# US 12,636,118 B2 · MRI compatible interventional medical devices and related methods

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- Number: US 12,636,118 B2
- Document ID: US12636118B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/234,440
- Filed: 2023-08-16
- Published: 2024-02-22
- Granted: 2026-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2022-08-16
- Assignees: Muffin Incorporated; Cook Medical Technologies LLC
- Applicants: Muffin Incorporated; Cook Medical Technologies LLC
- Inventors: Ram H. Paul; Sean D. Chambers; David Gross; Neal Fearnot; Jesse Roll; Joshua F. Krieger; Carl A. Cook
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12636118B2

## CPC

- A61B 90/39: {Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers}
- A61M 25/09: Guide wires
- A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
- A61L 31/022: {Metals or alloys}
- A61L 31/14: Materials characterised by their function or physical properties {, e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials}
- A61B 2090/3954: {magnetic, e.g. NMR or MRI}
- A61M 2025/09075: {having a core without a coil possibly combined with a sheath}
- A61M 2025/09108: {Methods for making a guide wire}
- A61M 2025/09133: {having specific material compositions or coatings; Materials with specific mechanical behaviours, e.g. stiffness, strength to transmit torque}
- A61M 2025/09166: {having radio-opaque features}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)

## Abstract

The disclosure relates to methods of imaging a portion of a body vessel using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), methods of performing interventional medical treatment under MRI, interventional medical devices, such as wire guides, useful in performing treatment under MRI, and methods of making interventional medical devices. A method of imaging a portion of a body vessel of a patient using MRI includes advancing through a body vessel an end of a wire guide comprising a continuous metal core member and a continuous jacket disposed over the entire core member through a body vessel and scanning the portion of the patient that is positioned within an MRI scanner and that includes a portion of the body vessel within which the end of the wire guide is disposed. A secondary medical device, such as a catheter, can be disposed over the wire guide and manipulated in the method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of imaging a portion of a body vessel of a patient using MRI, said method comprising:
placing a portion of said patient within an MRI system having a scanner such that a portion of said body vessel is located within the scanner;
grasping a wire guide having a wire guide proximal end and a wire guide distal end and comprising a continuous core member, a continuous jacket disposed over and fully encapsulating the entire core member, and a marker disposed on the core member, the core member formed of a first metallic material and having a first length and an outer surface in contact with the jacket, the first length being between 50 centimeters and 350 centimeters, the jacket disposed over the marker and having a second length that is greater than the first length, and the marker formed of a second metallic material;
inserting the wire guide distal end into said body vessel;
advancing the wire guide distal end through said body vessel until the wire guide distal end is disposed at a first position within a first portion of said body vessel that is located within the scanner of the MRI system;
operating the scanner of the MRI system to scan the portion of the patient that is positioned within the scanner and that includes the first portion of the body vessel;
obtaining a magnetic resonance image of the first portion of the body vessel; and
withdrawing the wire guide from the body vessel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the jacket is formed of a dielectric material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the jacket is formed of a polymeric material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the outer surface is in continuous contact with the jacket.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the core member has a first susceptibility and the marker has a second susceptibility that is different from the first susceptibility.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the core member and the marker are formed of the same material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein
the marker is disposed on the outer surface.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the jacket has a thickness; and
wherein the marker is disposed within the thickness of the jacket.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the marker comprises a circumferential band disposed around the core member.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the core member and the marker are formed of different materials.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the core member comprises a nickel-titanium alloy and the marker comprises a stainless steel alloy.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the step of operating the scanner and the step of obtaining the magnetic resonance image are performed while the step of advancing the wire guide distal end through said body vessel is performed.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the steps of operating the scanner and obtaining the magnetic resonance image are performed multiple times while the step of advancing the wire guide distal end through said body vessel is performed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the core member has a proximal end having a proximal end terminal surface fully covered by the jacket and a distal end having a distal end terminal surface fully covered by the jacket.

### Claim 15 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the jacket has a jacket proximal end in contact with the proximal end terminal surface of the core member and a jacket distal end in contact with the distal end terminal surface of the core member.

### Claim 16

A method of performing interventional medical treatment under MRI, said method comprising:
placing a portion of a patient within an MRI system having a scanner such that a portion of a body vessel is located within the scanner;
grasping a wire guide having a wire guide proximal end and a wire guide distal end and comprising a continuous core member, a continuous jacket disposed over and fully encapsulating the entire core member, and a marker disposed on the core member, the core member formed of a first metallic material and having a first length and an outer surface in contact with the jacket, the first length being between 50 centimeters and 350 centimeters, the jacket disposed over the marker and having a second length that is greater than the first length, and the marker formed of a second metallic material;
inserting the wire guide distal end into said body vessel;
advancing the wire guide distal end through said body vessel until the wire guide distal end is disposed at a first position within a first portion of said body vessel that is located within the scanner of the MRI system;
grasping a medical device having a medical device proximal end and a medical device distal end and comprising an elongate member defining a lumen;
passing the medical device distal end over the wire guide proximal end to dispose the wire guide proximal end within the lumen of the elongate member of the medical device;
advancing the medical device distal end over the wire guide and into said body vessel until the medical device distal end reaches a point of treatment within said body vessel;
manipulating the medical device proximal end to produce a manipulation of the medical device distal end at the point of treatment;
operating the scanner of the MRI system to scan the portion of the patient that is positioned within the scanner and that includes the first portion of the body vessel;
obtaining a magnetic resonance image of the first portion of the body vessel;
withdrawing the medical device from the body vessel; and
withdrawing the wire guide from the body vessel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the core member has a first susceptibility and the marker has a second susceptibility that is different from the first susceptibility.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the core member and the marker are formed of the same material.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the core member and the marker are formed of different materials.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the core member comprises a nickel-titanium alloy and the marker comprises a stainless steel alloy.