Imaging fiducial markers and methods
AssigneeBreast-Med, Inc.
InventorsPatrick Bolan, Michael G. Garwood, Michael T. Nelson, Daniel A. Halpern
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An implantable tissue marker incorporates a contrast agent sealed within a chamber in a container formed from a solid material. The contrast agent is selected to produce a change, such as an increase, in signal intensity under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An additional contrast agent may also be sealed within the chamber to provide visibility under another imaging modality, such as computed tomographic (CT) imaging or ultrasound imaging.
Claims37
(canceled)
A fully implantable, biocompatible, fiducial marker capable of being implanted in a living human or animal subject, the fiducial marker comprising:
- a container wall formed from a nonbiodegradable solid material defining an internal chamber;
- and
- a sensing medium received within the internal chamber, the sensing medium including at least one of a liquid, a gas portion, and a solid portion, wherein the sensing medium is configured to produce a detectable signal in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging modality with the fiducial marker fully implanted in the subject, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material of the container includes a first magnetic susceptibility and the sensing medium includes a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material and the sensing medium are configured such that the first and second magnetic susceptibilities are matched so that the first magnetic susceptibility is substantially equivalent to the second magnetic susceptibility
A method of manufacturing or using a fiducial marker capable of being implanted in a living human or animal subject, the method comprising:
- providing or obtaining a fully implantable, biocompatible container formed from a nonbiodegradable solid material, the fully implantable, biocompatible container defining an internal chamber;
- providing or obtaining the internal chamber at least partially filled with a sensing medium including at least one of a liquid, a gas portion and a solid portion, wherein the sensing medium is configured to produce a detectable signal in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging modality with the fiducial marker fully implanted in the subject, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material of the fully implantable, biocompatible container includes a first magnetic susceptibility and the contrast agent includes a second magnetic susceptibility, wherein the nonbiodegradable solid material and the contrast agent are configured such that the first and second magnetic susceptibilities are matched so that the first magnetic susceptibility is substantially equivalent to the second magnetic susceptibility;
- and
- providing or obtaining the sensing medium sealed within the internal chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.