Use of a Nonmetallic Guide Wire for Magnetic Resonance-Guided Coronary Artery Catheterization

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Metallic guide wires can be subject to substantial heating when used in the magnetic resonance (MR) environment. Therefore, animal experiments were performed to test the feasibility of a non-metallic and MR-safe guide wire with passive markers for catheterization of coronary arteries under MR guidance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Self-made guide wires consisting of a resin-microparticle compound covered by polytetrafluoroethylene were used to catheterize both coronary arteries of swine together with a non-braided catheter. Time needed for catheterization was recorded. RESULTS: MR-guided coronary artery catheterization with passive visualization of a self-made non-metallic guide wire is possible. In average 141 seconds (SD 68) were needed to manipulate the guide wire together with a catheter from the carotid artery into the left or right coronary artery ostium. CONCLUSION: Standard nitinol guide wires have to be considered unsafe for MR-guided interventions due to possible heating of electrical conducting structures in the MR environment. Passive visualization techniques allow MR-guided catheterization of small arteries like coronaries. However, there is the substantial disadvantage of obscuring the underlying anatomy of small vessels by the passive markers needed for real-time MR guidance.