MRI scanner and the second operational mode having a second transmission path connecting the electrode with a recording source during electrical stimulation or recording.

23. A computer program product according to claim 22, wherein the computer readable program code is configured to time the selection of the first operational mode to occur proximate in time but after an MRI excitation signal.

24. A computer program product according to claim 22, further comprising computer readable program code that is configured to obtain a plurality of MRI signals of local neural tissue proximate the MRI antenna in substantially real time, then obtain a plurality of microrecordings of the local neural tissue to allow a clinician to track placement of the probe.

25. An MRI antenna and recording electrode probe system, comprising:

an MRI compatible cannula having an axially extending bore;

an elongate flexible antenna probe having at least one recording electrode held by a distal portion of the probe;

wherein the probe is configured to slidably extend through the cannula bore, and wherein, in operation, the cannula and antenna probe electrically cooperate to define components of at least one deep brain MRI receive antenna.

26. An MRI antenna probe system according to claim 25, wherein the cannula is configured to be inserted into a burr hole placed in a patient'"'"'s skull, and wherein the recording probe and MRI antenna probe are configured for deep brain placement.

27. An MRI antenna probe system according to claim 25, wherein the MRI antenna probe and the cannula define a plurality of generally concentric tubular members configured to define an axially extending shield disposed over an inner conductive core, with the shield and core being insulated from each other.

28. An MRI antenna probe system according to claim 25, wherein the cannula comprises a conductive shielding layer that cooperates with the MRI antenna probe to define an MRI receive antenna configured to obtain MRI signals for MRI positional guidance, and wherein, in operation, the antenna probe is removed from the cannula and replaced with a stimulation probe which is then inserted to the same location as the antenna probe.

29. An MRI compatible deep brain probe system comprising:

a flexible elongate inner member having opposing proximal and distal portions, the inner member comprising at least one optic fiber in a core of the inner member;

a cannula member having increased rigidity relative to the inner member and sized and configured to slidably receive the flexible inner member therethrough, wherein, the inner member and cannula cooperate to define an MRI antenna; and

an RF transmit decoupling circuit in communication with the inner member, wherein the decoupler circuit is configured to decouple the MRI antenna during an MRI RF excitation transmission.

30. An MRI compatible system according to claim 29, wherein the core is encased in an MRI compatible conductive material.

31. An MRI compatible system according to claim 29, wherein the optic fiber defines the core, and wherein the optic fiber is coated with an MRI compatible conductive material.

32. An MRI compatible system according to claim 29, further comprising a fiber optic splitter disposed at a proximal portion of the inner member that separates the fiber optic core into two light paths, an input path that is adapted to connect to an input light source and an output path that is adapted to connect to a spectrometer.

33. An MRI compatible system according to claim 29, wherein the elongate inner member cooperates with the cannula and provides an MRI receive antenna and an NIR imaging member.

34. An MRI compatible system according to claim 29, wherein the core is generally solid.

35. An MRI compatible system according to claim 29, wherein the core is generally hollow.

36. An MRI compatible system according to claim 29, wherein the cannula comprises a plurality of generally concentric tubular members.

37. An MRI compatible system according to claim 36, wherein the plurality of generally concentric tubular members are configured to snugly abut each other.