Automated manipulation of imaging device field of view based on tracked medical device position

• US 20060247520A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: McGee, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,706,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/434
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2059 Mechanical position encoders
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• 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
• 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 5/063 using impedance measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/068 using impedance sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/487 involving fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

Methods and systems for navigating medical devices are provided. A patient is imaged while a medical device is moved within the patient. A position (e.g., a location and/or orientation) of the moving medical device is detected within a coordinate system (e.g., a three-dimensional coordinate system), a position of the imaging field of view relative to the patient is adjusted based on the detected medical device position, such that the relevant tissue region of the patient is within the field of view. For example, the field of view can be centered over the medical device or centered just distal to the medical device portion. The direction of view may be oriented at an angle perpendicular to the axis of the medical device, e.g., for more accurately measuring the length of objects within the field of view, or oriented at an angle parallel to the axis of the medical device portion, e.g., for more accurately measuring the diameter of the channel (e.g., blood vessel) in which the medical device is disposed.

Claims

1. A method of navigating a medical device within a patient, comprising:

imaging the patient within a field of view;

moving the medical device within the patient;

detecting a position of the moving medical device; and

automatically adjusting a position of the field of view relative to the patient based on the detected medical device position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient is imaged fluoroscopically.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient is imaged externally.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical device is an intravascular catheter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the medical device comprises a position of a distal end of the medical device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected medical device position comprises a detected location of the medical device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected medical device position comprises a detected orientation of the medical device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the medical device is detected in a three-dimensional coordinate system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic field of view adjustment comprises continuously adjusting the field of view position relative to the patient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic field of view adjustment comprises intermittently adjusting the field of view position relative to the patient.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic field of view adjustment comprises adjusting the field of view position relative to a fixed point.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic field of view adjustment comprises adjusting a position of the patient relative to a fixed point.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic field of view adjustment comprises centering the field of view over a distal end of the medical device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic field of view adjustment comprises centering the field of view on a point distally spaced a predetermined distance from the medical device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient is imaged along a direction of view, and the automatic field of view adjustment comprises orientating a direction of view at an angle perpendicular to an axis of the medical device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient is imaged along a direction of view, and the automatic field of view adjustment comprises orientating the direction of view at an angle parallel to an axis of the medical device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the field of view position is adjusted mechanically.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the field of view position is adjusted electronically.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging is automatically activated based on the detected medical device position.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the medical device is detected within an absolute coordinate system, and the patient is imaged within a local imaging coordinate system, the method further comprising detecting a position of the field of view within the absolute coordinate system, and registering the local imaging coordinate system and absolute coordinate system based on the detected field of view position.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving another medical device within the patient;

detecting a position of the other moving medical device; and

automatically adjusting the field of view relative to the patient based further on the other detected medical device position.

22. A medical navigation system, comprising:

a tissue imaging device having a field of view;

an intrabody medical device;

a tracking subsystem configured for detecting a position of the medical device; and

an imager positioning subsystem configured for adjusting a position of the field of view relative to a patient based on the detected medical device position.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the imaging device is a fluoroscopic device.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the imaging device is an external imaging device.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the medical device is an intravascular catheter.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the detected medical device position comprises a detected location of the medical device.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the detected medical device position comprises a detected orientation of the medical device.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for continuously adjusting the field of view position relative to the patient.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for intermittently adjusting the field of view position relative to the patient.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for adjusting the field of view position relative to a fixed point.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for adjusting a position of the patient relative to a fixed point.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for centering the field of view over a portion of the medical device.

33. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for centering the field of view on a point distally spaced a predetermined distance from the medical device.

34. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for orientating a direction of view of the imaging device at an angle perpendicular to an axis of the medical device.

35. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for orientating a direction of view of the imaging device at an angle parallel to an axis of the medical device.

36. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for mechanically adjusting the field of view position.

37. The system of claim 22, wherein the imager positioning subsystem is configured for electronically adjusting the field of view position.

38. The system of claim 22, further comprising an imager activating subsystem configured for automatically activating the imaging device based on the detected medical device position.

39. The system of claim 22, further comprising another intrabody medical device, wherein the tracking subsystem is configured for detecting a position of the other medical device, and the imager positioning subsystem is configured for adjusting the field of view further based on the other detected medical device position.

40. The system of claim 22, wherein the tracking subsystem comprises a non-fluoroscopic navigation system.

41. The system of claim 22, wherein the imaging device has a local imaging coordinate system, and the tracking subsystem is configured for detecting the position of the medical device within an absolute coordinate system, detecting a position of the imaging device within the absolute coordinate system, and registering the local imaging coordinate system and absolute coordinate system based on the detected imaging device position.

42. An imaging system, comprising:

a tissue imaging device having a field of view;

a processor configured for determining a desired position of the field of view based on a detected position of an intrabody medical device; and

a controller configured for adjusting the position of the field of view relative to a patient in accordance with the desired field of view position.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the imaging device is a fluoroscopic device.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the imaging device is an external imaging device.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the detected medical device position comprises a detected location of the medical device.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein the detected medical device position comprises a detected orientation of the medical device.

47. The system of claim 42, wherein the controller is configured for continuously adjusting the field of view.

48. The system of claim 42, wherein the controller is configured for intermittently adjusting the field of view.

49. The system of claim 42, wherein the processor is configured for determining the desired field of view position that centers the field of view over a portion of the medical device.

50. The system of claim 42, wherein the processor is configured for determining the desired field of view position that centers the field of view on a point distally spaced a predetermined distance from the medical device.

51. The system of claim 42, wherein the processor is configured for determining the desired field of position that orients a direction of view of the medical device at an angle perpendicular to an axis of the medical device.

52. The system of claim 42, wherein the processor is configured for determining the desired field of position that orients a direction of view of the imaging device at an angle parallel to an axis of the medical device.

53. The system of claim 42, wherein the controller is configured for mechanically adjusting the field of view.

54. The system of claim 42, wherein the controller is configured for electronically adjusting the field of view.

55. The system of claim 42, further comprising another controller configured for automatically activating the imaging device based on the detected medical device.