Active Catheter Tracking in Air Cavities Using a Semisolid Signal Source

Stefan Alt¹, Reiner Umathum¹, Wolfhard Semmler¹, Michael Bock¹

An active tracking catheter using a semisolid rubber as signal source was constructed to be used for MRI-guided interventions in air-filled cavities of the body. Exploiting the short relaxation time of the material and providing suppression of interfering signals, a special tracking sequence and algorithm is shown. Results from phantom and animal experiments with a tracking catheter prototype are presented.