MAGNETIC RESONANCE SAFE CABLE FOR BIOPOTENTIAL MEASUREMENTS

• US 20150141792A1
• Filed: 05/27/2013
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: O'Neill, Francis Patrick, Rey, Eduardo Mario, Nelson, Mark Deems
• Granted Patent: US 10,285,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/391
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0217 Electrolyte containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/303 Patient cord assembly, e.g. cable harness
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/02 mainly consisting of metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 3/30 plastics; resins; waxes
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/17 Protection against damage caused by external factors, e.g. sheaths or armouring

Abstract

A cable for use in biopotential measurements in a magnetic resonance (MR) environment comprises a flexible plastic or polymer sheet (32, 40) extending as a single unitary structure from a first end to an opposite second end, and an electrically conductive trace (38, 58) disposed on the flexible plastic or polymer sheet and running from the first end to the opposite second end. The electrically conductive trace has sheet resistance of one ohm/square or higher, and may have a hatching or checkerboard pattern. The cable may further include an electrically insulating protective layer (50, 70) disposed on the substrate and covering the electrically conductive trace, an electrode (30) disposed on the electrically conductive trace at the second end, an edge connector (74) at the first end, or various combinations of such features.

Claims

1. A cable for use in biopotential measurements in a magnetic resonance (MR) environment, the cable comprising:

a flexible plastic or polymer sheet extending as a single unitary structure from a first end to an opposite second end;

an electrically conductive trace disposed on the flexible plastic or polymer sheet and running from the first end to the opposite second end, the electrically conductive trace having sheet resistance of one ohm/square or higher; and

an electrode disposed on the electrically conductive trace at the second end, the electrode including;

a layer of electrically conductive material disposed on the electrically conductive trace at the second end that is more electrically conductive than the material comprising the electrically conductive trace, and

an attachment layer disposed on the layer of electrically conductive material and configured to attach the electrode to human skin.

3. The cable of claim 1, wherein the attachment layer comprises an electrolyte layer.

4. The cable of claim 3, wherein the electrolyte layer comprises silver chloride.

5. The cable of claim 1, wherein the attachment layer adheres to human skin to effect attachment of the electrode to human skin.

6. The cable of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector disposed at the first end and configured to connect with a monitor or receiver unit, the electrically conductive trace conducting biopotential measurements from the electrode to the connector.

7. The cable of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive trace is an electrically conductive carbon trace.

8. The cable of claim 1, further comprising:

an electrically insulating protective layer disposed on the substrate and covering the electrically conductive trace but not the electrode.

19. A biopotential measurement apparatus comprising:

an electrode configured for attachment to skin of a human or animal;

a monitor or receiver unit configured to receive biopotential measurements; and

a cable as set forth in claim 1 connecting the electrode with the monitor or receiver unit.

20. The biopotential measurement apparatus of claim 19, wherein the monitor or receiver unit comprises an electrocardiography (ECG) instrument.

21. The biopotential measurement apparatus of claim 19, wherein the biopotential measurements are one of electrocardiography (ECG) measurements, electromyography (EMG) measurements, electroencephalography (EEG) measurements, and electroretinography (ERG) measurements.

9. A cable for use in biopotential measurements in a magnetic resonance (MR) environment, the cable comprising:

a flexible plastic or polymer sheet extending as a single unitary structure from a first end to an opposite second end;

an electrically conductive trace disposed on the flexible plastic or polymer sheet and running from the first end to the opposite second end, the electrically conductive trace having sheet resistance of one ohm/square or higher;

an electrically insulating protective layer disposed on the substrate and covering the electrically conductive trace; and

an edge connector at the first end comprising a layer or layer stack of electrically conductive material disposed on the electrically conductive trace at the first end that is more electrically conductive than the material comprising the electrically conductive trace, the electrically insulating protective layer not covering the layer or layer stack of electrically conductive material.

2. The cable of claim 11, wherein the layer of electrically conductive material of the electrode comprises a silver layer.

10. The cable of claim 9, wherein the material comprising the electrically conductive trace includes carbon and the layer or layer stack of electrically conductive material includes a silver layer.

11. The cable of claim 9, wherein the material comprising the electrically conductive trace is a metal oxide.

12. The cable of claim 9, wherein the material comprising the electrically conductive trace is a doped semiconductor.

13. The cable of claim 9, wherein the electrically conductive trace has a hatching or checkerboard pattern.

14. The cable of claim 9, further comprising:

an electrode disposed on the electrically conductive trace at the second end, the electrode configured for attachment to human skin, the electrically conductive trace electrically connecting the edge connector and the electrode, the electrically insulating protective layer not covering the electrode.

15. The cable of claim 14, wherein the electrode comprises a layer of electrically conductive material disposed on the electrically conductive trace at the second end that is more electrically conductive than the material comprising the electrically conductive trace.

16. The cable of claim 14, wherein the electrode comprises:

a silver layer disposed on the electrically conductive trace at the second end; and

a silver chloride-based electrolyte layer disposed on the silver layer.

17. A cable for use in biopotential measurements in a magnetic resonance (MR) environment, the cable comprising:

a flexible plastic or polymer sheet extending as a single unitary structure from a first end to an opposite second end; and

an electrically conductive trace disposed on the flexible plastic or polymer sheet and running from the first end to the opposite second end, the electrically conductive trace having sheet resistance of one ohm/square or higher, the electrically conductive trace having a hatching or checkerboard pattern.

18. The cable of claim 17, further comprising:

an electrode disposed on the electrically conductive trace at the second end, the electrode configured for attachment to human skin.