Granted Patent B2

US 7,844,319 · App. 10/123,534 · Granted Nov 30, 2010

Abstract

Claims (114)

1. A probe, comprising:

a matching circuit;

a first electrode residing on a distal end portion of the probe;

a second electrode residing spaced apart from the first electrode on the distal end portion of the probe;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode and extending from the matching circuit;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode and extending from the matching circuit; and

a reactive element disposed between the matching circuit and a distal end of the probe, the reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, wherein the first and second conductors and the reactive element form a loop antenna for a high frequency signal received by the probe.

2. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the reactive element is positioned to conduct a high frequency signal between the first conductor and the second conductor.

3. The probe of claim 2 , wherein the reactive element is selected to conduct the high frequency signal, wherein the high frequency signal has a frequency higher than about 10 MegaHertz (MHz).

4. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the reactive element is positioned to conduct a signal including magnetic resonance imaging frequency energy between the first conductor and the second conductor.

5. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor, second conductor, and reactive element are configured and arranged such that at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor conducts a low frequency signal to or from at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

6. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor, second conductor, and reactive element are configured and arranged such that at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor conducts a low frequency signal to or from at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the low frequency signal has a frequency of up to about 500 kiloHertz (kHz).

7. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor, second conductor, and reactive element are configured and arranged such that at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor conducts a low frequency signal to or from at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the low frequency signal is in the range from about 100 Hertz (Hz) to about 1 kHz.

8. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor, second conductor, and reactive element are configured and arranged such that at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor conducts a low frequency signal to or from at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the low frequency signal is about 100 kHz.

9. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the reactive element is configured and arranged to conduct a signal including ablation frequency energy to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

10. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the reactive element is configured and arranged to conduct a signal including biopotential recording frequency energy to or from at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode.

11. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe further comprises a lumen.

12. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the reactive element comprises at least one of a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, or a capacitor.

13. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor couples to the first electrode through a reactance.

14. The probe of claim 13 , wherein the reactance comprises at least one of an inductor or an LC circuit.

15. The probe of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first conductor, the second conductor, the first electrode, or the second electrode comprises at least one of a magnetic resonance compatible material, a superelastic material, copper, gold, silver, platinum, iridium, MP35N, tantalum, titanium, Nitinol, L605, gold-platinum-iridium, gold-copper-iridium, or gold-platinum.

16. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe matching circuit also comprises at least one of the following:

a MRI tuning circuit; a circuit to filter out RF ablation signals; and a decoupling circuit;

and wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are electrically coupled to at least one of the tuning, filter and decoupling circuits.

17. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are electrically coupled to a signal splitting circuit.

18. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are also electrically coupled by at least one capacitor spaced apart from the reactive element.

19. The probe of claim 1 , further comprising a third conductor electrically coupled to a third electrode, and a fourth conductor electrically coupled to a fourth electrode, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth conductors are configured and arranged so that a first signal including high frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor through the reactive element, and a second signal including low frequency energy is conducted to or from at least one of the third electrode or the fourth electrode.

20. The probe of claim 1 further comprising a shaft, the shaft including at least one of Kevlar, nylon, Teflon, polyethylene, polyolefin, PTFE, polyurethane, PEBAX, braided Kevlar, or braided nylon.

21. The probe of claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the probe is covered by a lubricious coating.

22. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe has an outer diameter in the range of about 1 French to about 15 French.

23. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe has a length in the range of about 50 cm to about 200 cm.

24. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe further comprises a pull wire extending to a distal end portion of the probe.

25. A magnetic resonance imaging probe, comprising:

a coaxial cable including an inner conductor and an outer shield; and

a split ring electrode including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being electrically coupled to the inner conductor, and the second portion being electrically coupled to the outer shield.

26. The probe of claim 25 , wherein the inner conductor and the outer shield are electrically coupled by a reactive element.

27. The probe of claim 26 , wherein the reactive element comprises at least one of a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, or a capacitor.

28. A magnetic resonance imaging probe, comprising:

a cable including an inner conductor and an outer shield;

at least one electrode electrically coupled to the inner conductor; and

at least one electrode electrically coupled to the outer shield;

wherein the at least one electrode coupled to the inner conductor and the at least one electrode coupled to the outer shield are electrically coupled by at least one reactive element.

29. The probe of claim 28 , wherein the inner conductor and the outer shield are electrically coupled by a plurality of spaced apart reactive elements.

30. The probe of claim 29 , wherein at least one of the plurality of reactive elements comprises at least one of a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, or a capacitor.

31. The probe of claim 28 , wherein at least one of the at least one reactive element comprises at least one of a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, or a capacitor residing at a distal end portion of the probe, and wherein the at least one electrode coupled to the inner conductor and the at least one electrode coupled to the outer shield each comprise a split ring electrode.

32. A magnetic resonance imaging probe, comprising:

a coaxial cable including an inner conductor and an outer shield;

a first split ring electrode electrically coupled to the inner conductor;

a second split ring electrode electrically coupled to the outer shield;

a first center split ring electrode electrically coupled to the first split ring electrode and to a first conductor; and

a second center split ring electrode electrically coupled to the first center split ring electrode and to the second split ring electrode, and also coupled to a second conductor.

33. A magnetic resonance imaging probe, comprising:

a matching circuit;

a first electrode disposed on a probe surface;

a second electrode disposed on the probe surface;

a first conductor extending from the matching circuit and electrically coupled to the first electrode through a reactance;

a second conductor extending from the matching circuit and electrically coupled to the second electrode through a reactance; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element disposed between the matching circuit and a distal end of the probe, the reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor such that high-frequency energy received by the probe is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor through the reactive element to form a loop antenna.

34. A system for magnetic resonance imaging, comprising:

a magnetic resonance imaging probe, including:

a first electrode disposed on a distal end portion of the probe;

a second electrode disposed on the distal end portion of the probe;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode through a reactance;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode through a reactance; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy received by the probe is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor through the reactive element;

an interface electrically coupled to the probe, the interface including a tuning/matching/decoupling circuit and a signal splitting circuit; and

an MRI scanner electrically coupled to the interface.

35. A method for imaging and ablating a tissue, comprising:

exposing the tissue to a magnetic field, the field including a static component and a gradient component;

placing a probe adjacent to the tissue, the probe including:

a first electrode disposed at least partially on a probe surface;

a second electrode disposed at least partially on the probe surface;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor, and a lower frequency ablating energy is conducted to at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode;

ablating the tissue by at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode using the lower frequency ablating energy;

receiving high frequency energy at the probe using the first conductor, the second conductor, and the reactive element as an antenna; and

imaging the tissue using the high-frequency energy received at the probe.

36. A method for imaging a tissue and measuring a bioelectric potential in the tissue, comprising:

exposing the tissue to a magnetic field, the field including a static component and a gradient component;

placing a probe adjacent to the tissue, the probe having a probe surface and including:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor;

measuring a bioelectric potential in the tissue based on low-frequency energy received from the probe, the low frequency energy being conducted from at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode;

receiving high frequency energy at the probe using the first conductor, the second conductor, and the reactive element as an antenna; and

imaging the tissue using the high-frequency energy.

37. A method for imaging a tissue, ablating the tissue, and measuring a bioelectric potential in the tissue, comprising:

exposing the tissue to a magnetic field, the field including a static component and a gradient component;

placing a probe adjacent to the tissue, the probe having a probe surface and including:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor, and low-frequency and ablating energy is conducted to at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode;

measuring bioelectric potential in the tissue using low-frequency energy received from the probe, the low frequency energy being conducted from at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode;

ablating the tissue by directing the ablating energy to the probe, the ablating energy being conducted to the tissue by at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode;

receiving high frequency energy at the probe using the first conductor, the second conductor, and the reactive element as an antenna; and

imaging the tissue using the high-frequency energy from the probe, the high-frequency energy including magnetic resonance imaging data.

38. A method for imaging and treating a tissue, comprising:

exposing the tissue to a magnetic field, the field including a static component and a gradient component;

placing a probe adjacent to the tissue, the probe including:

a first electrode;

a second electrode disposed;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the first electrode;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the second electrode; and

a frequency-dependent reactive element electrically coupling the first conductor and the second conductor, such that high-frequency energy is conducted between the first conductor and the second conductor;

delivering a therapy to the tissue using the probe;

receiving high frequency energy at the probe using the first conductor, the second conductor, and the reactive element as an antenna; and

imaging the tissue using high-frequency energy from the probe, the high-frequency energy having magnetic resonance imaging data.

39. The method of claim 38 , wherein the delivered therapy comprises at least one of ablation energy, heat, ultrasound energy, or a substance discharged through a lumen of the probe, and wherein the delivering and imaging are carried out substantially simultaneously.

40. The method of claim 39 , further comprising monitoring the delivering of the therapy using images based on data from the probe.

Assignments (19)