Developing a MRI Compatible Pacemaker

Millions of patients have had their lives saved or their quality of life significantly improved bypacemakers. A technology emerging as an indispensable clinical diagnostic tool is magnetic resonanceHowever, the MRI electromagnetic fields can cause malfunction of pacemakers, adversely affective patcan also generate magnetic fields that distort the MR images. Because of these adverse effects, paticannot undergo diagnostic testing with MRI. We have demonstrated that pacing can be safely performedimaging, without distortion of images, as long as the pacemaker itself and the pacemaker input are aagainst electromagnetic interference. We have also demonstrated that conducting cases can be built wimage, do not cause heating, and do not have forces applied to them by the magnetic field. This projdeveloping a prototype MRI-compatible pacemaker that can be implanted and tested in an animal model.principles validated in Phase I will be used during Phase II to build clinical prototypes for generaobtain an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the Food and Drug Administration to start clintechnology.