IMPLANTABLE RADIOPAQUE MARKING

• US 20110160558A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Wright, Cory P., Eggert, Joel T., Rassatt, Bradley B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,945,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/377
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/94 coded with symbols, e.g. text
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads

Abstract

Specified information can be provided to a user, to a machine, or to an automated process using a specified configuration of a plurality of radiopaque rings about at least a portion of an implantable lead.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an implantable lead including;

a plurality of radiopaque rings arranged in a specified configuration about a portion of the implantable lead; and

wherein the specified configuration of the plurality of radiopaque rings is configured to provide specified information to a user, to a machine, or to an automated process.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of radiopaque rings have different inner diameters.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable lead includes a rear seal configured to be at least partially inserted into a lead port of an implantable medical device (IMD) header;

and

wherein the plurality of radiopaque rings are configured to be injection molded into the rear seal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the specific configuration of the plurality of radiopaque rings includes the number of radiopaque rings, and wherein different numbers of radiopaque rings are configured to provide different information.

5. The system claim 1, wherein the specific configuration of the plurality of radiopaque rings includes at least one of a radiopaque ring shape, a radiopaque ring inner or outer diameter, one or more spacings between radiopaque rings, or a combination of at least one of the radiopaque ring shape, the radiopaque ring inner or outer diameter, or the one or more spacings between radiopaque rings.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein different specified configurations are configured to provide different information to the user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the specified configuration of the plurality of radiopaque rings is configured to provide an indication of a level of magnetic resonance (MR) compatibility of the implantable lead.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a first specified configuration is configured to provide an indication that the implantable lead is MR Conditional to a first magnetic field strength, and a second specified configuration is configured to provide an indication the implantable lead is MR Conditional to a second magnetic field strength, the second specified configuration different than the first specified configuration and the second magnetic field strength different than the first magnetic field strength.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first specified configuration includes a first number of radiopaque rings and the second specified configuration includes a second number of radiopaque rings, the second number different than the first number.

10. A system comprising:

an implantable lead including;

a rear seal configured to be at least partially inserted into a lead port of an implantable medical device (IMD) header; and

a plurality of radiopaque rings each having different inner diameters arranged in a specified configuration about a portion of the implantable lead, wherein the plurality of radiopaque rings are configured to be injection molded into the rear seal; and

wherein the specified configuration of the plurality of radiopaque rings is configured to provide specified information to a user, to a machine, or to an automated process.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the specified configuration of the plurality of radiopaque rings is configured to provide an indication of a level of magnetic resonance (MR) compatibility of the implantable lead;

wherein a first specified configuration is configured to provide an indication that the implantable lead is MR Conditional to a first magnetic field strength, and a second specified configuration is configured to provide an indication the implantable lead is MR Conditional to a second magnetic field strength, the second specified configuration different than the first specified configuration and the second magnetic field strength different than the first magnetic field strength; and

wherein the first specified configuration includes a first number of radiopaque rings and the second specified configuration includes a second number of radiopaque rings, the second number different than the first number.

12. A method comprising:

providing specified information to a user, to a machine, or to an automated process using a specified configuration of a plurality of radiopaque rings about at least a portion of an implantable lead.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of radiopaque rings have different inner diameters.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the specified information includes using a specified configuration of a plurality of radiopaque rings injection molded into a rear seal, the rear seal configured to be at least partially inserted into an implantable medical device (IMD) header.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the specified information using the specified configuration includes using the number of radiopaque rings, and wherein different numbers of radiopaque rings are configured to provide different information.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the specified information using the specified configuration includes using at least one of a radiopaque ring shape, a radiopaque ring inner or outer diameter, one or more spacings between radiopaque rings, or a combination of at least one of the radiopaque ring shape, the radiopaque ring inner or outer diameter, or the one or more spacings between radiopaque rings.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the specified information includes providing different information using different specified configurations.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the specified information using the specified configuration includes providing an indication of a level of magnetic resonance (MR) compatibility of the implantable lead.

19. The method of claim 18, including providing an indication that the implantable lead is MR Conditional to a first magnetic field strength using a first specified configuration, and providing an indication the implantable lead is MR Conditional to a second magnetic field strength using a second specified configuration, the second specified configuration different than the first specified configuration and the second magnetic field strength different than the first magnetic field strength.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the using the first specified configuration includes using a first number of radiopaque rings and the using the second specified configuration includes using a second number of radiopaque rings, the second number different than the first number.