Magnetic resonance imaging interference immune device

1. An implantable medical lead having a length that extends from a proximal end configured to be coupled to a medical device to a distal end configured to be implanted in a heart of a patient, the lead comprising:

an electrode located near the distal end of the lead; and

a conductor in the lead having a distal end proximate the electrode and a proximal end proximate the medical device;

said conductor being coiled; said conductor having a predetermined spacing between adjacent coils extending along a length of the conductor from the distal end of the conductor to the proximal end of the conductor, said predetermined spacing providing a parasitic capacitance and an inductance, said parasitic capacitance and inductance having a resonance frequency approximately equal to an excitation signal's frequency of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

2. The lead as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said conductor is a spring wire form coated with an electrically insulative layer, an electrically conductive shielding layer, and a protective and electrically insulative layer.

3. The lead as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said conductor is a first conductor in a bipolar pacing lead and said electrode is a first electrode, the lead further comprising:

a second electrode located near the distal end of the lead; and

a second conductor in the lead having a distal end proximate the second electrode and a proximal end proximate the the medical device;

said second conductor being coiled; said second conductor having a predetermined spacing between adjacent coils extending along a length of the conductor from the distal end of the conductor to the proximal end of the conductor, said predetermined spacing providing a parasitic capacitance and an inductance, said parasitic capacitance and inductance having a resonance frequency approximately equal to an excitation signal's frequency of the magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

4. The lead as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said conductor is a conductor in a unipolar pacing lead.

5. The lead as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said conductor is a conductor in a cardiac defibrillator lead.

6. The lead as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conductor in the lead is adapted to conduct electrical stimulating pulses from the circuitry of the medical device to sites within a heart via the electrode and conduct sensed signals from the electrode to the circuitry of the medical device.

7. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device including:

a case that includes circuitry housed within the case; and

a connector block mounted on the case, wherein the connector block includes at least one receptacle for a lead and an electrical interface to electrically connect the lead with the circuitry of the implantable medical device; and

an implantable medical lead including:

a proximal end coupled to the receptacle;

a distal end;

an electrode located near the distal end; and

a coiled conductor in the lead having a distal end proximate the electrode and a proximal end proximate the electrical interface to provide an electrical circuit path from the electrode to the circuitry of the implantable medical device;

wherein adjacent coils of the coiled conductor have a predetermined spacing to provide a parasitic capacitance and an inductance having a resonance frequency approximately equal to an excitation signal's frequency of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said conductor is a spring wire form coated with an electrically insulative layer, an electrically conductive shielding layer, and a protective and electrically insulative layer.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said conductor is a first conductor in a bipolar pacing lead and said electrode is a first electrode, the lead further comprising:

a second electrode; and

a second coiled conductor in the lead having a distal end proximate the second electrode and a proximal end proximate the electrical interface to provide an electrical circuit path to the circuitry of the implantable medical device;

wherein adjacent coils of the second coiled conductor have a predetermined spacing to provide a parasitic capacitance and an inductance having a resonance frequency approximately equal to an excitation signal's frequency of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

10. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said conductor is a conductor in one of a unipolar pacing lead and a cardiac defibrillator lead.

11. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the conductor in the lead is adapted to conduct electrical stimulating pulses from the circuitry of the medical device to sites within a heart via the electrode and conduct sensed signals from the electrode to the circuitry of the medical device.

12. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the coiled conductor contacts the electrode at the distal end and contacts the electrical interface at the proximal end to provide the electrical circuit path.

13. An implantable medical lead having a length that extends from a proximal end configured to be coupled to a medical device to a distal end configured to be implanted in a heart of a patient, the lead comprising:

an electrode located near the distal end of the lead; and

a coiled conductor that extends substantially the length of the lead such that a proximal end of the conductor is located proximate the medical device and a distal end of the conductor is located proximate the electrode;

wherein adjacent coils of the coiled conductor have a predetermined spacing to provide a parasitic capacitance and an inductance having a resonance frequency approximately equal to an excitation signal's frequency of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

14. The implantable medical lead of claim 13 , wherein the adjacent coils of the coiled conductor extend from the proximal end of the conductor to the distal end of the conductor.