| abstract |
Catheters and other medical devices include a non-metallic member having paramagnetic ionic particles fixedly incorporated therethrough in order to provide enhanced detectability when viewed by magnetic imaging regardless of the orientation of the non-metallic member in the magnetic field. Catheters are usually formed from polymeric tubing, and the paramagnetic ionic particles are usually formed from paramagnetic ions incorporated with water or other proton-donating fluid into carrier particles, such as zeolites, molecular sieves, clays, synthetic ion exchange resins, and microcapsules. Catheters and other medical devices include a non-metallic member having small iron and/or superparamagnetic particles fixedly incorporated therethrough or thereover in order to provide enhanced detectability when viewed by magnetic imaging. Catheters are usually formed from polymeric tubing, and the iron and/or superparamagnetic particles at or near the surface of the catheter interact with the water protons of the surrounding patient's body to provide image enhancement regardless of the orientation of the polymeric or other non-metallic material in the magnetic field. |