An MRI Actuated and Imaged Concentric Tube Catheter

An MRI Actuated and Imaged Concentric Tube Catheter | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article An MRI Actuated and Imaged Concentric Tube Catheter Peter Lloyd, Nikita Murasovs, Yael May, Alistair Bacchetti, Ben Calme, and 6 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7629088/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 09 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Communications Engineering → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Two major challenges associated with robotic catheterization are, (a) the provision of controllable degrees of freedom (DoFs) and, (b) accessing feedback on the shape and pose of the catheter, safely and at a useful diameter-scale. Miniaturizable active steering can be provided via magnetic actuation and MRI offers high definition, radiation free, 3D images which can be leveraged as a shape sensor. For the higher controllable DoFs required for shape forming these two solutions are currently incompatible. Here, we propose a structurally adaptable “Coaxial Sleeve Magnetic Actuator” (CoSMA), driven by the background field of the MRI scanner. This enables multi-DoF motion and real-time feedback, both via the MRI system. Our approach combines the magnetic actuation principle of the easy axis of alignment with the mechanical principles of concentric tube designs. This concept allows for a materially flexible (E~1MPa), and therefore risk reduced, multi-DoF catheter. Low magnetic volume required for actuation minimizes imaging artifacts caused by magnetic elements permitting a view of both the CoSMA and the surrounding anatomy. We demonstrate the CoSMA, constructed of three coaxial components, two sleeves and one guidewire, with respective outer diameters of 3 mm, 1.5 mm and 0.4 mm, in an aortic arch phantom navigation within the bore of a pre-clinical MRI scanner. Physical sciences/Engineering/Biomedical engineering Physical sciences/Engineering/Mechanical engineering Physical sciences/Engineering/Electrical and electronic engineering Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files S1OverviewandPrincipleofOperation.mp4 Overview and principle of operation S2Freespacedemonstration.mp4 Free space demonstration S3AorticArchNavigations.mp4 Aortic Arch Navigation S4Manufacturing.mp4 Manufacturing Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 09 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Communications Engineering → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7629088","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":528667952,"identity":"642531d0-a2e4-4291-90a5-38f45a35b3ef","order_by":0,"name":"Peter Lloyd","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA0ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFAC5sYDQEKOD8iUgIiwEdLC2ADSYsxGspbENqK1mIO0fGyzTm9jbz548weDnTyDRFoCXi2WDYwNB2e2pee28RxLtuZhSDZskEg7gFeLwQHGhsO8bYdz2yRyzKSBLkxgkEhvIEpLOpv8+2+SPxjqideSwCbBA0QMh4FaCDjMshnolxnn0g3beNKMrXkMjgMZzxLwajEHBtSDD2XW8vzshx/e/FFRDWSkGeB3GDOQYITHhAEREQkx8A8hZaNgFIyCUTCiAQCuvj/YXyG2LwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4927-071X","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Peter","middleName":"","lastName":"Lloyd","suffix":""},{"id":528667953,"identity":"21dc7823-809d-4217-8400-ea72d7aaf823","order_by":1,"name":"Nikita Murasovs","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nikita","middleName":"","lastName":"Murasovs","suffix":""},{"id":528667954,"identity":"5c388398-5162-48a5-bedb-2ce40e56a268","order_by":2,"name":"Yael May","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4143-7201","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yael","middleName":"","lastName":"May","suffix":""},{"id":528667955,"identity":"09af299d-ffce-4015-b339-6265b5c562d2","order_by":3,"name":"Alistair Bacchetti","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Alistair","middleName":"","lastName":"Bacchetti","suffix":""},{"id":528667956,"identity":"0e279491-977e-4689-8ec2-d131c28dfd83","order_by":4,"name":"Ben Calme","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ben","middleName":"","lastName":"Calme","suffix":""},{"id":528667957,"identity":"97342742-89f2-4a4c-8d84-75bf23a496d8","order_by":5,"name":"joshua Davy","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"joshua","middleName":"","lastName":"Davy","suffix":""},{"id":528667958,"identity":"073a4a63-1608-41bc-888a-6f6de43a5298","order_by":6,"name":"Vittorio Francescon","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vittorio","middleName":"","lastName":"Francescon","suffix":""},{"id":528667959,"identity":"d45d7506-d9ad-43ab-8e3d-a8b24adcc566","order_by":7,"name":"James Chandler","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9232-4966","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"James","middleName":"","lastName":"Chandler","suffix":""},{"id":528667960,"identity":"031caadc-1864-4eec-9d4b-a72767d40286","order_by":8,"name":"Erica Dall'Armellina","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2165-7154","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Erica","middleName":"","lastName":"Dall'Armellina","suffix":""},{"id":528667961,"identity":"27853026-4945-4251-8211-f7b49cc9a7ed","order_by":9,"name":"Jurgen Schneider","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jurgen","middleName":"","lastName":"Schneider","suffix":""},{"id":528667962,"identity":"a3c1b6bb-d6bf-4612-848e-e7a9251b4cdf","order_by":10,"name":"Pietro Valdastri","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2280-5438","institution":"University of Leeds","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Pietro","middleName":"","lastName":"Valdastri","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-09-16 10:11:40","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7629088/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7629088/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-026-00636-1","type":"published","date":"2026-03-09T04:00:00+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":95349216,"identity":"32d69f9f-7620-4274-8f05-e8b062d1af89","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-07 04:10:59","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":19576035,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"MRIShapeForming15092025.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7629088/v1/ac755b61b12f38423c64a0fa.pdf"},{"id":95349213,"identity":"ca93d312-decc-4e75-9041-f999b290d9ad","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-07 04:10:58","extension":"json","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":11733,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"NCOMMS2573676.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7629088/v1/582571757f3c780434bef9c3.json"},{"id":107604297,"identity":"7069d428-42ec-4ea3-b8f7-4d912e97a9e4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-23 07:23:09","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2838798,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Article File","description":"","filename":"MRIShapeForming15092025.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7629088/v1_covered_7e481826-4b43-4a77-8c6d-50cb8c3930ab.pdf"},{"id":95349217,"identity":"509d01bf-23ca-49b1-8883-06350b7a96dd","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-07 04:10:59","extension":"mp4","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":38447037,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Overview and principle of operation","description":"","filename":"S1OverviewandPrincipleofOperation.mp4","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7629088/v1/c70850e7e9e295526f76802a.mp4"},{"id":95349215,"identity":"763845e5-db35-4fb5-bd2f-18dd27af5e20","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-07 04:10:58","extension":"mp4","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":18188477,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Free space demonstration","description":"","filename":"S2Freespacedemonstration.mp4","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7629088/v1/16904e0584f0c03c8c59e945.mp4"},{"id":95349218,"identity":"258c4d9e-2dd5-4b44-9776-8da5ed5a1c0c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-07 04:11:00","extension":"mp4","order_by":3,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":67946245,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eAortic Arch Navigation\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"S3AorticArchNavigations.mp4","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7629088/v1/e7c7722c75a401df545198a9.mp4"},{"id":95349214,"identity":"d2592437-b39c-427c-bf6f-572ac8e39fae","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-07 04:10:58","extension":"mp4","order_by":4,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":13286278,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eManufacturing\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"S4Manufacturing.mp4","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7629088/v1/c18bf2f5d86702a7026fb995.mp4"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"An MRI Actuated and Imaged Concentric Tube Catheter","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7629088/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7629088/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Two major challenges associated with robotic catheterization are, (a) the provision of controllable \r\ndegrees of freedom (DoFs) and, (b) accessing feedback on the shape and pose of the catheter, safely and at a useful diameter-scale. Miniaturizable active steering can be provided via magnetic actuation and MRI offers high definition, radiation free, 3D images which can be leveraged as a\r\nshape sensor. For the higher controllable DoFs required for shape forming these two solutions\r\nare currently incompatible. Here, we propose a structurally adaptable “Coaxial Sleeve Magnetic\r\nActuator” (CoSMA), driven by the background field of the MRI scanner. This enables multi-DoF\r\nmotion and real-time feedback, both via the MRI system. Our approach combines the magnetic\r\nactuation principle of the easy axis of alignment with the mechanical principles of concentric tube\r\ndesigns. This concept allows for a materially flexible (E~1MPa), and therefore risk reduced,\r\nmulti-DoF catheter. Low magnetic volume required for actuation minimizes imaging artifacts caused\r\nby magnetic elements permitting a view of both the CoSMA and the surrounding anatomy. We\r\ndemonstrate the CoSMA, constructed of three coaxial components, two sleeves and one guidewire,\r\nwith respective outer diameters of 3 mm, 1.5 mm and 0.4 mm, in an aortic arch phantom navigation\r\nwithin the bore of a pre-clinical MRI scanner.","manuscriptTitle":"An MRI Actuated and Imaged Concentric Tube Catheter","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-07 04:10:54","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7629088/v1","editorialEvents":[],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"communications-engineering","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"commseng","sideBox":"Learn more about [Communications Engineering](http://link.springer.com/journal/44172)","snPcode":"44172","submissionUrl":"https://mts-commseng.nature.com/cgi-bin/main.plex","title":"Communications Engineering","twitterHandle":"@commseng","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f28829f7-8980-45ec-876f-15d93a7e3d55","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 7th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[{"id":56186109,"name":"Physical sciences/Engineering/Biomedical engineering"},{"id":56186110,"name":"Physical sciences/Engineering/Mechanical engineering"},{"id":56186111,"name":"Physical sciences/Engineering/Electrical and electronic engineering"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-23T07:23:00+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7629088","link":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-026-00636-1","journal":{"identity":"communications-engineering","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Communications Engineering"},"publishedOn":"2026-03-09 04:00:00","publishedOnDateReadable":"March 9th, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-07 04:10:54","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1038/s44172-026-00636-1","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-026-00636-1","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7629088","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7629088","identity":"rs-7629088","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}