Method and system of tracking an intracorporeal device with mr imaging

Abstract

A system and method for tracking or otherwise determining positioning of an intracorporeal device is provided. The invention includes a device that may be inserted into a subject and tracked based on an imageable tag included with the device. The imageable tag is at least partially formed of a substance whose nuclei precess at a Larmor frequency different than the Larmor frequency of hydrogen when subjected to a polarizing magnetic field. MR data may be acquired from the imageable tag using an RF receiver tuned to the Larmor frequency of the substance and used to track movement of the device within the subject.

1 . A medical device insertable into a subject, the device comprising: 
 a body;    at least one sealed chamber connected to the body; and    an imageable substance predominantly including non-hydrogen nuclei disposed in the at least one sealed chamber, wherein the imageable substance comprises nuclei of a noble gas to alter relaxation time of the non-hydrogen nuclei.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the imageable substance has an atomic number less than twenty.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the imageable substance comprises one of sodium, fluorine, heavy water, phosphorus, oxygen, and carbon.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the imageable substance comprises one of perfluorocarbon and hexafluorobenzene.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the imageable substance has 10-20 fluorine moieties per molecule.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the body comprises a catheter.  
   
   
       7 . A medical device insertable into a subject comprising: 
 a body;    one or more cavities formed in at least a portion of an outer surface of the body; and    an imageable substance predominantly devoid of hydrogen at least partially filling the one or more cavities, wherein the imageable substance comprises nuclei of a noble gas to alter relaxation time.    
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the body is porous to absorb the imageable substance and further comprising a non-soluble coating secured to the body to seal the imageable substance within the one or more cavities.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the imageable substance is fluorine-based.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein the imageable substance comprises one of perfluorocarbon and hexafluorobenzene.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the imageable substance comprises one of sodium, fluorine, phosphorus, oxygen, and carbon.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the imageable substance has 10-20 fluorine moieties per molecule.  
   
   
       13 . A navigable MR imaging device constructed of a substance to precess at a Larmor frequency of approximately 60 MHz when subjected to an approximately 1.5 T substantially uniform magnetic field, wherein the substance further comprises nuclei of a noble gas.  
   
   
       14 . The navigable MR imaging device of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 a body;    one or more cavities formed in at least a portion of an outer surface of the body; and    wherein the substance at least partially fills the one or more cavities.    
   
   
       15 . The navigable MR imaging device of  claim 14  wherein the body is porous to absorb the substance and further comprising a non-soluble coating secured to the body to seal the substance within the one or more cavities.  
   
   
       16 . The navigable MR imaging device of  claim 14  wherein the substance is fluorine-based.  
   
   
       17 . The navigable MR imaging device of  claim 16  wherein the substance comprises one of perfluorocarbon and hexafluorobenzene.  
   
   
       18 . The navigable MR imaging device of  claim 14  wherein the body comprises a catheter.  
   
   
       19 . The navigable MR imaging device of  claim 13  wherein the substance comprises one of sodium, fluorine, phosphorus, oxygen, and carbon.  
   
   
       20 . The navigable MR imaging device of  claim 13  wherein the substance has 10-20 fluorine moieties per molecule.