Systems and methods for three-dimensional ultrasound mapping

• US 20080119727A1
• Filed: 10/02/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Barbagli, Federico, Carlson, Christopher R., Wallace, Daniel T., Koolwal, Aditya, Younge, Robert G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00252 for by-pass connections, i.e. connections from heart chamber to blood vessel or from blood vessel to blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/256 having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/367 creating a 3D dataset from 2D images using position information
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3784 both receiver and transmitter being in the instrument or receiver being also transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• 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 5/065 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 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• 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 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4477 using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 : involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 : Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An automated medical system comprises a first instrument assembly including a first ultrasound transducer having a first transducer field of view that transmits and receives ultrasound signals in imaging planes disposed circumferentially about a guide instrument, and a second instrument assembly including a second ultrasound transducer having a second transducer field of view coupled to one of a second flexible guide instrument and a working instrument. A computing system is operatively coupled to the respective first and second transducers and configured to determine a relative spatial orientation of the respective first and second transducers based at least in part on detecting a signal transmitted by one of the first and second transducers and received by the other of the first and second transducers, the received signal having an amplitude indicating the receiving one of the transducers is in the field of view of the transmitting one of the transducers.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. An automated medical system, comprising:

a first instrument assembly including an imaging instrument and a first transducer carried by the imaging instrument, the first transducer having a first field of view;

a second instrument assembly including a working instrument and a second transducer mechanically associated with the working instrument, the second transducer having a second field of view;

a computing system operatively coupled to the respective first and second transducers, wherein the computing system is configured to control and process ultrasound signals transmitted and received by the respective first and second transducers, and wherein the computing system is configured to determine a relative spatial orientation of the respective first and second transducers based at least in part on detecting a signal transmitted by one of the first and second transducers and received by the other of the first and second transducers, the received signal having an amplitude indicating the receiving one of the transducers is in the field of view of the transmitting one of the transducers;

a first remotely controlled instrument driver operatively coupled to the imaging instrument to control movement of the imaging instrument; and

a second remotely controlled instrument driver operatively coupled to the working instrument to control movement of the working instrument.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the first instrument assembly includes a first flexible guide instrument having an interior lumen and a distal end opening, the imaging instrument positioned in and axially movable relative to the first guide instrument lumen, wherein the ultrasound instrument may be extended through the distal end opening of the first guide instrument; and

the second instrument assembly includes a second flexible guide instrument having an interior lumen and a distal end opening, the working instrument positioned in and axially movable relative to the second guide instrument lumen, wherein the working instrument may be extended through the distal end opening of the second guide instrument.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the first instrument assembly further includes a first flexible sheath having a lumen and distal end opening, the first guide instrument guide being disposed in and axially movable relative to the first sheath, wherein the first guide instrument may be extended through the distal end opening of the first sheath, and

the second instrument assembly further includes a second flexible sheath having a lumen and distal end opening, the second guide instrument guide being disposed in and axially movable relative to the second sheath, wherein the second guide instrument may be extended through the distal end opening of the second sheath.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the ultrasound instrument is rotatable relative to the first guide instrument such that the first transducer can transmit and receive ultrasound signals in imaging planes disposed circumferentially about the guide instrument.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the second transducer is carried by one of the second flexible guide instrument and working instrument.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing system is configured for determining the relative spatial orientation of the respective first and second transducers based additionally on a known position of the transmitting transducer.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first instrument assembly further includes a localization sensor mechanically associated with the transmitting transducer.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a localization system for providing the known position of the transmitting transducer.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the relative spatial orientation of the respective first and second transducers comprises relative positions of the transducers in a coordinate system.

23. The system of claim 14, further comprising an operator control station configured for transmitting electrical signals to the first and second remotely controlled instrument drivers to respectively control movement of the imaging instrument and the working instrument.

24. The system of claim 14, further comprising a display for displaying an image of the working instrument based on signals transmitted by the first transducer.