Patents by Inventor Robbert M. Maes

Robbert M. Maes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7996062
    Abstract: Methods for confirming location of a catheter tip relative to a targeted location in a blood vessel of a subject and improving visualization of the blood vessels downstream of the catheter tip are provided. The methods comprise acquiring and displaying a first modified MR image of the subject's blood vessels between an insertion site for the catheter and the targeted location; acquiring and displaying a sequence of modified MR images of the blood vessels to monitor advancement of an inserted catheter from the insertion site to an intraluminal stop site at or near the targeted location; delivering a bolus of a magnetic resonance contrast agent through the tip of the catheter and to the intraluminal stop site, wherein the magnetic contrast agent alters the first modified MR image of the subject's blood vessels; acquiring and displaying an updated second MR modified image of the blood vessels at and downstream of the tip of the catheter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
    Inventors: Frank K. Wacker, Jeffrey L. Duerk, Jonathan S. Lewin, Robbert M. Maes
  • Publication number: 20100106007
    Abstract: Methods for confirming location of a catheter tip relative to a targeted location in a blood vessel of a subject and improving visualization of the blood vessels downstream of the catheter tip are provided. The methods comprise acquiring and displaying a first modified MR image of the subject's blood vessels between an insertion site for the catheter and the targeted location; acquiring and displaying a sequence of modified MR images of the blood vessels to monitor advancement of an inserted catheter from the insertion site to an intraluminal stop site at or near the targeted location; delivering a bolus of a magnetic resonance contrast agent through the tip of the catheter and to the intraluminal stop site, wherein the magnetic contrast agent alters the first modified MR image of the subject's blood vessels; acquiring and displaying an updated second MR modified image of the blood vessels at and downstream of the tip of the catheter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Frank K. Wacker, Jeffrey L. Duerk, Jonathan S. Lewin, Robbert M. Maes
  • Patent number: 7623903
    Abstract: A method to detect the location of a catheter relative to a targeted location in a blood vessel is provided. One example method includes acquiring and displaying magnetic resonance (MR) images while a first MR contrast agent is present and while the operation of that first MR contrast agent is counter-acted by a second MR contrast agent. Both MR contrast agents may be introduced into a blood vessel by the catheter whose position is to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Inventors: Frank K. Wacker, Jeffrey L. Duerk, Jonathan S. Lewin, Robbert M. Maes
  • Publication number: 20040039278
    Abstract: Methods for confirming location of a catheter tip relative to a targeted location in a blood vessel of a subject and improving visualization of the blood vessels downstream of the catheter tip are provided. The methods comprise acquiring and displaying a first modified MR image of the subject's blood vessels between an insertion site for the catheter and the targeted location; acquiring and displaying a sequence of modified MR images of the blood vessels to monitor advancement of an inserted catheter from the insertion site to an intralumimal stop site at or near the targeted location; delivering a bolus of a magnetic resonance contrast agent through the tip of the catheter and to the intraluminal stop site, wherein the magnetic contrast agent alters the first modified MR image of the subject's blood vessels; acquiring and displaying an updated second MR modified image of the blood vessels at and downstream of the tip of the catheter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Frank K. Wacker, Jeffrey L. Duerk, Jonathan S. Lewin, Robbert M. Maes