Method and device for navigating an object in a body to an aneurysm

• US 20050020908A1
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Original Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Inventors: Sure, Ulrich, Birkenbach, Rainer, Weissenborn, Anke
• Application Number:
  US10/885,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020908A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/420
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12113 within an aneurysm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12118 for positioning in conjunction with a stent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1214 Coils or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12068 detachable by heat
• 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 2090/3954 magnetic, e.g. NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis

Abstract

A method for navigating an object in a body to an aneurysm can include ascertaining a course of blood vessels within the body using angiography and ascertaining a spatial position of the object using a magnetic field sensor or magnet connected to the object. The relative position of the object within the blood vessels can be ascertained based on the spatial position of the object and ascertaining a position of the body using a reference magnetic field sensor or magnet connected to the body.

Claims

1. A method for navigating an object in a body, said method comprising:

ascertaining a course of blood vessels within the body using angiography;

ascertaining a spatial position of the object using a magnetic field sensor or magnet connected to the object; and

ascertaining a relative position of the object within the blood vessels.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising:

storing data indicative of the course of the blood vessels ascertained using angiography.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising:

performing at least one additional angiograph while navigating the object in the body.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising:

displaying the relative position of the object in the blood vessels of the body.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the method includes navigating a catheter to an aneurysm.

7. A computer program which, when it is loaded onto a computer or run on a computer, performs the method steps as set forth in claim 1.

8. A machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions that, when executed, cause a system to perform the method as set forth in claim 1.

2. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein ascertaining a relative position of the object within the blood vessels includes:

ascertaining a position of the body using a reference magnetic field sensor or magnet connected to the body.

9. A system for navigating an object in a body to an aneurysm, said system comprising:

a memory which stores data indicative of a course of blood vessels within the body;

a magnetic field generator which generates a magnetic field;

a first reference magnetic field sensor connected to the body which receives magnetic fields indicative of a position of the body; and

a second magnetic field sensor connected to the object which receives magnetic fields indicative of a position of the object, wherein the position of the object within the body is ascertained.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, said system further comprising:

a device for performing an angiograph.

11. The system as set forth in claim 9, said system further comprising:

a display on which the course of blood vessels and the relative position of the object within the body is displayed.

12. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the object is a catheter or a guide wire for inserting coils into the aneurysm.

13. A method for navigating an object in a body to an aneurysm, said method comprising:

determining a course of blood vessels within the body using angiography;

generating a magnetic field adjacent the body;

determining a spatial position of the body using a reference magnetic field sensor connected to the body;

determining a spatial position of the object using a magnetic field sensor connected to the object; and

determining a relative position of the object within the blood vessels based on the spatial positions of the body and the object and the course of blood vessels within the body.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the object is at least one of (i) a catheter and (ii) a guide wire.