MRI compatible leads for a deep brain stimulation system

1. A lead for an implanted medical device in which the lead is adapted for electrical communication with an electrical signal source and has a distal tip with an electrode, the lead comprising:

a wire adapted to be placed in electrical communication with the electrode, the wire including (i) a core comprising a polymeric material, (ii) a continuous metallic layer surrounding and contacting an outer surface of the core, the continuous metallic layer extending along the core a first length and having a layer thickness, and (iii) an outer metallic layer disposed on the continuous metallic layer, the outer metallic layer extending axially along the first length and having a first section and a second section, the first section defined by a first thickness greater than the layer thickness, the first section extending continuously and axially along the continuous metallic layer toward the second section, the second section having a second thickness greater than the first thickness and extending continuously and axially away from the first section, the first section having a first resistance and the second section having a second resistance different than the first resistance,

wherein the lead is substantially transparent to radio frequency waves in clinically-applicable magnetic resonance environments to reduce radio frequency absorption and avoid substantial heating effects.

2. The lead of claim 1 wherein:

the continuous metallic layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of gold, titanium, platinum, cobalt-chromium alloys, cobalt, stainless steel, and mixtures thereof.

3. The lead of claim 1 wherein:

the first section of the outer metallic layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of gold, titanium, platinum, cobalt-chromium alloys, cobalt, and stainless steel, and the second section of the outer metallic layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of gold, titanium, platinum, cobalt-chromium alloys, cobalt, and stainless steel.

4. The lead of claim 3 wherein:

a thickness of the continuous metallic layer is in a range of 50 to 500 nanometers,

the second thickness is in a range of 200 to 1500 nanometers,

the first thickness is in a range of 100 to 1000 nanometers, and

the core is cylindrical and has a diameter in a range of 10 to 500 microns.

5. The lead of claim 1 wherein:

the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of nylons, polyesters, polyolefins, fluoropolymers, polyurethanes, and polyaryletherketones.

6. The lead of claim 1 further comprising:

a terminal located at the distal tip of the wire.

7. The lead of claim 6 wherein:

the terminal has a tapered inner or outer surface.

8. An implantable medical device comprising:

the electrical signal source; and

the lead of claim 1 ,

wherein the wire places the electrical signal source and the electrode in electrical communication with one another, and

wherein the implantable medical device is selected from deep brain stimulation systems, cardioverter defibrillators, pacemakers, and spinal cord stimulators.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 8 wherein:

the implantable medical device is a deep brain stimulation system.

10. A lead for an implanted medical device in which the lead is adapted for electrical communication with an electrical signal source and has a distal tip with an electrode, the lead comprising:

a wire adapted to be placed in electrical communication with the electrode, the wire including (i) a core comprising a polymeric material, and (ii) a metallic layer surrounding an outer surface of the core, the metallic layer including an inner metallic layer bonded to the core and an outer metallic layer bonded to the inner metallic layer, the inner metallic layer and the outer metallic layer extending along an axial length of the wire, and wherein the outer metallic layer includes a first section and a second section, the first section formed at a first end of the wire and extending axially to the second section formed at a second end of the wire opposite the first end, the first section having a first thickness and a first axial length less than the axial length of the wire and the second section having a second thickness differing from the first thickness and a second axial length less than the axial length of the wire and differing from the first axial length, the first section and second section having different resistances to form a step discontinuity in electrical conductivity along the axial length of the wire,

wherein the lead is substantially transparent to radio frequency waves in clinically-applicable magnetic resonance environments to reduce radio frequency absorption and avoid substantial heating effects.

11. The lead of claim 10 wherein:

the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of nylons, polyesters, polyolefins, fluoropolymers, polyurethanes, and polyaryletherketones, and

the metallic layer comprises a metallic material selected from the group consisting of gold, titanium, platinum, cobalt-chromium alloys, cobalt, and stainless steel, and mixtures thereof.

12. The lead of claim 11 wherein:

the first thickness is in a range of 200 to 2000 nanometers,

the second thickness is in a range of 100 to 1900 nanometers, and

the core is cylindrical and has a diameter in a range of 10 to 500 microns.

13. The lead of claim 10 further comprising:

a terminal located at the distal tip of the wire, the terminal having a tapered inner or outer surface.

14. The lead of claim 10 wherein:

the lead is configured such that it does not heat more than 2 degrees Celsius when placed within a magnetic resonance imaging device supplying an applied field of 3 Tesla.

15. The lead of claim 10 further comprising:

an insulating outer coating on the wire.

16. An implantable medical device comprising:

the electrical signal source; and

the lead of claim 10 ,

wherein the implantable medical device is a deep brain stimulation system.