Electromagnetic radiation transparent device and method of making thereof

• US 7,344,559 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biophan Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Biophan Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Gray, Robert W., MacDonald, Stuart G., Helfer, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US10/923,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20050049685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 623 111- 139, 600/3
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/009 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/022 Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/124 of other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L31/122 or A61L31/123
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/18 Materials at least partially X-ray or laser opaque
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/16 Screening or neutralising undesirable influences from or using, atmospheric or terrestrial radiation or fields using atmospheric electricity or earth currents H05F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/00 Magnetotherapy
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/285 Invasive instruments, e.g. catheters or biopsy needles, specially adapted for tracking, guiding or visualization by NMR

Abstract

A medical device includes a pattern of electrically conductive material. The pattern of electrically conductive material has an anti-antenna geometrical shape such that the anti-antenna geometrical shape substantially prevents the medical device from creating an imaging artifact and/or substantially allows imaging of a volume within the medical device. The pattern may be formed by multiple “figure-8” shaped electrical conductors, multiple “figure-8” emulating electrical conductors, multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors, multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors, by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops, and/or a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh. The electrically conductive material may be titanium, tantalum, nitinol, stainless steel, and/or NbZr.

Claims

1. A medical stent, comprising:

a pattern of electrically conductive material; and

non-conductive binding material located at areas where said electrically conductive material produces a cross-over point so as to prevent a short circuit between crossing-over electrically conductive materials;

said pattern of electrically conductive material substantially preventing the medical stent from creating an imaging artifact.

2. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

shaped electrical conductors.

3. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

emulating electrical conductors.

4. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors.

5. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors.

6. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops.

7. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pattern is formed by a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh, said loop mesh being formed of two or more sequential “

figure-8”

shaped conductive loop pairs.

8. The medical stent as claimed in claim 7, wherein said single conductor is sine-wave-like shaped.

9. The medical stent as claimed in claim 7, wherein said single conductor is zig-zag patterned.

10. The medical stent as claimed in claim 7, wherein said single conductor is “

Z”

-shaped.

11. The medical stent as claimed in claim 7, wherein said single conductor is sawtooth shaped.

12. The medical stent as claimed in claim 7, wherein said single conductor is shaped to form a first-loop/direction-changing-pattern/second-loop pattern such that current induced in the first loop of said loop/direction-changing-pattern/loop pattern flows has substantially a same magnitude but opposite direction as current induced in the second loop.

13. The medical stent as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first-loop/direction-changing-pattern/second-loop pattern is a first-loop/half-hitch/second-loop pattern such that the direction changing pattern is a half hitch pattern.

14. The medical stent as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first-loop/direction-changing-pattern/second-loop pattern is repeated along a length of the medical stent.

15. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

Z”

-shaped electrical conductors.

16. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sawtooth shaped electrical conductors.

17. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive material is tantalum.

18. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive material is nitinol.

19. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive material is stainless steel.

20. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive material is NbZr.

21. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive material is titanium.

22. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-conductive binding material providing structural support to said pattern of electrically conductive material.

23. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-conductive binding material is silicon rubber.

24. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-conductive binding material is a thermoplastic.

25. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-conductive binding material is a thermoset polymer.

26. The medical stent as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-conductive binding material is glass.

27. A medical stent, comprising:

a pattern of electrically conductive material; and

non-conductive binding material located at areas where said electrically conductive material produces a cross-over point so as to prevent a short circuit between crossing-over electrically conductive materials;

said pattern of electrically conductive material substantially allowing imaging of a volume within the stent.

28. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

shaped electrical conductors.

29. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

emulating electrical conductors.

30. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors.

31. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors.

32. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops.

33. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said pattern is formed by a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh, said loop mesh being formed of two or more sequential “

figure-8”

shaped conductive loop pairs.

34. The medical stent as claimed in claim 33, wherein said single conductor is sine-wave-like shaped.

35. The medical stent as claimed in claim 33, wherein said single conductor is zig-zag patterned.

36. The medical stent as claimed in claim 33, wherein said single conductor is “

Z”

-shaped.

37. The medical stent as claimed in claim 33, wherein said single conductor is sawtooth shaped.

38. The medical stent as claimed in claim 33, wherein said single conductor is shaped to form a first-loop/direction-changing-pattern/second-loop pattern such that current induced in the first loop of said loop/direction-changing-pattern/loop pattern flows has substantially a same magnitude but opposite direction as current induced in the second loop.

39. The medical stent as claimed in claim 38, wherein said first-loop/direction-changing-pattern/second-loop pattern is a first-loop/half-hitch/second-loop pattern such that the direction changing pattern is a half hitch pattern.

40. The medical stent as claimed in claim 38, wherein said first-loop/direction-changing-pattern/second-loop pattern is repeated along a length of the medical stent.

41. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

Z”

-shaped electrical conductors.

42. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sawtooth shaped electrical conductors.

43. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive material is tantalum.

44. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive material is nitinol.

45. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive material is stainless steel.

46. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive material is NbZr.

47. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said electrically conductive material is titanium.

48. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said non-conductive binding material providing structural support to said pattern of electrically conductive material.

49. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said non-conductive binding material is silicon rubber.

50. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said non-conductive binding material is a thermoplastic.

51. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said non-conductive binding material is a thermoset polymer.

52. The medical stent as claimed in claim 27, wherein said non-conductive binding material is glass.

53. A medical stent, comprising:

a pattern of electrically conductive material; and

non-conductive binding material located at areas where said electrically conductive material produces a cross-over point so as to prevent a short circuit between crossing-over electrically conductive materials;

said pattern of electrically conductive material substantially preventing the medical stent from creating an imaging artifact and substantially allowing imaging of a volume within the stent.

54. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

shaped electrical conductors.

55. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

emulating electrical conductors.

56. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors.

57. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors.

58. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops.

59. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said pattern is formed by a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh, said loop mesh being formed of two or more sequential “

figure-8”

shaped conductive loop pairs.

60. The medical stent as claimed in claim 59, wherein said single conductor is sine-wave-like shaped.

61. The medical stent as claimed in claim 59, wherein said single conductor is zig-zag patterned.

62. The medical stent as claimed in claim 59, wherein said single conductor is “

Z”

-shaped.

63. The medical stent as claimed in claim 59, wherein said single conductor is sawtooth shaped.

64. The medical stent as claimed in claim 59, wherein said single conductor is shaped to form a first-loop/direction-changing-pattern/second-loop pattern such that current induced in the first loop of said loop/direction-changing-pattern/loop pattern flows has substantially a same magnitude but opposite direction as current induced in the second loop.

65. The medical stent as claimed in claim 64, wherein said first loop/direction-changing-pattern/second-loop pattern is a first-loop/half-hitch/second-loop pattern such that the direction changing pattern is a half hitch pattern.

66. The medical stent as claimed in claim 64, wherein said first-loop/direction-changing-pattern/second-loop pattern is repeated along a length of the medical stent.

67. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

Z”

-shaped electrical conductors.

68. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sawtooth shaped electrical conductors.

69. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said electrically conductive material is tantalum.

70. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said electrically conductive material is nitinol.

71. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said electrically conductive material is stainless steel.

72. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said electrically conductive material is NbZr.

73. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said electrically conductive material is titanium.

74. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said non-conductive binding material providing structural support to said pattern of electrically conductive material.

75. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said non-conductive binding material is silicon rubber.

76. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said non-conductive binding material is a thermoplastic.

77. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said non-conductive binding material is a thermoset polymer.

78. The medical stent as claimed in claim 53, wherein said non-conductive binding material is glass.

79. An electrically conductive structure, comprising:

a pattern of electrically conductive material; and

non-conductive binding material located at areas where said electrically conductive material produces a cross-over point so as to prevent a short circuit between crossing-over electrically conductive materials;

said pattern of electrically conductive material substantially prevents creation of an imaging artifact by the electrically conductive structure.

80. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 79, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

shaped electrical conductors.

81. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 79, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors.

82. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 79, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors.

83. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 79, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops.

84. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 79, wherein said pattern is formed by a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh, said loop mesh being formed of two or more sequential “

figure-8”

shaped conductive loop pairs.

85. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 84, wherein said single conductor is sine-wave-like shaped.

86. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 84, wherein said single conductor is zig-zag patterned.

87. A medical device, comprising:

a pattern of electrically conductive material; and

non-conductive binding material located at areas where said electrically conductive material produces a cross-over point so as to prevent a short circuit between crossing-over electrically conductive materials;

said pattern of electrically conductive material substantially prevents creation of an imaging artifact by the medical device.

88. The medical device as claimed in claim 87, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

shaped electrical conductors.

89. The medical device as claimed in claim 87, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors.

90. The medical device as claimed in claim 87, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors.

91. The medical device as claimed in claim 87, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops.

92. The medical device as claimed in claim 87, wherein said pattern is formed by a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh, said loop mesh being formed of two or more sequential “

figure-8”

shaped conductive loop pairs.

93. The medical device as claimed in claim 92, wherein said single conductor is sine-wave-like shaped.

94. The medical device as claimed in claim 92, wherein said single conductor is zig-zag patterned.

95. An electrically conductive structure, comprising:

a pattern of electrically conductive material; and

non-conductive binding material located at areas where said electrically conductive material produces a cross-over point so as to prevent a short circuit between crossing-over electrically conductive materials;

said pattern of electrically conductive material substantially allows imaging of a volume within the electrically conductive structure.

96. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 95, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

shaped electrical conductors.

97. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 95, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors.

98. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 95, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors.

99. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 95, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops.

100. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 95, wherein said pattern is formed by a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh, said loop mesh being formed of two or more sequential “

figure-8”

shaped conductive loop pairs.

101. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 100, wherein said single conductor is sine-wave-like shaped.

102. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 100, wherein said single conductor is zig-zag patterned.

103. An electrically conductive structure, comprising:

a pattern of electrically conductive material; and

non-conductive binding material located at areas where said electrically conductive material produces a cross-over point so as to prevent a short circuit between crossing-over electrically conductive materials;

said pattern of electrically conductive material substantially prevents creation of an imaging artifact by the medical device and substantially allows imaging of a volume within the electrically conductive structure.

104. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 103, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

shaped electrical conductors.

105. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 103, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors.

106. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 103, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors.

107. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 103, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops.

108. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 103, wherein said pattern is formed by a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh, said loop mesh being formed of two or more sequential “

figure-8”

shaped conductive loop pairs.

109. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 108, wherein said single conductor is sine-wave-like shaped.

110. The electrically conductive structure as claimed in claim 108, wherein said single conductor is zig-zag patterned.

111. A medical device, comprising:

a pattern of electrically conductive material; and

non-conductive binding material located at areas where said electrically conductive material produces a cross-over point so as to prevent a short circuit between crossing-over electrically conductive materials;

said pattern of electrically conductive material substantially allows imaging of a volume within the medical device.

112. The medical device as claimed in claim 111, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

shaped electrical conductors.

113. The medical device as claimed in claim 111, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors.

114. The medical device as claimed in claim 111, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors.

115. The medical device as claimed in claim 111, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops.

116. The medical device as claimed in claim 111, wherein said pattern is formed by a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh, said loop mesh being formed of two or more sequential “

figure-8”

shaped conductive loop pairs.

117. The medical device as claimed in claim 116, wherein said single conductor is sine-wave-like shaped.

118. The medical device as claimed in claim 116, wherein said single conductor is zig-zag patterned.

119. A medical device, comprising:

a pattern of electrically conductive material; and

non-conductive binding material located at areas where said electrically conductive material produces a cross-over point so as to prevent a short circuit between crossing-over electrically conductive materials;

said pattern of electrically conductive material having an anti-antenna geometrical shape such that said anti-antenna geometrical shape substantially prevents creation of an imaging artifact by the medical device and substantially allows imaging of a volume within the medical device.

120. The medical device as claimed in claim 119, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple “

figure-8”

shaped electrical conductors.

121. The medical device as claimed in claim 119, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple sine-wave-like shaped electrical conductors.

122. The medical device as claimed in claim 119, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple zig-zag patterned electrical conductors.

123. The medical device as claimed in claim 119, wherein said pattern is formed by multiple electrical conductors, each having sequential conductive loops.

124. The medical device as claimed in claim 119, wherein said pattern is formed by a single conductor weaved into a loop mesh, said loop mesh being formed of two or more sequential “

figure-8”

shaped conductive loop pairs.

125. The medical device as claimed in claim 124, wherein said single conductor is sine-wave-like shaped.

126. The medical device as claimed in claim 124, wherein said single conductor is zig-zag patterned.