System and method for assessing the proximity of an electrode to tissue in a body
First Claim
1. A system for assessing the proximity of an electrode to a tissue in a body, comprising:
- a tissue sensing circuit configured to resolve a detected impedance into first and second components of a complex impedance between said electrode and said tissue, said tissue sensing circuit including a tissue sensing signal source configured to generate an excitation signal to be applied to said tissue and a complex impedance sensor coupled to said tissue sensing signal source and configured to measure a response signal and output said first and second components of said complex impedance; and
an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to execute a computer program for assessing said proximity that is configured to;
(i) acquire a plurality of values for said first and second components of said complex impedance from said tissue sensing circuit between said electrode and said tissue as said electrode moves in the body and to calculate a respective electrical coupling index (ECI) for each of said plurality of values of said first and second components of said complex impedance;
(ii) process plural values of said electrical coupling index to determine a respective proximity of said electrode to said tissue as said electrode moves in the body, wherein said ECU, based on said ECI, is configured to determine whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being no more than a predetermined distance from said tissue wherein said predetermined distance is a positive, non-zero distance, said ECU, based on said ECI, being further configured to determine whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being beyond said predetermined distance from said tissuesaid ECU being further configured to generate a signal representative of an indicator of proximity between said electrode and said tissue and to transmit said generated signal to at least one of (i) an application and (ii) a device other than said tissue sensing circuit and said proximity assessing program, for control of said at least one of said application and said device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for assessing proximity between an electrode and tissue is provided. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU is configured to acquire values for first and second components of a complex impedance between the electrode and the tissue, and to calculate an electrical coupling index (ECI) responsive to the first and second values. The ECU is further configured to process the ECI to determine the proximity of the electrode to the tissue. The ECU may be configured to calculate an electrical coupling index rate (ECIR) based on the calculated ECI and information relating to the change in location of the electrode, and to assess proximity based on the ECIR. Alternatively, the ECU may be configured to assess the proximity using the calculated ECI, as opposed to the ECIR.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A system for assessing the proximity of an electrode to a tissue in a body, comprising:
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a tissue sensing circuit configured to resolve a detected impedance into first and second components of a complex impedance between said electrode and said tissue, said tissue sensing circuit including a tissue sensing signal source configured to generate an excitation signal to be applied to said tissue and a complex impedance sensor coupled to said tissue sensing signal source and configured to measure a response signal and output said first and second components of said complex impedance; and an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to execute a computer program for assessing said proximity that is configured to; (i) acquire a plurality of values for said first and second components of said complex impedance from said tissue sensing circuit between said electrode and said tissue as said electrode moves in the body and to calculate a respective electrical coupling index (ECI) for each of said plurality of values of said first and second components of said complex impedance; (ii) process plural values of said electrical coupling index to determine a respective proximity of said electrode to said tissue as said electrode moves in the body, wherein said ECU, based on said ECI, is configured to determine whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being no more than a predetermined distance from said tissue wherein said predetermined distance is a positive, non-zero distance, said ECU, based on said ECI, being further configured to determine whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being beyond said predetermined distance from said tissue said ECU being further configured to generate a signal representative of an indicator of proximity between said electrode and said tissue and to transmit said generated signal to at least one of (i) an application and (ii) a device other than said tissue sensing circuit and said proximity assessing program, for control of said at least one of said application and said device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a non-transitory computer storage medium having a computer program encoded thereon for assessing the proximity of an electrode to a tissue in a body, said computer program including code for; (i) calculating a respective electrical coupling index (ECI) responsive to a plurality of values for first and second components of a complex impedance between said electrode and said tissue as said electrode moves in the body; and (ii) processing plural values of said calculated ECI to determine a respective proximity of said electrode to said tissue as said electrode moves in the body, said computer program further including code for determining, based on said ECI, whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being no more than a predetermined distance from said tissue, wherein said predetermined distance is a positive, non-zero distance, said computer program further including code for determining, based on said ECI, whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being beyond said predetermined distance from said tissue, and generating a signal representative of an indicator of proximity between said electrode and said tissue and transmitting said generated signal to at least one of (i) an application and (ii) a device other than said program, for control of said at least one of said application and device, wherein said at least one of said application and said device comprises a display monitor, said computer program further including code for controlling said display monitor to visually display said indicator of proximity represented by said generated signal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for assessing the proximity of an electrode to a tissue in a body, comprising:
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resolving, using a tissue sensing circuit, a detected impedance into first and second components of a complex impedance between said electrode and said tissue by generating, using a tissue sensing signal source of said tissue sensing circuit, an excitation signal to be applied to said tissue and measuring, using a complex impedance sensor coupled to said tissue sensing signal source, a response signal; acquiring a plurality of values for said first and second components of said complex impedance between said electrode and said tissue as said electrode moves in the body; calculating, using an electronic control unit, a respective electrical coupling index (ECI) for each of said plurality of values of said first and second components of said complex impedance; and processing, using said electronic control unit, plural values of said calculated ECI to determine a respective proximity of said electrode to said tissue as said electrode moves in the body, wherein said electronic control unit, based on said ECI, is configured to determine whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being no more than a predetermined distance from said tissue, wherein said predetermined distance is a positive, non-zero distance, said electronic control unit, based on said ECI, is further configured to determine whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being beyond said predetermined distance from said tissue, said electronic control unit generating a signal representative of an indicator of proximity between said electrode and said tissue and transmitting said generated signal to at least one of (i) an application and (ii) a device, for control of said at least one of said application and said device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for assessing the proximity of an electrode to a tissue in a body, comprising:
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a tissue sensing circuit configured to resolve a detected impedance into first and second components of a complex impedance between said electrode and said tissue, said tissue sensing circuit being configured to generate an excitation signal to be applied to said tissue and to measure a response signal; and an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to execute a computer program for assessing said proximity that is configured to; (i) acquire a plurality of values for said first and second components of said complex impedance between said electrode and said tissue as said electrode moves in the body and to calculate a respective electrical coupling index (ECI) for each of said plurality of values of said first and second components of said complex impedance; (ii) process plural values of said electrical coupling index to determine a respective proximity of said electrode to said tissue as said electrode moves in the body, wherein said ECU, based on said ECI, is configured to determine whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being no more than a predetermined distance from said tissue wherein said predetermined distance is a positive, non-zero distance, said ECU, based on said ECI, being further configured to determine whether said electrode is deemed not to be in contact with said tissue with said electrode being beyond said predetermined distance from said tissue, said ECU being further configured to generate a signal representative of an indicator of proximity between said electrode and said tissue and to transmit said generated signal to at least one of (i) an application and (ii) a device other than said tissue sensing circuit and said proximity assessing program, for control of said at least one of said application and said device; wherein said one of said application and device comprises a robotics application, and wherein said ECU is further configured to transmit said generated signal to a controller for said robotics application; and wherein said robotics application is configured to drive a catheter comprising said electrode, said controller of said robotics application being configured to adjust a speed of approach of said catheter in response to said generated signal. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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Specification