System and method for magnetic-resonance-guided electrophysiologic and ablation procedures
First Claim
1. A method for performing an electrophysiological procedure on a mammalian patient having a heart comprising:
- placing the patient such that the heart is in a main magnetic field of an MRI scanner;
introducing an MR-compatible catheter into the heart;
acquiring a magnetic resonance image of the heart;
using the magnetic resonance image to determine a location of said MR-compatible electrode catheter in the heart, andat substantially the same time that the image is acquired, simultaneously using said MR-compatible catheter to acquire electrical signals of the heart and attenuating radio frequency energy induced in the catheter by the MRI scanner.
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Abstract
A system and method for using magnetic resonance imaging to increase the accuracy of electrophysiologic procedures includes an invasive combined electrophysiology and imaging antenna catheter which includes an RF antenna for receiving magnetic resonance signals and diagnostic electrodes for receiving electrical potentials. The combined electrophysiology and imaging antenna catheter is used in combination with a magnetic resonance imaging scanner to guide and provide visualization during electrophysiologic diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, such as ablation of cardiac arrhythmias. The combined electrophysiology and imaging antenna catheter may further include an ablation tip, and be used as an intracardiac device to deliver energy to selected areas of tissue and visualize the resulting ablation lesions. The antenna utilized in the combined electrophysiology and imaging catheter for receiving MR signals is preferably of the coaxial or “loopless” type. High-resolution images from the antenna may be combined with low-resolution images from surface coils of the MR scanner to produce a composite image. A system for eliminating the pickup of RF energy in which intracardiac wires are detuned by filtering so that they become very inefficient antennas. An RF filtering system is provided for suppressing the MR imaging signal while not attenuating the RF ablative current. Steering means may be provided for steering the invasive catheter under MR guidance. Other ablative methods can be used such as laser, ultrasound, and low temperatures.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for performing an electrophysiological procedure on a mammalian patient having a heart comprising:
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placing the patient such that the heart is in a main magnetic field of an MRI scanner; introducing an MR-compatible catheter into the heart; acquiring a magnetic resonance image of the heart; using the magnetic resonance image to determine a location of said MR-compatible electrode catheter in the heart, and at substantially the same time that the image is acquired, simultaneously using said MR-compatible catheter to acquire electrical signals of the heart and attenuating radio frequency energy induced in the catheter by the MRI scanner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for performing an electrophysiological procedure on a mammalian patient having a heart comprising:
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positioning an MR-compatible catheter into the heart; placing the patient such that the heart is in a main magnetic field of an MRI scanner; acquiring a magnetic resonance image of the heart; using the magnetic resonance image to determine a location of said MR-compatible catheter in the heart; using said MR-compatible catheter to acquire an electrical signal of the heart while the heart is in the main magnetic field of the MRI scanner, and simultaneously with the acquisition of the electrical signal of the heart attenuating radio frequency energy induced in the catheter by the MRI scanner. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for performing an electrophysiological procedure on a mammalian patient having a heart comprising:
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placing the patient such that the heart is in a main magnetic field of an MRI scanner; introducing an MR-compatible electrode catheter into the heart; using said MR-compatible electrode catheter to acquire electrical signals of the heart while the heart is in the main magnetic field, and attenuating radio frequency energy induced in the catheter by the MRI scanner during the acquisition of the electrical signals. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for performing an electrophysiological procedure on a mammalian patient having a heart comprising:
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introducing an MR-compatible catheter into the heart; placing the patient with the catheter such that the heart is in a main magnetic field of an MRI scanner; attenuating radio frequency energy induced in the MR-compatible catheter by the MRI scanner while the heart is in the main magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification