Mri compatible ablation catheter system incorporating directional high-intensity ultrasound for treatment

Abstract

A magnetic resonance compatible catheter. The catheter incorporates directional high intensity ultrasound. The catheter may include imaging coils visible through magnetic resonance imaging. The location and placement of the catheter may be controlled by steering wires within lumen in the catheter guided by the location information from the magnetic resonance imaging.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for treating tissue with ultrasound comprising:
 a catheter having an outer tube;   an ultrasonic transducer positioned on a rigid platform, the rigid platform disposed within the catheter; and   a plurality of lumens.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lumens first inner lumen comprises a power supply and at least one lumen comprises a cooling system. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the catheter has a bend radius of no more than about 2 cm. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a third inner tube and a fourth inner tube are provided, each of the third inner tube and the fourth inner tube having a guide wire. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one imaging coil adjacent the ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transducers controllable to emit ultrasonic energy in a select pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter comprises polyether ether ketone. 
     
     
         8 . A system for magnetic resonance imaging compatible ablative treatment of a target site, comprising:
 a catheter having:
 an outer tube; 
 at least one imaging coil; 
 an ultrasonic transducer positioned on a rigid platform, the rigid platform disposed within the catheter; and 
 a first inner tube and a second inner tube. 
   a magnetic imaging system capable of detecting the at least one imaging coil; and   a 3-dimensional modeling and guidance system having a 3-dimensional model of the target site and in communication with the magnetic imaging system to provide an indication of the position of the catheter with respect to the target site.   
     
     
         9 . A method for ablating target cardiac comprising:
 positioning a catheter having an ultrasonic transducer in proximity to a target tissue;   determining a position of the catheter using magnetic resonance imaging;   guiding the catheter, based upon the determined position, to a treatment zone of the target tissue; and   treating the tissue with ultrasonic energy.