System and method for tracking a position of an interventional medical device using a magnetic resonance imaging system

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising:

• a magnet system configured to generate a polarizing magnetic field about at least a portion of a subject arranged in the MRI system;
• a plurality of gradient coils configured to establish at least one magnetic gradient field to the polarizing magnetic field;
• a radio frequency (RF) system including an external imaging coil coupled to a transmit/receive switch configured to switch the system between applying an RF field to the subject during a transmit phase and receiving imaging signals from the subject during a receive phase;
• a medical device configured to be inserted into the subject to perform a medical procedure;
• an internal imaging coil coupled to the medical device and configured to be inserted into the subject during the medical procedure to provide tracking information regarding a position of the medical device within the subject during the medical procedure;
• a circuit connected to the internal imaging coil and configured to switch between an energy harvesting configuration and an image data acquisition configuration, the circuit comprising:
• an energy harvesting path and an imaging data path connected to the internal imaging coil, wherein the energy harvesting path and the imaging data path are electrically distinct;
• an energy storage device connected to receive power delivered along the energy harvesting path when the circuit is in the energy harvesting configuration;
• and
• an amplifier connected to receive operational power from the energy storage device and receive imaging data signals from the internal imaging coil over the imaging data path to thereby amplify the imaging data signals when the circuit is in the image data acquisition configuration.

A method for performing an image guided interventional medical procedure, the method comprising:

• arranging a subject within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system including at least one external imaging coil arranged externally to the subject to acquire images of the subject using the at least one external imaging coil;
• arranging a medical device, having associated therewith an imaging coil, inside the subject to acquire tacking information regarding a position of the medical device with the imaging coil associated with the medical device arranged within the subject while performing a medical procedure;
• when the MRI system is operating in a transmit mode to deliver radio-frequency (RF) energy to the subject using the at least one external imaging coil, harvesting the RF energy delivered to the subject by the at least one external imaging coil using the imaging coil associated with the medical device;
• when the MRI system is operating in a receive mode to acquire a medical imaging data signal from the subject using the at least one external imaging coil, receiving a medical imaging data signal from the subject using the imaging coil associated with the medical device;
• and
• using the energy harvested by the imaging coil associated with the medical device, at least one of amplifying and wirelessly transmitting the medical imaging data signal received by the imaging coil associated with the medical device.