Method and apparatus for monitoring a magnetic resonance image during transcranial magnetic stimulation

• US 6,198,958 B1
• Filed: 06/11/1998
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BETH Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Caregroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc. (Beth Israel Lahey Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Qun, Pascual-Leone, Alvaro, Ives, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, SHAWNA JEANNINE
• Application Number:
  US09/096,725
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 600/411, 600/544, 600/13, 600/14
• US Class Current: 600/411
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/4808 Multimodal MR, e.g. MR combined with positron emission tomography [PET], MR combined with ultrasound or MR combined with computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56308 Characterization of motion or flow; Dynamic imaging

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring a magnetic resonance image of a patient during administration of transcranial magnetic stimulation. The method includes the steps of applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to a patient using a probe that is substantially constructed of non-ferromagnetic material, monitoring a magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the patient during TMS wherein application of the TMS does not need to by synchronized to monitoring of the MRI.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a magnetic resonance image of a patient during administration of transcranial magnetic stimulation, comprising the steps of:

applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to a patient using a probe that is substantially constructed of non-ferromagnetic material;

monitoring a magnetic resonance image (MRI) of a patient during application TMS;

wherein application of the TMS is not synchronized with monitoring of the MRI.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying TMS includes applying symmetrical biphasic stimulation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the TMS is applied and the MRI is monitored simultaneously.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the patient includes a step of applying the transcranial magnetic stimulation using a probe that, when connected to a conductor of a TMS device that administers the transcranial magnetic stimulation, is substantially constructed of non-ferromagnetic material.

5. A method for monitoring a magnetic resonance image of a patient during administration of transcranial magnetic stimulation, comprising the steps of:

applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to a patient using a probe that is substantially constructed of non-ferromagnetic material; and

monitoring a magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the patient during TMS;

wherein application of the TMS does not need to be synchronized to monitoring of the MRI; and

wherein the method further comprises a step of controlling a torque resulting from interaction between a magnetic field produced by the TMS probe and a magnetic field produced by a system that provides the MRI.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of controlling the torque includes locating a pad between the probe and the patient.

7. A method for monitoring a magnetic resonance image of a patient during administration of transcranial magnetic stimulation, comprising the steps of:

applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to a patient using a probe that is substantially constructed of non-ferromagnetic material; and

monitoring a magnetic resonance image (MRI) of a patient during TMS;

wherein application of the TMS does not need to be synchronized to monitoring of the MRI; and

wherein the step of monitoring the MRI during TMS includes monitoring changes in a patient'"'"'s blood oxygen level.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of determining a functional relationship between an area of a patient'"'"'s brain subjected to TMS and another area of the brain by monitoring changes in blood oxygen level.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of repeating the determining step for a plurality of different areas of the patient'"'"'s brain.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of monitoring the MRI of the patient and continuing applying TMS until the MRI of the patient is in a desired state.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of monitoring the MRI of the patient and continuing applying TMS until the MRI of the patient is no longer in an undesired state.

12. A system for monitoring a magnetic resonance image of a patient during administration of transcranial magnetic stimulation, comprising:

a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device;

a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system;

a probe, coupled to the TMS device, the probe being constructed and arranged to deliver transcranial magnetic stimulation during operation of the MRI system, wherein the probe is substantially constructed of non-ferromagnetic material;

whereby timing of operation of the TMS device is not synchronized with timing of operation of the MRI system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the TMS device provides symmetrical biphasic magnetic pulses.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the probe applies a magnetic pulse simultaneously with the MRI system monitoring the magnetic resonance image of the patient.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a pad disposed between the probe and the patient.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a conductor that couples the probe to the TMS device, wherein the probe and interconnections that connect the probe to the conductor are substantially constructed of non-ferromagnetic material.

17. A system for monitoring a magnetic resonance image of a patient during administration of transcranial magnetic stimulation, comprising:

a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device;

a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system; and

a probe, coupled to the TMS device, the probe being constructed and arranged to deliver transcranial magnetic stimulation, wherein the probe is substantially constructed of non-ferromagnetic material;

wherein timing of operation of the TMS device does not need to be synchronized to timing of operation of the MRI system; and

wherein the probe is disposed within an imaging coil of the MRI system.