Patent ID: 6246896
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An ablation system which comprises:a) an ablation device having an operating end for guidance by an operator into a treatment position adjacent target tissues in patient;b) a tracking coil mounted in the ablation device near said operating end, said tracking coil being operable to acquire tracking data and to deliver radio frequency current which treats the target tissues;c) conductors mounted in the ablation device and coupled to the tracking coil, the conductors extending from the operating end toward a non-operating end of the ablation device;d) a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system for acquiring image data from the patient being treated and being said MRI system being connected to the conductors for acquiring NMR tracking data from the tracking coil as the ablation device is guided into the treatment position, the MRl system being operable to display an image reconstructed from the acquired image data and the acquired NMR tracking data which depicts the location of the tracking coil in the patient; ande) an ablation control having a radio frequency power source which is coupled to the tracking coil to control delivery of radio frequency current which treats the target tissues.