Technology ID
TAB-4541

Segmented Metallic MRI Guidewires Using Stiffness-matched Nonconductive Connectors for Catheterization Procedures

E-Numbers
E-253-2014-0
Lead Inventor
Basar, Burcu (NHLBI)
Co-Inventors
Lederman, Robert (NHLBI)
Kocaturk, Ozgur (Bogazici University)
Applications
Medical Devices
Therapeutic Areas
Cardiology
Development Stages
Pre-clinical (in vivo)
Research Products
Research Equipment
Lead IC
NHLBI
ICs
NHLBI

This technology includes a metallic guidewire that is suitable for MRI catheterization, because it is mechanically long but electrically consists of short conductive segments that cannot resonate during MRI. The invention consists of stiffness-matched non-conductive connectors or connections that are used along with short metallic segments. The embodiment reduced to practice has torquability and flexibility comparable to marketed metallic guidewires, yet is free from MRI heating.

Commercial Applications
A guidewire is a fundamental tool for catheter procedures; an MRI guidewire is a fundamentally enabling tool for MRI catheter procedures.

Competitive Advantages
The solution is novel, useful, and non-obvious as it solves the problem of heating during radiofrequency excitation without the complexity of detuning and decoupling electronic circuitry, and is mechanically suitable as a guidewire, yet it is immune to heating under MRI at specified field strengths.
Licensing Contact:
Mistry, Pragnesh
pragnesh.mistry@nih.gov