Implantable lead having a shielded bandstop filter comprising a self-resonant inductor for an active medical device

1. An implantable lead configured to be removably connectable to an active implantable medical device, the implantable lead comprising:

a) a conductor having a length extending from a proximal end to a distal end;

b) a distal electrode contactable with biological cells inside a human body, the distal electrode being electrically connected to the distal end of the conductor;

c) a bandstop filter disposed in series along the length of the conductor, the bandstop filter comprising a self-resonant inductor having an equivalent circuit comprising an inductance in parallel with a parasitic capacitance; and

d) an electromagnetic shield substantially surrounding the bandstop filter,

e) wherein the bandstop filter comprises a first resonant center frequency when not in the surrounded relationship with the electromagnetic shield and a second, higher resonant center frequency when in the surrounded relationship with the electromagnetic shield,

f) wherein at least one of the inductance and the parasitic capacitance is adjusted to account for a frequency shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies,

g) wherein the second resonant center frequency is about 63.84 MHz,

h) wherein the frequency shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies is greater than 4.3MHz or 6.8% of the about 63.84 MHz, and

i) wherein the bandstop filter comprises a circuit Q, wherein the resultant 3 dB bandwidth is at least 100 kHz, such that when in the surrounded relationship with the electromagnetic shield, the bandstop filter attenuates RF current flow substantially about the second resonant center frequency.

2. The implantable lead of claim 1 wherein an inductance shift between the first and second resonant. center frequencies is greater than 13% of the inductance of the bandstop filter at the first resonant center frequency.

3. The implantable lead of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic shield comprises a biocompatible material.

4. The implantable lead of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic shield is selected from the group consisting of platinum, platinum-iridium, and titanium.

5. An. implantable lead configured to be removably connectable to an active implantable medical device, the implantable lead comprising:

a) a conductor having a length extending from a proximal end to a distal end;

b) a distal electrode contactable with biological cells inside a human body, the distal electrode being electrically connected to the distal end of the conductor;

c) a bandstop filter disposed in series along the length of the conductor, the bandstop filter comprising a self-resonant inductor having an equivalent circuit comprising an inductance in parallel with a parasitic capacitance; and

d) an electromagnetic shield substantially surrounding the bandstop filter, wherein the electromagnetic shield is selected from the group consisting of platinum, platinum-iridium, and titanium,

e) wherein the bandstop filter comprises a first resonant center frequency when not in the surrounded relationship with the electromagnetic shield and a second, higher resonant center frequency when in the surrounded relationship with the electromagnetic shield,

f) wherein at least one of the inductance and the parasitic capacitance is adjusted to account for a shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies,

g) wherein the second resonant center frequency comprises about an MRI Lamar frequency,

h) wherein a frequency shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies is greater than 4.3 MHz or 6.8% of the MRI Larmor frequency, and

i) wherein the bandstop filter comprises a circuit Q wherein the resultant 3 dB bandwidth is at least 100 kHz, such that when in the surrounded relationship with the electromagnetic shield, the bandstop filter attenuates RF current flow substantially about the second resonant center frequency.

6. The implantable lead of claim 5 wherein an inductance shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies is greater than 13% of the inductance of the bandstop filter at the first resonant center frequency.

7. The implantable lead of claim 5 wherein the Larmor frequency comprises 42.56 times a static field strength of an MRI hydrogen scanner in Teslas.

8. The implantable lead of claim 5 wherein for a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner, the MRI Larmor frequency is about 63.84 MHz.

9. The implantable lead of claim 5 wherein for a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner, the MRI Larmor frequency is about 127.68 MHz.

10. The implantable lead of claim 5 wherein the bandstop filter, which is tuned such that the second center resonant frequency is about the MRI Larmor frequency, is located near, within, or adjacent to the distal electrode.

11. An implantable lead configured to be removably connectable to an active implantable medical device, the implantable lead comprising:

a) a first electrode contactable with biological cells inside a human body, the first electrode being disposed at a distal end of the implantable lead;

b) a first conductor having a first length extending from the first electrode to at or near a proximal end of the implantable lead, the first conductor being electrically coupled to the first electrode;

c) a second electrode contactable with biological cells inside the human body, the second electrode being disposed between the first electrode and the proximal end of the implantable lead;

d) a second conductor having a second length extending from the second electrode to at or near the proximal end of the implantable lead, the second conductor being electrically coupled to the second electrode;

e) a first bandstop filter electrically coupled in series along the first conductor, the first bandstop filter being disposed between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first bandstop filter comprises a first self-resonant inductor having a first equivalent circuit comprising a first inductance in parallel with a first parasitic capacitance;

f) a second bandstop filter electrically coupled in series along the second conductor, the second bandstop filter being disposed between the second electrode and the proximal end of the implantable lead, wherein the second bandstop filter comprises a second self-resonant inductor having a second equivalent circuit comprising a second inductance in parallel with a second parasitic capacitance,

g) wherein the first electrode, the first conductor, the second electrode and the second conductor comprise an implantable transvenous single chamber bipolar cardiac lead; and

h) a first electromagnetic shield substantially surrounding the first bandstop filter,

i) wherein the first bandstop filter comprises a first resonant center frequency when not in the surrounded relationship with the first electromagnetic shield and a second, higher resonant center frequency when in the surrounded relationship with the first electromagnetic shield,

j) wherein at least one of the first inductance and the first parasitic capacitance is adjusted to account for a shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies,

k) wherein the first bandstop filter comprises a first circuit Q, wherein the resultant 3 dB bandwidth is at least 100 kHz, such that when in the surrounded relationship with the first electromagnetic shield, the first bandstop filter attenuates RF current flow substantially about the second resonant center frequency, and

l) wherein the second bandstop filter comprises a second circuit Q, wherein the resultant 3 dB bandwidth is at least 100 kHz.

12. The implantable lead of claim 11 wherein a second electromagnetic shield substantially surrounds the second bandstop filter, wherein the second bandstop filter comprises a third resonant center frequency when not in the surrounded relationship with the second electromagnetic shield and a fourth, higher resonant center frequency when in the surrounded relationship with the second electromagnetic shield, and wherein at least one of the second inductance and the second parasitic capacitance is adjusted to account for a shift between the third and fourth resonant center frequencies, wherein the second bandstop filter comprises a second circuit Q, wherein the resultant 3 dB bandwidth is at least 100 kHz such that when in the surrounded relationship with the second electromagnetic shield, the second bandstop filter attenuates RF current flow substantially about the fourth resonant center frequency.

13. The implantable lead of claim 12 wherein the fourth resonant center frequency comprises about 63.84 MHz.

14. The implantable lead of claim 12 wherein a second frequency shift between the third and fourth resonant center frequencies is greater than 4.3 MHz or 6.8% of the about 63.84 MHz.

15. The implantable lead of claim 12 wherein a second inductance shift between the third and fourth resonant center frequencies is greater than 13% of the inductance of the second bandstop filter at the third resonant center frequency.

16. The implantable lead of claim 11 wherein the second resonant center frequency comprises about 63.84 MHz.

17. The implantable lead of claim 11 wherein a first frequency shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies is greater than 4.3 MHz or 6.8% of the about 63.84 MHz.

18. The implantable lead of claim 11 wherein a first inductance shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies is greater than 13% of the first inductance of the first bandstop filter at the first resonant center frequency.

19. An implantable bipolar pacemaker lead configured to be removably connectable to an active implantable medical device, the implantable lead comprising:

a) a first electrode contactable with biological cells inside a human body, the first electrode being disposed at a distal end of the implantable lead;

b) a first conductor having a first length extending from the first electrode to at or near a proximal end of the implantable lead, the first conductor being electrically coupled to the first electrode;

c) second electrode contactable with biological cells inside the human body, the second electrode being disposed between the first electrode and the proximal end of the implantable lead;

d) a second conductor having a second length extending from the second electrode to at or near the proximal end of the implantable lead, the second conductor being electrically coupled to the second electrode;

e) a first resonant filter comprising at least one inductor electrically coupled in series along the first conductor, the first resonant filter being disposed between the first and second electrodes;

f) a second resonant filter comprising at least one inductor electrically coupled in series along the second conductor, the second resonant filter being disposed between the second electrode and the proximal end of the implantable lead,

g) wherein the first electrode, the first conductor, the second electrode and the second conductor comprise an implantable transvenous single chamber bipolar cardiac lead,

h) wherein at least the first resonant filter is surrounded by a first shield, and

i) wherein at least the first resonant filter comprises a first resonant center frequency when not in the surrounded relationship with the first shield and a second resonant center frequency when in the surrounded relationship with the first shield.

20. The implantable lead of claim 19 wherein the first resonant filter and the second resonant filter both provide a relatively high impedance at or near the MRI Larmor RF pulsed frequency, wherein the relatively, high impedances effectively cut the first and second electrodes from their respective first and second lead conductors at or near the MRI RF pulsed frequency.

21. The implantable lead of claim 19 wherein the first and second resonant filters each comprise a bandstop filter equivalent circuit consisting of an inductor in parallel with a capacitor.

22. The implantable lead of claim 19 wherein the first resonant filter is near, within, or adjacent to the first electrode and the second resonant filter is near, within, or adjacent to the second electrode.

23. The implantable lead of claim 19 wherein. the first and second resonant filters each comprise a circuit Q, wherein the resultant 3 dB bandwidth is at least 100 kHz.

24. The implantable lead of claim 19 wherein the first resonant filter comprises a first self-resonant inductor having a first equivalent circuit comprising a first inductance in parallel with a first capacitance and the second resonant filter comprises a second self-resonant inductor having a second equivalent circuit cow rising a second inductance in parallel with a second capacitance.

25. The implantable lead of claim 24 wherein at least one of the first inductance and the first capacitance is adjusted to account for a shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies.

26. The implantable lead of claim 19 wherein the second resonant center frequency is higher than the first resonant center frequency.

27. The implantable lead of claim 19 wherein the second resonant center frequency is about 63.84 MHz.

28. The implantable lead of claim 27 wherein a frequency shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies is greater than 4.3 MHz or 6.8% of the about 63.84 MHz.

29. The implantable lead of claim 19 wherein an inductance shift between the first and second resonant center frequencies is greater than 13% of the first inductance of the first resonant filter at the first resonant center frequency.

30. An implantable lead configured to be removably connectable to an active implantable medical device, the implantable lead comprising:

a) a conductor having a length extending from a proximal end to a distal end;

b) a distal electrode contactable with biological cells inside a human body, the distal electrode being electrically connected to the distal end of the conductor;

c) a bandstop filter disposed in series along the length of the conductor, the bandstop filter comprising a self-resonant inductor having an equivalent circuit comprising an inductance in parallel with a parasitic capacitance; and

d) an electromagnetic shield substantially surrounding the bandstop filter,

e) wherein the bandstop filter comprises a first resonant center frequency when not in the surrounded relationship with the electromagnetic shield and a second, higher resonant center frequency when in the surrounded relationship with the electromagnetic shield,

f) wherein the inductance or parasitic capacitance is adjusted to account for a shift in frequency between the first and second resonant center frequencies,

g) wherein the second resonant center frequency is about 63.84 MHz,

h) wherein the shift in frequency between the first and second resonant center frequencies is greater than 4.3 MHz or 6.8% of the about 63.84 MHz, and

i) wherein the bandstop filter comprises a circuit Q, wherein the resultant 3 dB bandwidth is on the order of MHz, such that when in the surrounding relationship with the electromagnetic shield, the bandstop filter attenuates RF current flow substantially about the second resonant center frequency.