Pelvic MRI Localization Guide With Integrated Coil And Fiducials

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current MRI-guided interventions lack a comprehensive system that integrates fiducials with the MR receive coil, limiting their effectiveness in demarcating patient anatomy and guiding interventional devices, particularly for pelvic procedures.

Innovation Solution

A stereotactic perineum positioning device that includes a frame with a patient receive coil and a fiducial array, allowing for MR-visible fiducials and a fiducial receive coil to be integrated, enabling precise localization and guidance during MRI-guided pelvic interventions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If standalone fiducials are used without integration into the MR receive coil, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and reliability of anatomy demarcation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidmeasurement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the MR receive coil and fiducial array into a single integrated device, where the fiducial array is mounted directly on the receive coil structure. This merging ensures that the fiducials and coil move together as one unit, eliminating registration errors between separate components while maintaining relatively simple device construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If generic fiducial systems are used without body-part specific design, then adaptability is reduced, but device complexity is lowered

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the fiducial array and receive coil with specific geometric configurations tailored for pelvic anatomy imaging. The fiducial markers are positioned and oriented to optimize demarcation of pelvic structures, and the coil geometry is adapted to conform to the pelvic region, providing localized optimization rather than a generic one-size-fits-all approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If fiducials are not integrated into the receive coil, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of interventional guidance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the fiducial array directly onto the receive coil structure, the patent ensures that both components function as a unified system during MRI-guided interventions. This integration maintains ease of operation through streamlined setup while significantly improving reliability by eliminating misalignment between separate fiducial and coil systems, ensuring accurate and consistent anatomy demarcation throughout the procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Enables precise registration and guidance of interventional devices, such as biopsy tools, by creating a common coordinate system for MR-acquired images and physical templates, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of pelvic interventions.

Implementation Method 1

MRI or other imaging modalities often use fiducials to demark the location of a patient's anatomy and/or location of an interventional device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic resonance imaging: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentEP4330699B1Interventional localization guide and method for MRI guided pelvic interventions
Publication Date: 2025.07.09 PROMAXO INC
  • EP4330699B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4330699B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4330699B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Interventional localization guides and methods for MRI guided pelvic interventions are disclosed. The interventional localization guides can include a stereotactic perineum positioning device having integrated MR receive coil array and fiducial receive array. The interventional localization guide can also include a physical template for guiding a surgical device, such as a biopsy needle. In various instances, the MRI guided pelvic interventions including co-registering biopsy locations on third party MRI scans.