Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.

Johns Hopkins University

Other

Devicor Medical Products, Inc.

Resonex, Inc.

Biopsys Medical

Elias A Zerhouni

Fred H Burbank

Mark Andrew Ritchart

Thomas J Fogarty

Timothy J Ryan

Wayne E Manska

Seth Arnold Foerster

Paul Arthur Bottomley

Ergin Atalar

David M Parish

In order to later identify the location of a biopsy or surgery, various means and methods for permanently and non-surgically marking selected tissue in the human body are used. Later visualization of the markers is readily accomplished using state-of-the-art imaging systems.

Methods and devices for defining and marking tissue

Devices for defining and marking tissue

Implantable devices are disclosed for marking the location of a biopsy or surgery for the purpose of identification. The devices are remotely delivered, preferably percutaneously. Visualization of the markers is readily accomplished using various state of the art imaging systems. Using the inventive systems, it is possible to permanently mark the location or margins of a lesion or other tissue site, prior to removing or sampling same. The markers function to provide evidence of the location of the lesion after the procedure is completed, for reference during future examinations or procedures.

Devices for marking and defining particular locations in body tissue

A method and device for the automated biopsy and collection of soft tissue having a piercing needle with a receiving port to trap tissue prior to cutting. A motor drive directs and positions the tissue receiving port at a lesion site in arbitrary positions about and along the longitudinal axis of the device. A cutter advances into the receiving chamber and severs tissue which has prolapsed into the receiving port. The severed tissue is then removed from the receiving port without removing the piercing needle receiving port from the lesion site, thus allowing for the accurate, rapid removal of an arbitrary number of core samples with only one insertion. A tissue sample cassette provides storage for the samples as well as a means for coding and decoding the location from which the samples were obtained. Together, these features allow for more accurate and complete sampling of large lesions, for the complete removal of small lesions or removal of other tissue for a variety of reasons.

Method and apparatus for automated biopsy and collection of soft tissue

Apparatus for automated biopsy and collection of soft tissue

The invention provides a method for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic analysis of the interior of a specimen which includes positioning the specimen within a main magnetic field, introducing an invasive probe having an elongated receiver coil into or adjacent to the specimen with the coil having at least one pair of elongated electrical conductors, preferably, generally parallel to each other disposed within a dielectric material and having a pair of ends electrically connected to each other. RF pulses are provided to the region of interest to excite magnetic resonance signals, gradient magnetic pulses are applied to the region of interest with the receiver coil receiving magnetic resonance signals and emitting responsive output signals which may be processed by a computer to provide image information for display in a desired manner. The method in a preferred form involves employing a flexible receiver coil which has uniform sensitivity along the coil and may be operated even when the magnetic resonance signal is in an oblique position. Tuning capacitance may be distributed along the length of the coil and/or a Faraday screen provided to minimize dielectric losses between the coil and the surrounding material of the specimen. The method may be used on a wide variety of specimens and in a preferred use is introduced into small blood vessels of a patient to facilitate determination of atherosclerotic plaque. Medical intervention procedures, such as plaque removal, may be employed generally simultaneously with the imaging of the present invention. Corresponding apparatus is provided.

Method of internal magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic analysis

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method imposes void planes on tissue to be imaged, which may form a grid pattern of lines which, when later imaged, produces a reference void in the image. This is especially useful in studies of the heart where the contraction and relaxation of the heart can thus be measured. Also for static tissue the method is useful for radiation therapy port planning. The grid reference or void planes are formed by a simple use of an RF pulse in conjunction with the use of a slice select gradient which provides sufficient power so that those protons in the grid are saturated so that in the later imaging step there will be significant spin echo signal difference between the grid imposed areas and the remaining regions of the tissue.

Magnetic resonance imaging method

Disclosed is a test phantom for evaluating a computed tomographic scan of nodules in a lung of a human or non-human animal comprising a device which simulates a 15 to 40 mm thick transverse section of said animal the tissue simulating portions of said device are constructed of materials having radiographic densities substantially identical to those of the corresponding tissue in said simulated transverse section of said animal and contain voids therein which simulate, in size and shape, the lung cavities in said transverse section. At least one of the voids has positioned therein a test reference device constructed of a material of predetermined radiographic density which simulates a lung nodule.

Radiographic test phantom for computed tomographic lung nodule analysis

Growing community of inventors

Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Elias A Zerhouni