Recanalization of occluded vessel using magnetic resonance guidance

An apparatus for imaging an occluded vessel in a subject, comprising:

• a magnetic field generator adapted to establish a magnetic field on the subject;
• a magnetic field gradient generator adapted to establish gradients in the magnetic field;
• a radio frequency (RF) signal generator adapted to emit pulsed RF signals to at least the occluded vessel of the subject;
• an external RF receiver adapted to be positioned external to the body of the subject, to receive RF signals emitted from the subject in response to the RF pulses and to provide an output signal in response to the received signals;
• a first internal RF antenna adapted to be positioned in the occluded vessel proximate the occlusion, to receive RF signals emitted from the subject in response to the RF pulses and to provide an output signal in response to the received signals;
• a controller adapted to receive and process the output signals from the external and internal RF antennas and to produce magnetic resonance (MR) information related thereto;
• and
• a visual display adapted to receive the MR information produced by the processor and to display the MR information as an image of the occluded vessel.