Coordination of functional MRI scanning and electrical stimulation therapy
Changes in electrical stimulation therapy delivered via a medical device are coordinated with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans. In one example, a medical device delivers electrical stimulation therapy to a patient in an MRI unit, where the medical device is configured to cycle electrical stimulation therapy between a plurality of stimulation states. An indication that the medical device will cycle the electrical stimulation therapy or has cycled the electrical stimulation therapy while the patient is in the MRI unit or being imaged by the MRI unit is generated, and an MRI scan of the patient via an MRI workstation is initiated based on the indication. In another example, a medical device detects activation of an MRI scan and automatically switches stimulation states based upon the detection of the MRI scan, such that the scan is associated with a particular stimulation state.
1. A method comprising:
detecting, by a medical device, activation of a first MRI scan of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit;
based on the detection of the activation of the first MRI scan, delivering, with the medical device, electrical stimulation therapy to a patient in the MRI unit or being imaged by the MRI unit, wherein the medical device is configured to deliver the electrical stimulation therapy according to a first stimulation state of a plurality of different stimulation states;
subsequently detecting, by the medical device, activation of a second MRI scan of the MRI unit; and
based on the detection of the activation of the second MRI scan, changing, by the medical device, from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the first stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to a second stimulation state of the plurality of different stimulation states.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the first stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to a second stimulation state of the plurality of different stimulation states comprises one of stopping all delivery of the electrical stimulation therapy or switching from delivery of the electrical stimulation therapy according to a first program to delivery of the electrical stimulation therapy according to a second program.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting activation of the first MRI scan comprises one of detecting a magnetic field or a change in a magnetic field with a sensor.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating the first and second MRI scans with information indicating the first and second stimulation states of the medical device at the time of the first and second MRI scans, respectively.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the first stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the second stimulation state comprises increasing one of a current amplitude or a voltage amplitude of the electrical stimulation therapy.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the first stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the second stimulation state comprises decreasing one of a current amplitude or a voltage amplitude of the electrical stimulation therapy.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the first stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the second stimulation state comprises switching from delivery of the electrical stimulation therapy according to a first program to delivery of the electrical stimulation therapy according to a second program, wherein each of the first program and the second program are different from one another.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting activation of a third MRI scan of the MRI unit; and
based on the detection of the activation of the third MRI scan, changing, by the medical device, from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the second stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to a third stimulation state of the plurality of different stimulation states, wherein each of the first stimulation state, the second stimulation state, and the third stimulation state are different from one another.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, prior to changing from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the first stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the second stimulation state, an indication indicative of an imminent change in the electrical stimulation therapy of the medical device.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the indication indicative of the imminent change in the electrical stimulation therapy of the medical device comprises generating an audible notification indicative of the imminent change in the electrical stimulation therapy of the medical device.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the indication indicative of the imminent change in the electrical stimulation therapy of the medical device comprises outputting, to a display, the indication indicative of the imminent change in the electrical stimulation therapy of the medical device.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein outputting the indication indicative of the imminent change in the electrical stimulation therapy of the medical device comprises outputting a countdown indicative of the imminent change in the electrical stimulation therapy of the medical device.
13. A system comprising:
a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit configured to generate an MRI scan of a patient;
a medical device configured to deliver electrical stimulation therapy according to a plurality of different stimulation states to the patient while the patient is in the MRI unit or being imaged by the MRI unit, wherein the medical device is configured to provide a plurality of different stimulation states; and
a processor configured to detect activation of a first MRI scan of the MRI unit and, based on the detection of the activation of the first MRI, control the medical device to deliver electrical stimulation therapy according to a first stimulation state of the plurality of different stimulation states to the patient in the MRI unit or being imaged by the MRI unit,
wherein the processor is further configured to subsequently detect an activation of a second MRI scan of an MRI unit and, based on the detection of the activation of the second MRI scan, control the medical device to change from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the first stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to a second stimulation state of the plurality of different stimulation states.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to control the medical device to change from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the first stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to a second stimulation state of the plurality of different stimulation states by at least controlling the medical device to stop all delivery of electrical stimulation therapy or switch from delivery of electrical stimulation therapy according to a first program to delivery of the electrical stimulation therapy according to a second program.
15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a sensor that is configured to detect one of a magnetic field or a change in a magnetic field, wherein the processor detects activation of the first MRI scan based on a signal generated by the sensor.
16. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an MRI workstation configured to associate the first and second MRI scans with information indicating the first and second stimulation states of the medical device at the time of the first and second MRI scans, respectively.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the medical device comprises the processor.
18. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a medical device programmer configured to communicate with the medical device, wherein the medical device programmer comprises the processor.
19. A system comprising:
means for detecting an activation of a first MRI scan of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit;
means for delivering, based on the detection of the activation of the first MRI scan, electrical stimulation therapy to a patient in the MRI unit or being imaged by the MRI unit, wherein the means for delivering electrical stimulation therapy is configured to deliver the electrical stimulation therapy according to a first stimulation state of a plurality of different stimulation states;
means for detecting an activation of a second MRI scan of the MRI unit; and
means for changing, based on the detection of the activation of the second MRI scan, from delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to the first stimulation state to delivering the electrical stimulation therapy according to a second stimulation state of the plurality of different stimulation states.
20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising means for associating the first and second MRI scans with information indicating the first and second stimulation states of the medical device at the time of the first and second MRI scans, respectively.