Method and apparatus for determining spatial relation of multiple implantable electrodes
First Claim
1. A method for determining a spatial relationship between a plurality of electrodes implanted in a human body comprising placing a set of at least five electrodes in a cavity in the body;
- designating a first electrode as an origin;
designating a second electrode defining a first axis, selecting a third electrode, said third electrode being non-colinear with said first and second electrodes, said third electrode defining a second axis, defining a third axis related to said first and second axes;
generating a periodic signal having a frequency between two signal-generating electrodes, measuring said signal at pairs of electrodes taken from said set of electrodes, excluding said two signal generating electrodes; and
determining a location vector for each electrode from said measured signals.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method to determine the relative locations of a set of implantable electrodes, preferably five or more, which can be positioned in a chamber of the heart or within another organ or chamber. At least two electrodes are configured to be a known distance from each other. A signal generation apparatus provides a signal having a frequency through a set of pairs of electrodes. This signal is detected on all other electrodes. Additional pairs of signal-emitting electrodes are selected and measurements are made on all other electrodes until sufficient sets of data have been acquired specify a set of equations. Solution of the sets of equations by numerical methods provides the relative locations of the electrodes in a dielectric medium. Where the electrodes are implanted in an environment comprising dielectric media of differing characteristics, such as blood and myocardial tissue, the signal generation apparatus is capable of producing signals at multiple frequencies. Sets of equations are acquired for multiple frequencies. Solutions of the equations derived from each of the sets of equations are combined to eliminate the effect of a non-uniform dielectric medium. Alternatively, the effect of differing media can be eliminated by calculating position vectors for image charges or virtual electrodes. Location of a dielectric boundary, such as the myocardial wall, may be determined.
61 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for determining a spatial relationship between a plurality of electrodes implanted in a human body comprising
placing a set of at least five electrodes in a cavity in the body; -
designating a first electrode as an origin;
designating a second electrode defining a first axis, selecting a third electrode, said third electrode being non-colinear with said first and second electrodes, said third electrode defining a second axis, defining a third axis related to said first and second axes;
generating a periodic signal having a frequency between two signal-generating electrodes, measuring said signal at pairs of electrodes taken from said set of electrodes, excluding said two signal generating electrodes; and
determining a location vector for each electrode from said measured signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 42)
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22. An apparatus for determining a spatial relationship between a plurality of electrodes implanted in a human body, said apparatus comprising
a set of at least five electrodes mounted on at least one lead and implanted in a chamber in the body, a first one of said two electrodes being an origin and said first and second electrodes defining a first axis; - and a third electrode non-colinear with said first and second electrodes, said third electrode defining a second axis,
a signal generator producing a periodic signal having a frequency, said signal generator being selectively connected between two signal-generating electrodes, a voltage measuring device, said signal measuring device being selectively connected to pairs of electrodes taken from said set of electrodes, excluding said two signal generating electrodes; and
means for determining a location vector for each electrode from said measured signals. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
- and a third electrode non-colinear with said first and second electrodes, said third electrode defining a second axis,
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43. A method for determining a spatial relationship between a plurality of electrodes in a dielectric medium comprising
placing a set of at least five electrodes in a dielectric medium; -
designating a first electrode as an origin;
designating a direction from said first electrode to a second electrode as a first axis, selecting a third electrode, said third electrode being non-colinear with said first and second electrodes, said third electrode defining a second axis, defining a third axis related to said first and second axes;
generating a periodic signal having a frequency between two signal-generating electrodes, measuring said signal at pairs of electrodes taken from said set of electrodes, excluding said two signal generating electrodes; and
determining a location vector for each electrode from said measured signals.
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44. An apparatus for determining a spatial relationship between a plurality of electrodes in a dielectric medium comprising
a set of at least five electrodes in a dielectric medium, a first electrode defining an origin and a second electrode defining a first axis from said origin; -
a third electrode, said third electrode being non-colinear with said first and second electrodes, said third electrode defining a second axis, a signal generator producing a periodic signal having a frequency, said signal generator being selectively connected between two signal-generating electrodes, a voltage measuring device, said signal measuring device being selectively connected to pairs of electrodes taken from said set of electrodes, excluding said two signal-generating electrodes; and
means for determining a location vector for each electrode from said measured signals.
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Specification