An Analytical Model for Intravascular MR Antennas

For interventional magnetic resonance imaging a need exists for intravascular MR antennas. These antennas need to be employed for the tracking of guide wires and catheters through blood vessels during surgery and/or for obtaining high resolution images of vessel walls. Such images cannot be obtained by conventional MRI operation due to the high signal to noise ratio of the signals received with conventional receiver coils. By inserting receiver coils (antennas) into the blood vessels, the SNR can be improved up to a level that obtaining high resolution images becomes feasible.