Imaging fiducial markers and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A fully implantable, biocompatible, fiducial marker capable of being implanted in a living human or animal subject, the fiducial marker comprising:
- a container wall formed from a nonbiodegradable solid material defining an internal chamber; and
a sensing medium sealed within the internal chamber, the sensing medium including at least one of a liquid, a gas portion, and a solid portion, wherein the sensing medium is configured to produce a detectable signal in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging modality with the fiducial marker fully implanted in the subject, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material of the container includes a first magnetic susceptibility and the sensing medium includes a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material and the sensing medium are configured such that the first and second magnetic susceptibilities are matched so that the first magnetic susceptibility is substantially equivalent to the second magnetic susceptibility.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable tissue marker incorporates a contrast agent sealed within a chamber in a container formed from a solid material. The contrast agent is selected to produce a change, such as an increase, in signal intensity under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An additional contrast agent may also be sealed within the chamber to provide visibility under another imaging modality, such as computed tomographic (CT) imaging or ultrasound imaging.
-
Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A fully implantable, biocompatible, fiducial marker capable of being implanted in a living human or animal subject, the fiducial marker comprising:
-
a container wall formed from a nonbiodegradable solid material defining an internal chamber; and a sensing medium sealed within the internal chamber, the sensing medium including at least one of a liquid, a gas portion, and a solid portion, wherein the sensing medium is configured to produce a detectable signal in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging modality with the fiducial marker fully implanted in the subject, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material of the container includes a first magnetic susceptibility and the sensing medium includes a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material and the sensing medium are configured such that the first and second magnetic susceptibilities are matched so that the first magnetic susceptibility is substantially equivalent to the second magnetic susceptibility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method of manufacturing a fiducial marker capable of being implanted in a living human or animal subject, the method comprising:
-
forming a fully implantable, biocompatible container from a nonbiodegradable solid material, the fully implantable, biocompatible container defining an internal chamber; at least partially filling the internal chamber with a sensing medium including at least one of a liquid, a gas portion and a solid portion, wherein the sensing medium is configured to produce a detectable signal in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging modality with the fiducial marker fully implanted in the subject, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material of the fully implantable, biocompatible container includes a first magnetic susceptibility and the contrast agent includes a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material and the contrast agent are configured such that the first and second magnetic susceptibilities are matched so that the first magnetic susceptibility is substantially equivalent to the second magnetic susceptibility; and sealing the sensing medium within the internal chamber. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A method of medical imaging or treatment using a fiducial marker capable of being implanted in a living human or animal subject, the method comprising:
-
performing medical imaging or treatment on a subject using a fully implantable, biocompatible container formed from a nonbiodegradable solid material, the fully implantable, biocompatible container defining an internal chamber; and producing a detectable signal in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging modality, with the internal chamber at least partially filled with a sensing medium sealed within the internal chamber, the sensing medium including at least one of a liquid, a gas portion and a solid portion, wherein the sensing medium is configured to produce a detectable signal in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging modality with the fiducial marker fully implanted in the subject, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material of the fully implantable, biocompatible container includes a first magnetic susceptibility and the contrast agent includes a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material and the contrast agent are configured such that the first and second magnetic susceptibilities are matched so that the first magnetic susceptibility is substantially equivalent to the second magnetic susceptibility.
-
Specification