Purpose

To assess the feasibility of multiplanar vascular navigation with a new magnetically assisted remote-controlled (MARC) catheter with real-time magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 1.5 T and 3 T and to compare it with standard x-ray guidance in simulated endovascular catheterization procedures.

Materials and methods

A 1.6-mm-diameter custom clinical-grade microcatheter prototype with lithographed double-saddle coils at the distal tip was deflected with real-time MR imaging. Two inexperienced operators and two experienced operators catheterized anteroposterior (celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric arteries) and mediolateral (renal arteries) branch vessels in a cryogel abdominal aortic phantom. This was repeated with conventional x-ray fluoroscopy by using clinical catheters and guidewires. Mean procedure times and percentage success data were analyzed with linear mixed-effects regression.

Results

The MARC catheter tip was visible at 1.5 T and 3 T. Among inexperienced operators, MARC MR imaging guidance was not statistically different from x-ray guidance at 1.5 T (67% successful vessel selection turns with MR imaging vs 76% with x-ray guidance, P = .157) and at 3 T (75% successful turns with MR imaging vs 76% with x-ray guidance, P = .869). Experienced operators were more successful in catheterizing vessels with x-ray guidance (98% success within 60 seconds) than with 1.5-T (65%, P < .001) or 3-T (75%) MR imaging. Among inexperienced operators, mean procedure time was nearly equivalent by using MR imaging (31 seconds) and x-ray guidance (34 seconds, P = .436). Among experienced operators, catheterization was faster with x-ray guidance (20 seconds) compared with 1.5-T MR imaging (42 seconds, P < .001), but MARC guidance improved at 3 T (31 seconds). MARC MR imaging guidance at 3 T was not significantly different from x-ray guidance for the celiac (P = .755), superior mesenteric (P = .358), and inferior mesenteric (P = .065) arteries.

Conclusion

Multiplanar navigation with a new MARC catheter with real-time MR imaging at 1.5 T and 3 T is feasible and comparable to x-ray guidance for anteroposterior vessels at 3 T in a vascular phantom.

Purpose

To compare in vitro navigation of a magnetically assisted remote-controlled (MARC) catheter under real-time magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with manual navigation under MR imaging and standard x-ray guidance in endovascular catheterization procedures in an abdominal aortic phantom.

Materials and methods

The 2-mm-diameter custom clinical-grade microcatheter prototype with a solenoid coil at the distal tip was deflected with a foot pedal actuator used to deliver 300 mA of positive or negative current. Investigators navigated the catheter into branch vessels in a custom cryogel abdominal aortic phantom. This was repeated under MR imaging guidance without magnetic assistance and under conventional x-ray fluoroscopy. MR experiments were performed at 1.5 T by using a balanced steady-state free precession sequence. The mean procedure times and percentage success data were determined and analyzed with a linear mixed-effects regression analysis.

Results

The catheter was clearly visible under real-time MR imaging. One hundred ninety-two (80%) of 240 turns were successfully completed with magnetically assisted guidance versus 144 (60%) of 240 turns with nonassisted guidance (P < .001) and 119 (74%) of 160 turns with standard x-ray guidance (P = .028). Overall mean procedure time was shorter with magnetically assisted than with nonassisted guidance under MR imaging (37 seconds ± 6 [standard error of the mean] vs 55 seconds ± 3, P < .001), and time was comparable between magnetically assisted and standard x-ray guidance (37 seconds ± 6 vs 44 seconds ± 3, P = .045). When stratified by angle of branch vessel, magnetic assistance was faster than nonassisted MR guidance at turns of 45°, 60°, and 75°.

Conclusion

In this study, a MARC catheter for endovascular navigation under real-time MR imaging guidance was developed and tested. For catheterization of branch vessels arising at large angles, magnetically assisted catheterization was faster than manual catheterization under MR imaging guidance and was comparable to standard x-ray guidance.

Interventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could allow for diagnosis and immediate treatment of ischemic stroke; however, such endovascular catheter-based procedures under MRI guidance are inherently difficult. One major challenge is tracking the tip of the catheter, as standard fabrication methods for building inductively coupled coil markers are rigid and bulky. Here, we report a new approach that uses aerosol jet deposition to three-dimensional (3-D) print an inductively coupled RF coil marker on a polymer catheter. Our approach enables lightweight conforming markers on polymer catheters and these low-profile markers allow the catheter to be more safely navigated in small caliber vessels. Prototype markers with an inductor with the geometry of a double helix are incorporated on catheters for in vitro studies, and we show that these markers exhibit good signal amplification. We report temperature measurements and, finally, demonstrate feasibility in a preliminary in vivo experiment. We provide material properties and electromagnetic simulation performance analysis. This paper presents fully aerosol jet-deposited and functional wireless resonant markers on polymer catheters for use in 3T clinical scanners.

To develop a novel endovascular chemotherapy filter (CF) able to remove excess drug from the blood during intra-arterial chemotherapy delivery (IAC), thus preventing systemic toxicities and thereby enabling higher dose IAC. A flow circuit containing 2.5 mL of ion-exchange resin was constructed. Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) containing 50 mg doxorubicin (Dox) was placed in the flow model with the hypothesis that doxorubicin would bind rapidly to resin. To simulate IAC, 50 mg of doxorubicin was infused over 10 min into the flow model containing resin. Similar testing was repeated with porcine serum. Doxorubicin concentrations were measured over 60 min and compared to controls (without resin). Single-pass experiments were also performed. Based on these experiments, an 18F CF was constructed with resin in its tip. In a pilot porcine study, the device was deployed under fluoroscopy. A control hepatic doxorubicin IAC model (no CF placed) was developed in another animal. A second CF device was created with a resin membrane and tested in the infrarenal inferior vena cava (IVC) of a swine. In the PBS model, resin bound 76% of doxorubicin in 10 min, and 92% in 30 min (P < 0.001). During IAC simulation, 64% of doxorubicin bound in 10 min and 96% in 60 min (P < 0.001). On average, 51% of doxorubicin concentration was reduced during each pass in single pass studies. In porcine serum, 52% of doxorubicin bound in 10 min, and 80% in 30 min (P < 0.05). CF device placement and administration of IAC were successful in three animals. No clot was present on the resin within the CF following the in vivo study. The infrarenal IVC swine study demonstrated promising results with up to 85% reduction in peak concentration by the CF device. An endovascular CF device was developed and shown feasible in vitro. An in vivo model was established with promising results supporting high-capacity rapid doxorubicin filtration from the blood that can be further evaluated in future studies.

Purpose To assess the feasibility of a magnetically assisted remote-controlled (MARC) catheter system under magnetic resonance (MR) imaging guidance for performing a simple endovascular procedure (ie, renal artery embolization) in vivo and to compare with x-ray guidance to determine the value of MR imaging guidance and the specific areas where the MARC system can be improved. Materials and Methods In concordance with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee protocol, in vivo renal artery navigation and embolization were tested in three farm pigs (mean weight 43 kg ± 2 [standard deviation]) under real-time MR imaging at 1.5 T. The MARC catheter device was constructed by using an intramural copper-braided catheter connected to a laser-lithographed saddle coil at the distal tip. Interventionalists controlled an in-room cart that delivered electrical current to deflect the catheter in the MR imager. Contralateral kidneys were similarly embolized under x-ray guidance by using standard clinical catheters and guidewires. Changes in renal artery flow and perfusion were measured before and after embolization by using velocity-encoded and perfusion MR imaging. Catheter navigation times, renal parenchymal perfusion, and renal artery flow rates were measured for MR-guided and x-ray-guided embolization procedures and are presented as means ± standard deviation in this pilot study. Results Embolization was successful in all six kidneys under both x-ray and MR imaging guidance. Mean catheterization time with MR guidance was 93 seconds ± 56, compared with 60 seconds ± 22 for x-ray guidance. Mean changes in perfusion rates were 4.9 au/sec ± 0.8 versus 4.6 au/sec ± 0.6, and mean changes in renal flow rate were 2.1 mL/min/g ± 0.2 versus 1.9 mL/min/g ± 0.2 with MR imaging and x-ray guidance, respectively. Conclusion The MARC catheter system is feasible for renal artery catheterization and embolization under real-time MR imaging in vivo, and quantitative physiologic measures under MR imaging guidance were similar to those measured under x-ray guidance, suggesting that the MARC catheter system could be used for endovascular procedures with interventional MR imaging. (©) RSNA, 2016.