IP Requirement: Emory IP

Experience Requirement:

– Mechanical Design

– Rapid Prototyping

Pulmonary Artery Catheters (PAC) are diagnostic tools used to measure invasive hemodynamics in critically ill patients. The catheter requires central venous access through an introducer central venous catheter. These catheters are used almost exclusively in cardiac critical care units for real-time hemodynamic monitoring with mixed venous oxygen content sampling. The utility of invasive hemodynamic monitoring includes timely decision-making regarding hemodynamic optimization as well as differentiation between different types of shock states. A current limitation of pulmonary artery catheters is the inability to undergo MRI scans while the catheter is inserted due to issues related to ferromagnetic materials in current catheters, heating of materials, and interference with the electromagnetic field during scans, all of which are safety concerns for patients. However, some studies have supported the use of pulmonary catheters in low-field MRI. There are currently no marketable pulmonary artery catheters with MRI compatibility.

Patients that require MRI scans for various clinical indications in the cardiac critical care unit require removal and re-insertion of pulmonary artery catheters to facilitate getting these scans performed. This is not a trivial process, as further venous cannulation poses procedural risks, and it requires time and effort from clinicians. 

There are practical benefits for designing a pulmonary artery catheter compatible with MRI. MRI scanners are a limited commodity in most hospitals, and this can lead to delays in the progression of patient care plans leading to prolonged hospital stays. Hardware and devices that are not MRI-compatible only worsen this metric. In addition, prolonged hospitalization is associated with increased risk of hospital-acquired infections. An MRI-compatible pulmonary artery catheter could facilitate a faster progression through an inpatient hospitalization and decreased health care costs. 

The researcher proposes a pulmonary artery catheter with standard capabilities of detecting central venous pressure, pulmonary artery pressures, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressures using technology that would be compatible and safe with high-field MRI. Students will work with the project sponsor and potentially other professionals familiar with MRI technology including MRI technicians and radiologists. A functional product could potentially rival current pulmonary artery catheters as related to hospital quality metrics and associated costs.