System for detecting position of capsule endoscope in subject

• US 20050143647A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Minai, Tetsuo, Shimizu, Hatsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/410
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00029 externally powered, e.g. wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• 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 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers

Abstract

A system is for detecting a position of a device. The device is swallowed, passes through a subject, and includes a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field. The system also includes a position transducer including a magnetic detector and a position processor. The magnetic detector is disposed at a fixed relative position to the subject, and detects an intensity of a constant magnetic field output from the magnetic field generator. The position processor calculates a position of the device in the subject based on the intensity detected by the magnetic field intensity detector.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a device that is swallowed, passes through a subject, and includes a magnetic field generator generating a constant magnetic field; and

a position transducer that includes a magnetic detector, disposed at a fixed relative position to the subject, detecting an intensity of a constant magnetic field output from the magnetic field generator, and a position processor calculating a position of the device in the subject based on the intensity detected by the magnetic field intensity detector.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the position transducer includes a plurality of magnetic detectors, and

the position processor calculates a distance between the device and each of the magnetic detectors based on intensities of magnetic field components detected by the magnetic detectors, and calculates a position of the device in the subject based on the calculated distances.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the magnetic field generator is disposed in a position where a direction of the constant magnetic is fixed, and

the position transducer further includes a magnetic field direction detector detecting the direction of the constant magnetic field, and an orientation direction detector detecting an orientation direction of the device in the subject based on the direction detected by the magnetic field direction detector.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the position transducer further includes an orientation direction database that stores, in advance, a distance from the magnetic field generator, a relation between a direction of the constant magnetic field, and an orientation direction of the device in the subject, and

the orientation direction detector detects the orientation direction of the device in the subject using the orientation direction database.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device further includes

a predetermined function executing unit that obtains information of an inside of the subject;

and

a radio transmitting unit that transmits the information of the inside of the subject with radio communication, and

the position transducer further includes a receiving unit that receives a radio signal transmitted from the radio transmitting unit.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the magnetic field generator is disposed in a position where a direction of the constant magnetic is fixed,

the position transducer further includes

a magnetic field direction detector detecting the direction of the constant magnetic field,

an orientation direction detector detecting an orientation direction of the device in the subject based on the direction detected by the magnetic field direction detector,

a plurality of receiving units each receiving a radio signal transmitted from the radio transmitting unit, and

a selector that selects a receiving unit used for receiving the radio signal based on the position calculated by the position processor and the orientation direction detected by the orientation direction detector.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the function executing unit includes

an illuminating unit that illuminates an inside of the subject;

and

an image capturing unit that captures an image of a region illuminated by the illuminating unit.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the position transducer further includes a storage unit that stores an image captured by the image capturing unit and the position of the device at when the image is captured, so that the image and the position are associated with each other.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is a capsule endoscope.