A tank filter is provided for a lead wire of an active medical device
(AMD). The tank filter includes a capacitor in parallel with an inductor.
The parallel capacitor and inductor are placed in series with the lead
wire of the AMD, wherein values of capacitance and inductance are
selected such that the tank filter is resonant at a selected frequency. A
passageway through the tank filter permits selective slidable passage of
a guide wire therethrough for locating the lead wire in an implantable
position. The Q of the inductor may be relatively maximized and the Q of
the capacitor may be relatively minimized to reduce the overall Q of the
tank filter to attenuate current flow through the lead wire along a range
of selected frequencies. In a preferred form, the tank filter is
integrated into a TIP and/or RING electrode for an active implantable
medical device.