First Dedicated Balloon Catheter for Magnetic Particle Imaging

Vascular interventions are a promising application of Magnetic Particle Imaging enabling a high spatial and temporal resolution without using ionizing radiation. The possibility to visualize the vessels as well as the devices, especially at the same time using multi-contrast approaches, enables a higher accuracy for diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases. Different techniques to make devices MPI visible have been introduced so far, such as varnish markings or filling of balloons. However, all approaches include challenges for in vivo applications, such as the stability of the varnishing or the visibility of tracer filled balloons in deflated state. In this contribution, we present for the first time a balloon catheter that is molded from a granulate incorporating nanoparticles and can be visualized sufficiently in MPI. Computed tomography is used to show the homogeneous distribution of particles within the material. Safety measurements confirm that the incorporation of nanoparticles has no negative effect on the balloon. A dynamic experiment is performed to show that the inflation as well as deflation of the balloon can be imaged with MPI.