Method and system to reposition an imager based on the orientation of a medical intervention device

• US 10,398,345 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ST JUDE MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL HOLDING S. R.L.
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Internation Holding SARL
• Inventors: Strommer, Gera, Eichler, Uzi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kish, James M
• Application Number:
  US13/017,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20110130649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,137 Days
• Field of Search: 600407, 600410, 600411, 600425, 600526, 600427, 600429
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/256 having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/702 Posture restraints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/704 Tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10081 Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30021 Catheter; Guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30101 Blood vessel; Artery; Vein; Vascular
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods

Abstract

System for registering a first image with a second image, the system including a first medical positioning system for detecting a first position and orientation of the body of a patient, a second medical positioning system for detecting a second position and orientation of the body, and a registering module coupled with a second imager and with the second medical positioning system, the first medical positioning system being associated with and coupled with a first imager, the first imager acquiring the first image from the body, the first imager producing the first image by associating the first image with the first position and orientation, the second medical positioning system being associated with and coupled with the second imager, the second imager acquiring the second image and associating the second image with the second position and orientation, the registering module registering the first image with the second image, according to the first position and orientation and the second position and orientation.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting an imager, by means of a moving mechanism, to a desired orientation with respect to a section of the body of a patient to acquire a visual representation of said section, the visual representation including an optimal representation of a portion of interest of a medical intervention device when inserted into said section, the system comprising:

a medical positioning system associated with a coordinate system, said medical positioning system including a transmitter configured to transmit an electromagnetic field;

a processor coupled with said medical positioning system and with said moving mechanism; and

a device position and orientation detector coupled at a distal end of said medical intervention device at said portion of interest that is configured for insertion into said section of the body of the patient, said device detector comprising a first electromagnetic field sensor configured to detect said electromagnetic field and produce a first signal respective of the device position and orientation, said device detector being further coupled with said medical positioning system,

an imager position and orientation detector coupled with said imager and with said medical positioning system, said imager detector comprising a second electromagnetic field sensor configured to detect said electromagnetic field and produce a second signal respective of the imager position and orientation,

wherein said medical positioning system is configured to detect a device position and orientation of said device position and orientation detector in said coordinate system based on said first signal, said medical positioning system is configured to provide said device position and orientation to said processor, wherein said medical positioning system is configured to detect an imager position and orientation of said imager position and orientation detector in said coordinate system based on said second signal, said medical positioning system is configured to provide said imager position and orientation to said processor,

wherein said processor is configured to determine a vector indicative of an orientation of said medical intervention device in said coordinate system according to said device position and orientation;

wherein said processor is configured to determine said desired orientation of said imager according to said device position and orientation and said vector in said coordinate system, and

wherein said processor according to the detected position and orientation of said imager position and orientation detector is configured to direct said moving mechanism to move said imager to said desired orientation in which an imaging axis associated with said imager is in a desired relationship with said determined vector wherein said desired relationship comprises said imaging axis being normal to said vector and wherein when alignment of said imaging axis of said imager normal to said vector is not possible, said imager is directed to an orientation at which said visual representation of a longest projection of a distal end of the device is acquired, said processor determining said vector, said desired orientation, and directing said moving mechanism without user input.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said moving mechanism is configured for one of (i) moving said imager;

(ii) moving a table, configured for said patient, relative to said imager; and

(iii) moving both said imager and said table.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said medical positioning system is associated with said coordinate system, said imager being calibrated with said medical positioning system.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said imager comprises:

a radiation generator located at one side of said body; and

a radiation detector located at another side of said body, said radiation detector is configured to detect the radiation generated by said radiation generator, said portion of interest being located between said radiation generator and said radiation detector,

wherein said system further comprises a display coupled with said imager,

wherein said radiation detector is configured to detect said visual representation, when said imager is located at said orientation, and

wherein said display displays said visual representation.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said moving mechanism has at least one degree of freedom.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said imager operates in a radiation domain selected from the group consisting of:

nuclear;

ultrasonic; and

electromagnetic.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said medical intervention device is selected from the group consisting of:

catheter;

drug delivery unit; and

tissue severing unit.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface configured to receive an input from a user respective of said desired orientation of said imager.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said user interface is configured to receive said input as a user designation of said desired orientation for said imager on a three-dimensional visual representation of said section of said body of said patient.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said medical positioning system is associated with said coordinate system, said moving mechanism being synchronized with said coordinate system.

11. A method for adjusting an imager to a desired orientation to acquire a visual representation of a section of the body of a patient, the visual representation including an optimal representation of a portion of interest of a medical intervention device, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting, from a transmitter of a medical positioning system, an electromagnetic field;

detecting a device position and orientation in a coordinate system of a device position and orientation detector that comprises a first electromagnetic field sensor and that is coupled at a distal end of said medical intervention device at said portion of interest that is configured for insertion into said section of the body of the patient, said first electromagnetic field sensor configured to detect said electromagnetic field and produce a first signal respective of the device position and orientation, further comprising producing the device position and orientation using the first signal;

detecting an imager position and orientation in said coordinate system of an imager position and orientation detector coupled with said imager, said imager detector comprising a second electromagnetic field sensor configured to detect said electromagnetic field and produce a second signal respective of the imager position and orientation, further comprising producing the imager position and orientation using the second signal;

determining a vector indicative of an orientation of said medical intervention device in said coordinate system according to said device position and orientation;

determining said desired orientation of said imager according to said device position and orientation and said vector in said coordinate system such that said imager can acquire said visual representation; and

directing a moving mechanism according to the detected position and orientation of said imager position and orientation detector to move said imager to said desired orientation in which an imaging axis associated with said imager is in a desired relationship with said determined vector, wherein said desired relationship comprises said imaging axis being normal to said vector and wherein when alignment of said imaging axis of said imager normal to said vector is not possible, said imager is directed to an orientation at which said visual representation of a longest projection of a distal end of the device is acquired, said processor determining said vector, said desired orientation, and directing said moving mechanism without user input.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of inserting said medical intervention device into said body.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of retrieving an imager position and orientation from said imager.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of acquiring said visual representation by said imager.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of displaying said visual representation.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein said moving mechanism has at least one degree of freedom.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein said imager acquires said visual representation by irradiating said section.

18. A system for adjusting an imager, by means of a moving mechanism, to a desired orientation with respect to a section of the body of a patient to acquire a visual representation of said section, the visual representation including an optimal representation of a portion of interest of a medical intervention device when inserted into said section, the system comprising:

a medical positioning system associated with a coordinate system, said medical positioning system including a transmitter configured to transmit an electromagnetic field;

a processor coupled with said medical positioning system and with said moving mechanism; and

a device position and orientation detector coupled at a distal end of said medical intervention device at said portion of interest that is configured for insertion into said section of the body of the patient, said device detector comprising a first electromagnetic field sensor configured to detect said electromagnetic field and produce a first signal respective of the device position and orientation, said device detector being further coupled with said medical positioning system,

an imager position and orientation detector coupled with said imager and with said medical positioning system, said imager detector comprising a second electromagnetic field sensor configured to detect said electromagnetic field and produce a second signal respective of the imager position and orientation,

wherein said medical positioning system is configured to detect a device position and orientation of said device position and orientation detector in said coordinate system based on said first signal, said medical positioning system is configured to provide said device position and orientation to said processor, wherein said medical positioning system is configured to detect an imager position and orientation of said imager position and orientation detector in said coordinate system based on said second signal, said medical positioning system is configured to provide said imager position and orientation to said processor,

wherein said processor is configured to determine a vector indicative of an orientation of said medical intervention device in said coordinate system according to said device position and orientation;

a user interface coupled with said processor and configured to receive an input from a user respective of desired orientation ranges of said imager wherein said processor is configured to determine said desired orientation of said imager according to said device position and orientation, said input and said vector in said coordinate system;

wherein said processor according to the detected position and orientation of said imager position and orientation detector is configured to direct said moving mechanism to move said imager to said desired orientation in which an imaging axis associated with said imager is in a desired relationship with said determined vector, and wherein said desired relationship comprises said imaging axis being normal to said vector and wherein when alignment of said imaging axis of said imager normal to said vector is not possible, said imager is directed to an orientation at which said visual representation of a longest projection of a distal end of the device is acquired.