SPIO-coating of devices for MPI-guided cardiovascular interventions: Proof of principle

Initial studies have demonstrated that cardiovascular interventions should be feasible under MPI guidance with high temporal and sufficient spatial resolution. However, the interventional devices need to be visualized and must be safe. It is possible to visualize balloon-catheters for dilatation of vascular stenosis by filling their second lumen with a Resovist suspension[1], but this is not possible for diagnostic catheters and guide wires, as they possess only one or no lumen, respectively. The aim of this study was to develop a SPIO-based coating for visualization of Nitinol-based guide wires and diagnostic catheters, which have shown neither heating nor the occurrence of artifacts in MPI systems[2, 3].