LOCATION SYSTEM WITH VIRTUAL TOUCH SCREEN

• US 20090221907A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Bar-Tal, Meir
• Granted Patent: US 8,926,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/502 Headgear, e.g. helmet, spectacles
• 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 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence

Abstract

Control of an invasive medical instrument during a medical procedure is achieved using a system that includes magnetic field-based location facilities. Magnetic field sensors are placed in a medical instrument, e.g., a probe, and in an interface device to enable respective positions of the probe and the interface device to be ascertained by a location processor when the sensors are exposed to a magnetic field. The interface device is disposed such that an operator can control the medical instrument and the interface device concurrently. A display device, which can comprise a virtual reality display, is responsive to movements of the interface device as determined by the location processor to control the medical instrument, invoke various functions of the system, e.g., image manipulation, and otherwise facilitate the medical procedure via a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. Apparatus for invasive medical operations in the body of a living subject, comprising:

one or more field generating elements disposed at known locations for generating magnetic fields at respective frequencies;

a medical instrument adapted for insertion into said body, and having a first magnetic position sensor coupled thereto that emits first signals responsively to said magnetic fields;

an interface device having a second magnetic position sensor coupled thereto that emits second signals responsively to said magnetic fields;

a position processor operative to receive said first signals and said second signals and to determine respective positions of said interface device and said medical instrument relative to said known locations, responsively to said first signals and said second signals; and

a display device operative to display an image responsively to said position of said medical instrument, said display device having a cursor moveable thereon under control of said position processor responsively to changes in said position of said interface device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display device has a display control that is actuated responsively to a superimposition of said cursor thereon.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display device has a display control that is actuated responsively to a displacement of said interface device generally toward said display device while said cursor is superimposed on said display control.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display device comprises a virtual reality display device having a third magnetic position sensor that emits third signals responsively to said magnetic fields.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising positioning controls for said medical instrument, and wherein said interface device is within reach of an operator of said positioning controls.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first magnetic position sensor and said second magnetic position sensor comprise at least two sensor coils.

7. Apparatus for invasive medical operations in the body of a living subject, comprising:

a medical instrument adapted for insertion into an anatomical structure in said body, and having one or more first field generating elements for generating first magnetic fields at respective frequencies;

an interface device having one or more second field generating elements for generating second magnetic fields at respective frequencies;

a magnetic position sensor at a known location that emits first signals responsively to said first magnetic fields, and that emits second signals responsively to said second magnetic fields;

a position processor operative to receive said first signals and said second signals and to determine respective positions of said interface device and said medical instrument relative to said known location, responsively to said first signals and said second signals; and

a display device operative to display an image responsively to said position of said medical instrument, said display device having a cursor moveable thereon under control of said position processor, movements of said cursor being controlled by said position processor responsively to changes in said position of said interface device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display device has a display control that is actuated responsively to a superimposition of said cursor thereon.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display device has a display control that is actuated responsively to a displacement of said interface device generally toward said display device while said cursor is superimposed on said display control.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display device comprises a virtual reality display device having one or more third field generating elements for generating third magnetic fields, said magnetic position sensor being responsive to said third magnetic fields.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display device is operative to draw a line from a first position to a second position on said display device when said cursor is moved from said first position to said second position.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising positioning controls for said medical instrument, and wherein said interface device is within reach of an operator of said positioning controls.

13. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said magnetic position sensor comprises at least two sensor coils.

14. A computer aided method for performing invasive medical operations in the body of a living subject, comprising the steps of:

generating magnetic fields in the vicinity of said body;

inserting a medical instrument into said body;

determining a position of said medical instrument, responsively to said magnetic fields;

determining a position of an interface device, responsively to said magnetic fields;

displaying an image on a display device, responsively to said position of said medical instrument; and

displaying a cursor, moveable responsively to changes in said position of said interface device, on said display device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of generating comprises generating said magnetic fields in known locations, wherein said step of determining said position of said medical instrument comprises the steps of:

sensing said magnetic fields at fixed positions relative to said medical instrument; and

determining said position of said medical instrument relative to said known locations, and wherein said step of determining said position of said interface device comprises the steps of;

sensing said magnetic fields at fixed positions relative to said interface device; and

determining said position of said interface device relative to said known locations.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of generating comprises the steps of:

generating first magnetic fields at fixed positions relative to said medical instrument; and

generating second magnetic fields at fixed positions relative to said interface device, wherein said step of determining said position of said medical instrument comprises the steps of;

sensing said first magnetic fields at known locations; and

determining said position of said medical instrument relative to said known locations, and wherein said step of determining said position of said interface device comprises the steps of;

sensing said second magnetic fields at said known locations; and

determining said position of said interface device relative to said known locations.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a display control on said display device;

detecting that said cursor is superimposed on said display control; and

actuating said display control, responsively to said step of detecting.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a display control on said display device;

detecting that said cursor is superimposed on said display control;

responsively to said step of detecting displacing said interface device to intersect a predefined plane; and

thereafter actuating said display control.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein said display device comprises a virtual reality display device having a third magnetic position sensor coupled thereto that emits third signals responsively to said magnetic fields.

20. A method for imaging an anatomical structure on virtual reality goggles, comprising the steps of:

inserting a medical instrument into said anatomical structure, in proximity to one or more field generating elements disposed at known locations for generating magnetic fields at respective frequencies, wherein said medical instrument has a first magnetic position sensor coupled thereto that emits first signals responsively to said magnetic fields;

determining a position of said medical instrument, relative to said known locations, responsively to said first signals;

acquiring an image of said anatomical structure using said medical instrument, responsively to said position of said medical instrument;

receiving second signals from one or more second magnetic position sensors, coupled to at least one display device, wherein said virtual reality goggles comprise said at least one display device;

determining positions of said at least one display device, relative to said known locations, responsively to said second signals;

obtaining two-dimensional projections of said image responsively to said positions of said at least one display device; and

displaying said two-dimensional projections on said at least one display device.

21. A system for imaging an anatomical structure, comprising:

one or more field generating elements disposed at known locations for generating magnetic fields at respective frequencies;

a medical instrument adapted for insertion into said anatomical structure, and having a first magnetic position sensor coupled thereto that emits first signals responsively to said magnetic fields;

virtual reality goggles that comprise one or more second magnetic position sensors, that emit second signals responsively to said magnetic fields, and at least one display device; and

a position processor operative to receive said first signals and said second signals, to determine a position of said medical instrument relative to said known locations, responsively to said first signals, to acquire an image of said anatomical structure using said medical instrument, responsively to said position of said medical instrument, to determine positions of said at least one display device, relative to said known locations, responsively to said second signals, to obtain two-dimensional projections of said image responsively to said positions of said at least one display device, and to display said two-dimensional projections on said at least one display device.

22. The system according to claim 21, further comprising an interface device having a third magnetic position sensor coupled thereto that emits third signals responsively to said magnetic fields, and wherein said position processor is operative to receive said third signals and to determine a position of said interface device, relative to said known locations, responsively to said third signals, and wherein said at least one display device has a cursor moveable thereon, movements of said cursor being controlled by said position processor responsively to changes in said position of said interface device.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said at least one display device has a display control that are actuated responsively to a superimposition of said cursor thereon.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein said at least one display device has a display control that is actuated responsively to a displacement of said interface device generally toward said display device while said cursor is superimposed on said display control.

25. The system according to claim 22, further comprising positioning controls for said medical instrument, and wherein said interface device is within reach of an operator of said positioning controls.