37 results about "Mr compatible" patented technology

A catheter is used for medical treatments within an organism. The catheter comprises at least one lumen. Within the at least one lumen are at least two microcatheters, with at least one of the at least two microcatheters being connected to a source of liquid material to be delivered to the organism and another of the at least two microcatheters being connected to a system capable of effecting a medical treatment other than delivery of the liquid.

The present invention describes a device for performing breast biopsies and / or therapy within magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. The apparatus includes a RF receiver antenna for magnetic resonance imaging of the breast. The RF coil includes openings in the front and side to provide access to the breast during the procedure. Compression plates are integrated into the breast coil which compress the breast either laterally or in the head / feet direction as required for optimal access to the breast. The apparatus includes a mechanical device for positioning interventional instruments in the breast such as biopsy or therapy instruments. The mechanical positioning devices position the instrument along the desired trajectory to the target site and insert the instrument into the breast while the patient remains inside the MRI scanner. Real time MR images may be acquired during instrument alignment and insertion to verify the trajectory. The mechanical positioning devices allow manipulation of instruments in any type of MRI scanner, including high field MRI systems with cylindrical magnets. The positioning devices provide a means to overcome limited access to the patient in MRI scanners. The positioning devices may be manually operated by means of gears, drive shafts, cables or other mechanical means. Or they may be electronically controlled by means of MR compatible motorized drive systems. The devices may be remotely controlled from outside the magnet for MRI systems that have limited access to the patient in the magnet. An interface between the electronically controlled drivers and the MRI scanner computer can provide robotic control of the instrument.

A device for injection of a fluid into a patient includes a container adapted to hold the fluid and defining an outlet through which the fluid can exit the container. A pressurizing mechanism is in connection with the container for pressurizing the fluid, and an actuator is in fluid connection with the outlet. The actuator has a first state in which fluid is prevented from flowing through the outlet and a second state in which fluid can flow through the outlet. The injection device further includes a flow regulator to control the flow rate of fluid in fluid connection with the outlet. The container, the pressurizing mechanism, the actuator and the flow regulator can be MR compatible, thereby making the device suitable for use in or near the bore of an MR scanner.

An MR compatible deflectable catheter and method of using the same is provided. The MR compatible deflectable catheter includes a steerable sheath having a tubular shaft. The tubular shaft receives first and second longitudinal movement wires at a distal end thereof A control handle is coupled to a proximal end of the first and second longitudinal movement wires and causes longitudinal movement of the wires.

In an MR-compatible video system, MR-compatible video eyeglasses are connected to a graphics unit. A position sensor arrangement is connected to the graphics unit to detect the position and / or orientation of the MR-compatible video eyeglasses and / or the position of the pupils of a user. The graphics unit comprises means for producing image signals for MR-compatible video eyeglasses depending on the position and / or orientation of the MR-compatible video eyeglasses and / or the position of the pupils of the user.

Fiber optic systems with an MR compatible mouse in an MR scanner room that connects to a fiber optic computer mouse interface that is attached to a fiber optic cable that connects to a USB port of a computer in the MR control room to allow the mouse in the MR scanner room to move a cursor on a monitor in communication with the computer in the control room of an MRI suite during an MRI guided surgical procedure. The fiber optic cable(s) can be routed though a conventional RF wall waveguide and avoids the need for additional holes in the penetration panel for connectors. The fiber optic systems can also include up converters and down converters for providing fiber optic video signals from cameras in the MR scanner room to display video signal on the monitor.

A Positron Emission Tomography (PET″) insert for use with a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (“MRI”) scanning device, the PET insert including a plurality of photodetector modules provided adjacent each other in an array, the plurality of photodetector modules configured for placement adjacent a body of a patient and sized to be received in a magnetic bore of the MRI scanning device with the patient, the photodetector modules providing detection of gamma annihilation photons, and a Radio Frequency (“RF”) coil provided between the patient and the plurality of photodetector modules. Each of the plurality of photodetector modules includes a pixelated scintillator array provided for alignment adjacent the patient's body, and a shielding block including silicon photomultiplier pads and passive electronic circuitry only.

In an MR guided surgical system which is carried out in the bore of an MR magnet and uses fluorescence to detect tumor cells, there is provided a microscope system for viewing the required part of a patient which includes stereoscopic viewing components arranged for use in generating 2D and 3D images displayed to the surgeon. The optical assembly is adjustable to change the view and the visual images are overlaid by the MR images. The visual image can be adjusted in response to movement of the surgical tool and the MR image displayed and / or the image obtained can be modified in response to change in the visual image and / or movement of the tool. The components in the bore are made compatible with the MR environment. A fluorescence delivery system is operated to automatically activate the delivery system in response to detection of the level of fluorescence.

Apparatus and methods for installing a MR-compatible magnet apparatus into a cochlear implant.

In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus for implementing an MR-guided procedure, an MR-compatible digital camera is placed in the patient receiving opening of the MR data acquisition unit that is operated to acquire MR data for reconstructing images that are used to guide the MR-guided intervention. The digital camera is operated to obtain digital images of the exterior of the patient, from which motion of the patient is detectable. The images are analyzed in a processor to identify therefrom the motion of the patient and the result of the analysis is represented as a processor output that is used to control the timing, with respect to the motion of the examination subject, of the occurrence of at least one event in the MR-guided procedure. One important application is respiratory gating / triggering of HIFU sonication for the treatment of moving organs.

An MR compatible steerable sheath is provided. The MR compatible steerable sheath includes a steerable shaft that receives first and second longitudinal movement wires at a distal end thereof and audible or tactile means for indicating to a user the degree of deflection of the distal tip of the steerable shaft. A control handle is coupled to a proximal end of the first and second longitudinal movement wires and causes longitudinal movement of the wires.

An MR compatible deflectable catheter and method of using the same is provided. The MR compatible deflectable catheter includes a steerable sheath having a tubular shaft. The tubular shaft receives first and second longitudinal movement wires at a distal end thereof. A control handle is coupled to a proximal end of the first and second longitudinal movement wires and causes longitudinal movement of the wires.

An apparatus combines magnetic resonance (MR) and nuclear imaging of human breast for cancer diagnosis. An MRI system including an MR breast RF coil is combined with a nuclear imaging system having a detector disposed or disposable within the MR breast RF coil arranged and configured for the performance of simultaneous or sequential coregistered breast MRI and nuclear imaging. A selectively controlled compression mechanism for lightly compresses the breast being imaged. The remotely controlled compression mechanism is integrated with the MR breast RF coil.

A fiber optic dosimeter probe for sensing radiation dose including an optical fiber having a free end and a sensitive end, a window having a sensitive side and a rear side; a radiation sensitive layer between the sensitive end of the optical fiber and a sensitive side of the window, the radiation sensitive layer being made of a material having an optical property that changes with absorbed radiation dose, an amount of the material corresponding to a predetermined sensitivity to radiation; wherein the window and the optical fiber have a near water equivalent interaction with radiation and are MR compatible.

Noninvasive, MR-compatible methods and systems optically detect mechanical cardiac activity by anatomic (e.g., esophageal) movements. Most preferably, esophageal motion is detected optically and is indicative rhythmic cardiac activities. This esophageal motion may then be detected and used to provide a signal indicative of periods of cardiac activity and inactivity. The signal may be further processed so as to generate a trigger signal that may be input to a MR scanner. In such a manner, MR microscopy may be accomplished to acquire information at a specific phase of the cardiac cycle, for example, in synchrony with periods of cardiac inactivity. Moreover, since mechanical cardiac activity is detected and employed, instead of electrical activity as is employed in conventional techniques, the present invention is immune to electromagnetic interference during MR microscopy. As a result, robust cardiac signals may be monitored and gated during 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional in vivo microscopy. The present invention is therefore especially well suited for MR microscopy of small animals, such as laboratory mice and rats.

In an MR guided surgical system which is carried out in the bore of an MR magnet and uses fluorescence to detect tumor cells, there is provided a microscope system for viewing the required part of a patient which includes stereoscopic viewing components arranged for use in generating 2D and 3D images displayed to the surgeon. The optical assembly is adjustable to change the view and the visual images are overlaid by the MR images. The visual image can be adjusted in response to movement of the surgical tool and the MR image displayed and / or the image obtained can be modified in response to change in the visual image and / or movement of the tool. The components in the bore are made compatible with the MR environment. A fluorescence delivery system is operated to automatically activate the delivery system in response to detection of the level of fluorescence.

Fiber optic systems with an MR compatible mouse in an MR scanner room that connects to a fiber optic computer mouse interface that is attached to a fiber optic cable that connects to a USB port of a computer in the MR control room to allow the mouse in the MR scanner room to move a cursor on a monitor in communication with the computer in the control room of an MRI suite during an MRI guided surgical procedure. The fiber optic cable(s) can be routed though a conventional RF wall waveguide and avoids the need for additional holes in the penetration panel for connectors. The fiber optic systems can also include up converters and down converters for providing fiber optic video signals from cameras in the MR scanner room to display video signal on the monitor.

An MR compatible injection catheter is provided. The MR compatible injection catheter includes an inner shaft; an outer shaft circumferentially surrounding the inner shaft; and a means for actively tracking the catheter in a patient within a MRI. The means for actively tracking the catheter includes two or more tracking coils in the outer shaft. The inner shaft is configured to move relative to the outer shaft and includes an inner tube circumferentially surrounded by an outer tube.

An implantable fluid valve for the adjustable limitation of the fluid pressure in the brain of a patient, has all valve component parts composed of non-magnetic material, thereby making the valve MR-compatible.

In an MR-compatible video system, MR-compatible video eyeglasses are connected to a graphics unit. A position sensor arrangement is connected to the graphics unit to detect the position and / or orientation of the MR-compatible video eyeglasses and / or the position of the pupils of a user. The graphics unit comprises means for producing image signals for MR-compatible video eyeglasses depending on the position and / or orientation of the MR-compatible video eyeglasses and / or the position of the pupils of the user.

An MR compatible steerable sheath with elastomeric member is provided. The elastomeric member is configured to serve as a reservoir and receive contrast media therewithin. The elastomeric member is positioned on the distal end of the steerable sheath and may circumferentially surround the sheath shaft or be offset from a longitudinal axis thereof. In operation, the contrast media allows a user to view the distal tip of the steerable sheath by virtue of the contrast media contained within the elastomeric member.

An MR compatible steerable sheath with elastomeric member is provided. The elastomeric member is configured to serve as a reservoir and receive contrast media therewithin. The elastomeric member is positioned on the distal end of the steerable sheath and may circumferentially surround the sheath shaft or be offset from a longitudinal axis thereof. In operation, the contrast media allows a user to view the distal tip of the steerable sheath by virtue of the contrast media contained within the elastomeric member.

Electrodes, infusion cannula, and interventional MRI instrumentation, are constructed with multiple layers or mixtures of metals or alloys that allow the diamagnetic behavior of some metals to combine with the paramagnetic behavior of others, wherein the devices have a magnetic susceptibility which is close to that of the material, for example body tissue, being im The material may thereby be imaged using MRI with resultant images having greatly reduced distortion. Optimal metal composites are determined through mathematical modeling and measurements. In particular, MR compatible susceptibility-matched electrodes may be used for stimulation and for acquiring electroencephalography (EEG) data before, during and after MR image and spectroscopy measurements, with a significant reduction in distortion of the resulting images and spectra. In accordance with the invention, these electrodes may further be incorporated into micro-electrode arrays. In addition, MR compatible susceptibility-matched cannula can implanted before, during and after MR image and spectroscopy measurements, with a significant reduction in distortion of the resulting images and spectra.

An apparatus for use in a magnetic resonance (MR) system, which generates an external MR magnetic field, is provided. A rotor comprises a rotor shaft with an axis along a length of the rotor shaft and a plurality of coils on the rotor shaft. A housing supports and surrounds the rotor, where a part of the housing surrounds sides of the rotor and where the part of the housing surrounding sides of the rotor is magnet free. A mount allows for the mounting of the housing to the MR system in a location where the MR system provides a magnetic field, wherein a component of the MR magnetic field that is perpendicular to the axis of the rotor shaft is at least 100 Gauss. An active timer applies a voltage to the plurality of coils with alternating polarity. Contacts provide an electrical connection between the active timer and the plurality of coils.

A system and method for cardiovascular exercise stress magnetic resonance using a MR-compatible treadmill. The treadmill is made of non-ferromagnetic materials and has a belt driven by a motor that produces rotational motion from pressurized fluid that is produced by a pump located outside the scan room. The treadmill is adjacent to the MR imager. Patients complete an exercise protocol on the treadmill and are then transferred to the MR imager without leaving the scan room. Images are acquired as quickly as possible post-exercise to more accurately diagnose cardiovascular disease in patients.

An apparatus for use in a magnetic resonance (MR) system, which generates an external MR magnetic field, is provided. A rotor comprises a rotor shaft with an axis along a length of the rotor shaft and a plurality of coils on the rotor shaft. A housing supports and surrounds the rotor, where a part of the housing surrounds sides of the rotor and where the part of the housing surrounding sides of the rotor is magnet free. A mount allows for the mounting of the housing to the MR system in a location where the MR system provides a magnetic field, wherein a component of the MR magnetic field that is perpendicular to the axis of the rotor shaft is at least 100 Gauss. An active timer applies a voltage to the plurality of coils with alternating polarity. Contacts provide an electrical connection between the active timer and the plurality of coils.

A fiber optic dosimeter probe for sensing radiation dose including an optical fiber having a free end and a sensitive end, a window having a sensitive side and a rear side; a radiation sensitive layer between the sensitive end of the optical fiber and a sensitive side of the window, the radiation sensitive layer being made of a material having an optical property that changes with absorbed radiation dose, an amount of the material corresponding to a predetermined sensitivity to radiation; wherein the window and the optical fiber have a near water equivalent interaction with radiation and are MR compatible.

An implantable fluid valve for the adjustable limitation of the fluid pressure in the brain of a patient has all valve component parts composed of non-magnetic material, thereby making the valve MR-compatible.