System and method for radar-assisted catheter guidance and control
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling the movement of a catheter-like tool having a distal end responsive to a magnetic field and configured to be inserted into the body of a patient, comprising:
- a magnetic field source for generating a magnetic field outside the body;
a gimbal system to orient said magnetic field source with respect to the body;
a radar system to measure a location of said distal end;
a sensor system to measure positions of a plurality of fiduciary markers;
a user input device for inputting commands to move said distal end;
a system controller for controlling said magnetic field source in response to inputs from said user input device, said radar system, and said sensors;
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Accused Products
Abstract
A Catheter Guidance Control and Imaging (CGCI) system whereby a magnetic tip attached to a surgical tool is detected, displayed and influenced positionally so as to allow diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to be performed is described. The tools that can be so equipped include catheters, guidewires, and secondary tools such as lasers and balloons. The magnetic tip performs two functions. First, it allows the position and orientation of the tip to be determined by using a radar system such as, for example, a radar range finder or radar imaging system. Incorporating the radar system allows the CGCI apparatus to detect accurately the position, orientation and rotation of the surgical tool embedded in a patient during surgery. In one embodiment, the image generated by the radar is displayed with the operating room imagery equipment such as, for example, X-ray, Fluoroscopy, Ultrasound, MRI, CAT-Scan, PET-Scan, etc. In one embodiment, the image is synchronized with the aid of fiduciary markers located by a 6-Degrees of Freedom (6-DOF) sensor. The CGCI apparatus combined with the radar and the 6-DOF sensor allows the tool tip to be pulled, pushed, turned, and forcefully held in the desired position by applying an appropriate magnetic field external to the patient'"'"'s body. A virtual representation of the magnetic tip serves as an operator control. This control possesses a one-to-one positional relationship with the magnetic tip inside the patient'"'"'s body. Additionally, this control provides tactile feedback to the operator'"'"'s hands in the appropriate axis or axes if the magnetic tip encounters an obstacle. The output of this control combined with the magnetic tip position and orientation feedback allows a servo system to control the external magnetic field.
316 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling the movement of a catheter-like tool having a distal end responsive to a magnetic field and configured to be inserted into the body of a patient, comprising:
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a magnetic field source for generating a magnetic field outside the body;
a gimbal system to orient said magnetic field source with respect to the body;
a radar system to measure a location of said distal end;
a sensor system to measure positions of a plurality of fiduciary markers;
a user input device for inputting commands to move said distal end;
a system controller for controlling said magnetic field source in response to inputs from said user input device, said radar system, and said sensors;
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for controlling movement of a tool having a distal end to be inserted in a body, comprising;
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applying a force to said distal end by generating an external magnetic field;
regulating said force to move said distal end in a desired direction; and
locating said distal end by radar. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus for controlling movement of a tool having a distal end to be inserted in a body, comprising;
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a magnetic field source configured in a cluster-like arrangement on a C-Arm forming a magnetic circuit and generating a magnetic field;
a tool having a distal end responsive to said magnetic field;
one or more piezoelectric rings disposed about said distal end; and
a system controller for regulating said magnetic field to provide a position and command input to control said tool distal end position; and
a radar system for measuring a position of said distal end. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification