ELECTROMAGNETIC REAL-TIME TRACKING DURING MRI SCANNING

微创诊断和治疗干预在目前的临床实践中得到了广泛的应用，其应用前景有望进一步扩大。Robin MEDICAL, Inc.的目标是开发改进的设备实时位置跟踪技术，这是图像引导干预的重要组成部分。这项新技术特别适用于磁共振成像（MRI），有望成为图像引导干预的主导因素。微创干预的广泛应用将为患者提供更好的治疗，并降低医疗保健系统的成本。第一阶段的研究和开发计划集中在MR扫描期间跟踪的实时原型的技术开发，以及在不同扫描协议下演示其准确性和稳定性。与目前可用的光学和电磁跟踪系统不同，新的无源电磁技术可用于跟踪无限数量的设备，可与非刚性设备（例如导管）一起使用，不限制操作员的位置和操作，价格约为当前系统价格水平的10-20%。性能的提高和成本的降低将使这项技术能够在全国各种规模的医院和诊所中得到应用。建议的商业应用：用诊断性MRI消除运动伪影：许多成像方式（相位对比血管造影、扩散成像和带有回声平面成像（EPI）的功能性MRI）对运动伪影非常敏感，可以通过实时跟踪图像对象（例如头部）来消除或减少运动伪影。介入性MRI跟踪系统：MRI引导下活检针的插入，图像引导下微创手术器械的跟踪，将MRI扫描定位于设备的位置，以控制干预的效果（例如射频，冷冻，或化学消融和激光光凝）腔内干预：跟踪血管内导管或腔内内窥镜，以帮助操作员将设备引导到特定的目标。

Minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are widely used in current clinical practice and their utility is expected to grow further. Robin MEDICAL, Inc., aims to develop improved technology for real-time position tracking of devices, an essential component for image-guided interventions. The new technology is specifically useful with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which is expected to become a dominant factor in image-guide interventions. Wide application of minimally invasive interventions will provide better treatment to patients as well as lower cost to the healthcare system. The Phase I research and development plan concentrates on technical development of a real-time prototype for tracking during MR scanning and on demonstration of its accuracy and stability with different scanning protocols. Unlike currently available optical and electromagnetic tracking systems the new passive electromagnetic technology can be used to track unlimited number of devices, can be used with non-rigid devices (e.g. catheters), does not limit the position and the maneuvers of the operator, and will be priced at about 10-20% of the current systems' price level. The improved performance and the reduced cost will enable a national-wide application of the technology in hospitals of all sizes and in clinics. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Motion artifacts elimination with diagnostic MRI: Many imaging modalities (phase contrast angiography, diffusion imaging, and functional MRI with echo-planar imaging (EPI)) are extremely sensitive to motion artifacts, which can be eliminated or reduced with real-time tracking of the images object (e.g. the head). Tracking system for interventional MRI: MRI-guided insertion of the biopsy needle, tracking of instruments for image-guided, minimally invasive surgery, slaving the MRI scan to the location of the device, to control the effect of interventions (e.g. radio- frequency, cryo, or chemical ablation and laser photocoagulation) intraluminal interventions: Tracking catheters inside blood vessels or intraluminal endoscopes to assist the operator to steer the device into a specific target.