Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Tools for MRI Procedures
Fraunhofer Life Sciences Engineering Group
- © 2008 Fraunhofer LSE Group.
Applicators and guide wires for interventional MRI
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Objective
Minimally invasive surgery is an appealing treatment method that alleviates physical stress, speeds recovery, and reduces health care costs for the patient. Due to miniaturization of diagnostic, imaging, and therapy systems, large regions of internal tissue can now be accessed, assessed, and medicated with miminal trauma to the surrounding tissue. Because only a narrow field of view is required, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an effective visualization technique. The feasibility of such integration is hindered, however, by a major technical obstacle: MRI use strong magnetic fields that prohibit the use of metallic surgical instruments.
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Methodology
To address this problem with minimally invasive, MRI-enhanced surgery, we are working to construct a miniature, navigable endoscopic catheter made of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP). Equipped with several operating channels that can be used by distinct applicators, this versatile tool combines diagnostic and therapeutic functionalities, which could be used for tumor characterization and treatment. Other modules for imaging, temperature, medication, irrigation, spectroscopy, and oxygen saturation measurement can also be used with this new FRP design.
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Results
- Optimization of FRP manufacturing for medical applications
- Development of non-magnetic, FRP medical instruments
- Fabrication of FRP guide wires and multi-lumen catheters
- Metrology integration for diagnostic functionality
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