A fibre-optic catheter-tip force sensor with MRI compatibility: a feasibility study.
This paper presents the development of a low-cost, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatible fibre-optic sensor for integration with catheters allowing the detection of contact forces between blood vessel walls and the catheter tip. Three plastic optical-fibres are aligned inside a plastic catheter in a circular pattern. A reflector is attached to a separate small part of the catheter tip, which is connected with a small deformable material to the aligned optical-fibres. In this manner a force at the catheter tip leads to a deformation of the elastic material and thus a modulation of the light yields, this is sent and received through the optical-fibres. An electronic circuit amplifies the retrieved light signal and the output voltage is used to classify the forces on the tip. The materials used are of the shelf and have a low magnetic susceptibility making this sensor fully MRI-compatible and inexpensive. Preliminary, experimental results demonstrated good force linearity in static loading and unloading conditions. The sensor was also tested in an artificial blood artery showing good dynamic response.
Polygerinos
Panagiotis
P
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK. panagiotis.polygerinos@kcl.ac.uk
Schaeffter
Tobias
T
Seneviratne
Lakmal
L
Althoefer
Kaspar
K
D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation*