Lead electrode for use in an MRI-safe implantable medical device

1. A neurostimulation lead configured to be implanted into a patient's body and having at least one distal electrode, the lead comprising:

at least one conductive filer electrically coupled to the distal electrode;

a non-conductive jacket for housing said conductive filer and having at least one layer comprising a non-conductive material that provides an outer surface configured to contact the patient's body; and

a shield comprising a continuous portion that has a first physically severed end and a second physically severed end and that comprises metal wire surrounding at least a portion of said filer for reducing electromagnetic coupling to said filer, wherein the shield resides within the jacket beneath the at least one layer of the jacket so that the continuous portion of the shield is completely surrounded by the non-conductive jacket from the first physically severed end to the second physically severed end so that a pathway for electromagnetic energy from the shield to the outer surface of the jacket is provided through the non-conductive material of the at least one layer of the jacket, and wherein the embedded shield allows radio frequency energy absorbed by the shield to be transmitted out of the outer surface of the jacket.

2. A neurostimulation lead according to claim 1 wherein said shield comprises a plurality of separate shield segments.

3. A neurostimulation lead according to claim 2 wherein said segments are substantially one-quarter wavelength of RF energy being applied to the shield in length.

4. A neurostimulation lead according to claim 1 wherein said shield comprises tantalum.

5. A neurostimulation lead according to claim 4 wherein said shield comprises metal along substantially its entire length.

6. A neurostimulation lead according to claim 4 wherein said shield comprises a braid.

7. The neurostimulation lead according to claim 1 wherein the shield comprises platinum.

8. The neurostimulation lead according to claim 1 wherein the shield comprises titanium.

9. The neurostimulation lead according to claim 1 wherein the shield comprises stainless steel.

10. The neurostimulation lead according to claim 1 wherein the shield comprises chromium cobalt.

11. The neurostimulation lead according to claim 1 wherein the shield comprises nitinol.

12. The neurostimulation lead according to claim 1 wherein the shield comprises iridium.

13. The neurostimulation lead according to claim 1 wherein the non-conductive material comprises a polymer.

14. A neurostimulation lead configured to be implanted into a patient's body and having at least one distal electrode, the lead comprising:

at least one conductive filer electrically coupled to the distal electrode;

a polymer jacket for housing said conductive filer and having at least one layer comprising a polymer that provides an outer surface configured to contact the patient's body; and

a shield comprising a continuous portion that has a first physically severed end and a second physically severed end and that comprises metal wire surrounding at least a portion of said filer for reducing electromagnetic coupling to said filer, wherein the shield resides within the jacket beneath the at least one layer of the jacket so that the continuous portion of the shield is completely surrounded by the polymer jacket from the first physically severed end to the second physically severed end so that a pathway for electromagnetic energy from the shield to the outer surface of the jacket is provided through the polymer of the at least one layer of the jacket, and wherein the embedded shield allows radio frequency energy absorbed by the shield to be transmitted out of the outer surface of the jacket.