CATHETER VISUALIZATION IN MR TOMOGRAPHY - FIRST ANIMAL EXPERIMENTAL EXPERIENCES WITH FIELD INHOMOGENEITY CATHETERS

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of a new developed field inhomogene ity catheter for interventional MR imaging in vivo. Materials and meth ods: Three different prototypes of a field inhomogeneity catheter were investigated in 6 pigs. The catheters were introduced in Seldinger te chnique via the femoral vessels over a guide wire on an interventional MR system (Philips Gyroscan NT combined with a C-arm fluoroscopy unit [Philips BV 212]). Catheters were placed in veins and arteries. The c atheter position was controlled by a fast gradient echo sequence (Turb o Field Echo[TFE]). Results: Catheters were introduced over a guide wi re without complications in all cases. Using the field inhomogeneity c oncept, catheters were easily visualised in the inferior vena cava and the aorta by the fast gradient echo technique on MR in all cases. Alt hough aortic branches were successfully cannulated, the catheters were not displayed by the TFE technique due to the complex and tortuous an atomy. All animals survived the experiments without complications. Con clusion: MR guided visualisation of a field inhomogeneity catheter is a simple concept: which can be realised on each MR scanner and may all ow intravascular MR guided interventions in future.