DETECTING PROXIMITY TO MRI SCANNER

• US 20110160565A1
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Stubbs, Scott R., Maile, Keith R.
• Application Number:
  US12/956,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20110160565A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/411
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3688 configured for switching the pacing mode, e.g. from AAI to DDD
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents

Abstract

A plurality of separate indications of a scanner field can be received using a corresponding plurality of scanner field sensors of an implantable medical device (IMD). In an example, the IMD can be switched from a first therapy mode to a second therapy mode using one or more of the plurality of scanner field sensors, and from the second therapy mode back to the first therapy mode using each of the plurality of scanner field sensors. In certain examples, shock therapy can be terminated or inhibited using a detected proximity of the IMD to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, or antitachycardia pacing (ATP) can be terminated or inhibited using a detected active scan of the MRI scanner.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device (IMD) configured to be implanted into a subject, the IMD including a first therapy mode and a second therapy mode, the second therapy mode different than the first therapy mode;

a plurality of scanner field sensors configured to receive separate indications of a scanner field; and

wherein the IMD is configured to receive each of the separate indications of the scanner field, to switch from the first therapy mode to the second therapy mode using one or more of the plurality of scanner field sensors, and to switch from the second therapy mode to the first therapy mode using each of the plurality of scanner field sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner field includes a static magnetic or time-varying magnetic or electric field associated with a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the IMD is configured to switch from the first therapy mode to the second therapy mode if any one or more of the plurality of scanner field sensors receives an indication of a scanner field.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the IMD is configured to switch from the second therapy mode to the first therapy mode only if each of the plurality of scanner field sensors receives an indication of no scanner field.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first therapy mode includes normal operation of the IMD, and wherein the second therapy mode includes at least one of a terminated or inhibited shock therapy or a terminated or inhibited antitachycardia pacing (ATP).

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of scanner field sensors includes at least one static magnetic or electric field sensor and at least one active magnetic or electric field sensor.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of scanner field sensors includes:

a first scanner field sensor configured to detect an indication of a magnetic field, the first scanner field sensor including an inductor having a ferromagnetic core and a core saturation detector configured to detect saturation of the inductor and the ferromagnetic core in a strong magnetic field;

a second scanner field sensor configured to detect an indication of a magnetic field, the second scanner field sensor including a Hall effect sensor; and

a third scanner field sensor configured to detect an indication of a magnetic or electric field, the third scanner field sensor including an electromagnetic interference (EMI) sensor configured to detect EMI from an active magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of scanner field sensors are configured to detect a proximity to an MRI scanner;

and

wherein the IMD is configured to terminate or inhibit shock therapy using the detected proximity to the MRI scanner.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of scanner field sensors are configured to detect an active scan of the MRI scanner;

and

wherein the IMD is configured to terminate or inhibit antitachycardia pacing (ATP) using the detected active scan.

10. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device (IMD) configured to be implanted into a subject, the IMD including a first mode and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) mode;

a plurality of scanner field sensors configured to receive separate indications of a scanner field, the plurality of scanner field sensors including at least one static magnetic field sensor and at least one active magnetic or electric field sensor; and

wherein the IMD is configured to receive each of the separate indications of the scanner field, to switch from the first mode to the MRI mode using one or more of the plurality of scanner field sensors, and to switch from the MRI mode to the first mode using each of the plurality of scanner field sensors.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the IMD is configured to switch from the first mode to the MRI mode if any one or more of the plurality of scanner field sensors receives an indication of a scanner field.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the IMD is configured to switch from the MRI mode to the first mode only if each of the plurality of scanner field sensors receives an indication of no scanner field.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of scanner field sensors includes:

a first scanner field sensor configured to detect an indication of a magnetic field, the first scanner field sensor including an inductor having a ferromagnetic core and a core saturation detector configured to detect saturation of the inductor and the ferromagnetic core in a strong magnetic field;

a second scanner field sensor configured to detect an indication of a magnetic field, the second scanner field sensor including a Hall effect sensor; and

a third scanner field sensor configured to detect an indication of a magnetic or electric field, the third scanner field sensor including an electromagnetic interference (EMI) sensor configured to detect EMI from an active MRI scan.

14. A method including:

receiving each of a plurality of separate indications of a scanner field using a corresponding plurality of scanner field sensors of an IMD;

switching an IMD from a first therapy mode to a second therapy mode using one or more of the plurality of scanner field sensors; and

switching the IMD from the second therapy mode to the first therapy mode using each of the plurality of scanner field sensors.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the switching the IMD from the first therapy mode to the second therapy mode includes if any one or more of the plurality of scanner field sensors receives an indication of a scanner field.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the switching the IMD from the second therapy mode to the first therapy mode includes only if each of the plurality of scanner field sensors receives an indication of no scanner field.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first therapy mode includes normal operation of the IMD outside of a scanner field, and wherein the second therapy mode includes at least one of a terminated or inhibited shock therapy or a terminated or inhibited antitachycardia pacing (ATP).

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving the plurality of separate indicators of a scanner field includes receiving information from at least one static magnetic field sensor and at least one active magnetic or electric field sensor, including:

receiving information from a first scanner field sensor configured to detect an indication of a magnetic field, the first scanner field sensor including an inductor having a ferromagnetic core and a core saturation detector configured to detect saturation of the inductor and the ferromagnetic core in a strong magnetic field;

receiving information from a second scanner field sensor configured to detect an indication of a magnetic field, the second magnetic field sensor including a Hall effect sensor; and

receiving information from a third scanner field sensor configured to detect an indication of a magnetic or electric field, the third scanner field sensor including an electromagnetic interference (EMI) sensor configured to detect EMI from an active MRI scan.

19. The method of claim 14, including:

detecting a proximity of the IMD to an MRI scanner using at least one of the plurality of scanner field sensors; and

terminating or inhibiting shock therapy to the subject using the detected proximity.

20. The method of claim 14, including:

detecting an active scan of the MRI scanner; and

terminating or inhibit antitachycardia pacing (ATP) using the detected active scan.