Composite Guide Wire Central Section for Sharp MRI Artifact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rod-shaped bodies for medical instruments, such as guide wires, face challenges in achieving improved mechanical properties, easier production, and enhanced visualization in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with sharper, more defined artifacts, while maintaining economic production methods.

Innovation Solution

A rod-shaped body design featuring a central section with non-metallic fiber bundles embedded in a doped non-ferromagnetic matrix material and a peripheral section with undoped matrix material, concentrating MR marker particles in the central section to create a narrow and sharp MRI artifact, combined with a flexible and strong fiber bundle arrangement for optimal mechanical properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If MR marker particles are distributed throughout the entire rod-shaped body, then visibility in MRI is improved, but the MRI artifact becomes broader and obscures more tissue

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveMRI visibilityVSAvoidtissue obscuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rod-shaped body is divided into a central section and a peripheral section. MR marker particles are concentrated only in the central section, while the peripheral section remains undoped. This segmentation allows the marker particles to provide sufficient MRI visibility while being confined to a smaller area, thereby reducing the breadth of the MRI artifact and minimizing tissue obscuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the rod-shaped body are given different properties: the central section contains MR marker particles for optimal MRI visibility, while the peripheral section is undoped to minimize artifact breadth. This local differentiation of quality allows the system to achieve both good visibility and reduced tissue obscuration simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If the diameter of the rod-shaped body is reduced to improve visualization, then MRI artifact narrowness is improved, but mechanical strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveartifact narrownessVSAvoidmechanical strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The rod-shaped body uses a composite structure combining a doped central section with an undoped peripheral section. This composite design allows the overall diameter to be reduced for narrower MRI artifacts while the peripheral section provides structural support and mechanical strength. The combination of doped and undoped materials optimizes both imaging performance and mechanical properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Manufacturing precision

If MR marker particles are concentrated in the central section, then MRI artifact sharpness is improved, but the quantity of marker particles is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveartifact sharpnessVSAvoidmarker particle quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the rod-shaped body into central and peripheral sections and concentrating marker particles only in the central section, the particles are confined to a smaller volume. This concentration achieves sharper MRI artifacts with better definition, while the total quantity of particles used is reduced compared to uniform distribution throughout the entire rod-shaped body.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design achieves a narrow and sharp MRI artifact similar to metallic guide wires, with improved mechanical strength and flexibility, allowing for better visualization and easier production, while minimizing tissue coverage and maintaining high product quality.

Implementation Method 1

The guide wire (7) is surrounded by a heat-shrink tube (8)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal contraction: Thermal Contraction

Data Source

PatentEP3878485A1Guidewire comprising a body of composite material encased in a shrink tubing

Publication Date: 2021.09.15 MARVIS INT GMBH

Figure 1~3

AI summary

A rod-shaped body according to the invention comprises a central section and a peripheral section, wherein the central section is arranged in the center of the rod-shaped body and is enclosed by the peripheral section. Both the central section and the peripheral section extend over substantially the entire length of the rod-shaped body. The central section has at least one non-metallic fiber bundle embedded in a non-ferromagnetic matrix material. The matrix material is doped with marker particles. The peripheral section has at least one undoped, non-ferromagnetic matrix material. The diameter of the central section is less than or equal to 0.2 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.15 mm, and even more preferably less than or equal to 0.1 mm, and particularly less than or equal to 0.08 mm.