Magnetic resonance compatible stent
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorAlastair Martin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An intravascular stent (50) is provided for use in conjunction with a magnetic resonance imaging system. The stent is constructed to minimize the radio-frequency cage effect which results from currents being induced in stents when subjected to magnetic resonance related radio frequency signals. The stent includes a mesh of electrically conductive material and a non-conductive materiai disposed within the mesh for connecting the mesh in a generally tubular arrangement such that a net current flowing through the mesh is approximately zero and the RE cage effect is minimized.
Claims16
An intravascular stent comprising:
- a mesh of electrically conductive material;
- and
- a non-conductive material disposed within the mesh for connecting the mesh in a generally tubular arrangement such that a net current flowing through the mesh is substantially canceled.
A magnetic resonance compatible stent for use in intravascular therapy, the stent comprising:
- a plurality of electrically conductive elements arranged in a generally tubular structure;
- and
- at least one non-conductive insulator disposed among the conductive elements for directing a current flowing in the conductive elements such that a net current flowing in the stent is substantially minimized.
A magnetic resonance compatible stent comprising:
- conducting means for conducting a current in the stent, the current being induced by RF signals from within an examination region of a magnetic resonance apparatus;
- and
- non-conducting means for directing the current flowing in the stent such that a net current flowing in the stent is minimized.
A method of magnetic resonance imaging comprising the steps of:
- generating a main magnetic field within an examination region;
- exciting magnetic resonance in a subject disposed in the examination region by transmitting RF signals into the examination region, the subject having an intravascular stent disposed therein;
- spatially encoding the magnetic resonance in the subject via magnetic field gradients;
- receiving magnetic resonance signals from the subject;
- inducing a current in the intravascular stent from at least one of the transmitted RF signals and the magnetic resonance signals from the subject;
- directing the induced current through the stent whereby a net current flowing through the stent is minimized;
- and
- reconstructing the received signals into a magnetic resonance image.
A stent comprising a generally tubular conductive mesh, the mesh being arranged such that currents induced in the mesh during a magnetic resonance examination are substantially cancelled by one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.