Implantable ferromagnetic markers
AssigneeEndomagnetics Ltd
InventorsRobinson Udale, Gabriel Villar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided an implantable marker for use in surgical guidance. The implantable marker comprises one or more ferromagnetic elements formed of at least one ferromagnetic material and at least one diamagnetic element formed of at least one diamagnetic material. The at least one diamagnetic material comprises graphite having a substantially isotropic grain structure and the one or more ferromagnetic elements are juxtaposed the at least one diamagnetic element.
Claims20
An implantable marker for use in surgical guidance comprising
- one or more ferromagnetic elements formed of at least one ferromagnetic material;
- and
- at least one diamagnetic element formed of at least one diamagnetic material;
- wherein the at least one diamagnetic material comprises graphite having a substantially isotropic grain structure and the one or more ferromagnetic elements are juxtaposed the at least one diamagnetic element, wherein the graphite is isostatically pressed graphite.
An implantable marker for use in surgical guidance comprising:
- one or more ferromagnetic elements formed of at least one ferromagnetic material;
- and
- at least one diamagnetic element formed of at least one diamagnetic material;
- wherein the at least one diamagnetic material comprises graphite having a substantially isotropic grain structure and the one or more ferromagnetic elements are juxtaposed the at least one diamagnetic element, and
- wherein the at least one diamagnetic element has a total volume that is about 100-10,000 times greater than a volume of the one or more ferromagnetic elements.
A method of manufacturing an implantable magnetic marker for use in surgery, the method comprising steps of:
- forming one or more ferromagnetic elements from at least one ferromagnetic material;
- forming at least one diamagnetic element, wherein the at least one diamagnetic element comprises isostatically pressed graphite having a substantially isotropic grain structure;
- and
- thereafter assembling the one or more ferromagnetic elements and the at least one diamagnetic element such that the one or more ferromagnetic elements are juxtaposed the at least one diamagnetic element, wherein the one or more ferromagnetic elements and the at least one diamagnetic element are configured and arranged to produce mutually opposing magnetic moments in a presence of an applied magnetic field.
A detection system for locating an implantable marker, the system comprising:
- the implantable marker for use in surgical guidance comprising one or more ferromagnetic elements formed of at least one ferromagnetic material and at least one diamagnetic element formed of at least one diamagnetic material;
- wherein the at least one diamagnetic material comprises graphite having a substantially isotropic grain structure and the one or more ferromagnetic elements are juxtaposed the at least one diamagnetic element, wherein the implantable marker is configured to be detected by a susceptibility probe;
- at least one drive coil arranged to excite the implantable marker with an alternating magnetic field and at least one sense coil arranged to detect a signal received from the excited implantable marker;
- a magnetic field generator arranged to drive an alternating magnetic field through the at least one drive coil;
- and
- at least one detector arranged to receive the signal from the sense coil and detect one or more harmonics of the drive frequency in the received signal, wherein the susceptibility probe comprises the at least one detector;
- and wherein the graphite is isostatically pressed graphite.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.