Method and apparatus for tracking a patient

• US 20090281417A1
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Wu, Kevin Thomas, Hartmann, Steven L., Verard, Laurent, Gardeski, Kenneth, Kelley, James, Neidert, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,579,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis

Abstract

A system for tracking a patient is provided. The system can include a first reference frame coupled to a first portion of an anatomical structure. The system can include a second reference frame, which can be coupled to a second portion of the anatomical structure. The system can also include a first tracking device coupled to the first reference frame and a second tracking device coupled to the second reference frame. The system can also include a tracking system that can track a position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device to ensure that the position of the first reference frame relative to the anatomical structure is substantially the same throughout a surgical procedure.

Claims

1. A system for tracking a patient comprising:

a first reference frame coupled to a first portion of an anatomical structure

a second reference frame coupled to a second portion of the anatomical structure;

a first tracking device coupled to the first reference frame;

a second tracking device coupled to the second reference frame; and

a tracking system that tracks a position of first tracking device and the second tracking device to ensure that the position of the first reference frame relative to the anatomical structure is substantially the same throughout a surgical procedure.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a navigation system that determines the position of the first reference frame and the second reference frame relative to the anatomical structure based on the tracking of the first tracking device and the second tracking device; and

an imaging device that is operable to acquire an image of the anatomical structure.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an instrument that includes a third tracking device,

wherein the tracking system tracks the third tracking device of the instrument and the navigation system determines a position of the instrument relative to the anatomical structure based on the tracking of the third tracking device.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a display that displays the image of the anatomical structure with at least one of the first reference frame, the second reference frame, the instrument and combinations thereof superimposed on the image at a location that corresponds to the position of the first reference frame, the second reference frame, and the instrument relative to the anatomical structure.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the navigation system determines if the position of the first reference frame has changed relative to the anatomical structure if a difference existing between the location of the first reference frame and the location of the second reference frame has changed during the surgical procedure.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the display further displays notification data that indicates if the position of the first reference frame has changed relative to the anatomical structure during the surgical procedure.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the navigation system determines whether the location of the first reference frame or the location of the second reference frame has changed during the surgical procedure, and automatically updates tracking data associated with the changed one of the first reference frame and the second reference frame to account for the changed location of the first reference or second reference frame.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the display further displays notification data that indicates that the tracking data has been updated to account for the new location of either the first reference frame or the second reference frame.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the difference has changed if a user-defined point on a vector drawn between the location of the first reference frame and the second reference frame is outside of a user-selected boundary volume.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the difference has changed if a length, an angle or combination thereof of a vector drawn between the first reference frame and the second reference frame has changed and the locations of both of the first reference frame and the second reference frame have changed.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the difference has changed if a length, an angle or combination thereof of a vector drawn between the first reference frame and the second reference frame has changed and the location of one of the first reference frame and the second reference frame has changed and the change in the length, angle or combination thereof does not fall in a cyclical pattern.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the anatomical structure is substantially opposite the second portion of the anatomical structure.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the first tracking device and the second tracking device comprises at least one optical tracking device to track at least one degree of freedom information.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein the first tracking device and the second tracking device comprises at least one electromagnetic tracking device selected from the group comprising:

an electromagnetic receiver tracking device, an electromagnetic transmitter tracking device and combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first reference frame is coupled to the first portion of the anatomical structure adjacent to an area of interest.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the area of interest is selected from the group comprising a patient, a surgical site, an anatomical site, a navigation area and combinations thereof.

17. A method for tracking a patient comprising:

coupling a first reference frame to a first portion of an anatomical structure, the first reference frame including a first tracking device;

coupling a second reference frame to a second portion of the anatomical structure opposite the first reference frame, the second reference frame including a second tracking device;

tracking a position of the first tracking device of the first reference frame and the second tracking device of the second reference frame; and

determining, based on the tracking of the first reference frame and the second reference frame, if the first reference frame has moved relative to the anatomical structure.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying a position of at least one of the first reference frame, the second reference frame, or combinations thereof relative to the anatomical structure on a display.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying notification data that indicates if the position of the first reference frame has changed relative to the anatomical structure during the surgical procedure on the display.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining if the first reference frame has moved relative to the anatomical structure further comprises:

determining a location of the first reference frame and the second reference frame based on the tracking of the first reference frame and the second reference frame; and

determining that the first reference frame has moved relative to the anatomical structure if a difference between the location of the first reference frame and the location of the second reference frame has changed during the surgical procedure.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining if the first reference frame has moved relative to the anatomical structure further comprises:

drawing a vector between the first reference frame and second reference frame; and

determining that the difference has changed if a user-defined point on the vector is outside of a user-selected boundary volume.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein determining if the first reference frame has moved relative to the anatomical structure further comprises:

drawing a vector between the first reference frame and second reference frame; and

determining that the difference has changed if a length, an angle or combination thereof of the vector has changed and the locations of both of the first reference frame and the second reference frame have changed.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining if the location of the first reference frame or the second reference frame has changed; and

automatically updating the tracking of the first reference frame or second reference frame to compensate for the new location of the first reference frame or second reference frame.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

notifying the operator that the tracking of the first reference frame or second reference frame has changed based on the new location of the first reference frame or second reference frame.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein determining if the first reference frame has moved relative to the anatomical structure further comprises:

drawing a vector between the first reference frame and second reference frame; and

determining that the difference has changed if a length, an angle or combination thereof of the vector has changed and the location of one of the first reference frame and the second reference frame has changed and the change in the length, angle, position or combination thereof does not fall in a cyclical pattern.

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

adhesively coupling at least one of the first reference frame to the first portion of the anatomical structure, the second reference frame to the second portion of the anatomical structure, or combinations thereof.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first reference frame and the second reference frames are adapted to be positioned generally opposite one another on a thoracic region of a patient, and the tracking of the first reference frame and second reference frame determines the respiratory motion, respiratory rate or combinations thereof, associated with the patient.

28. A system for tracking a patient comprising:

a first reference frame coupled to a first portion of an anatomical structure of the patient;

a second reference frame coupled to a second portion of the anatomical structure opposite the first portion;

a first tracking device coupled to the first reference frame;

a second tracking device coupled to the second reference frame;

a tracking system that tracks a location of the first tracking device and the second tracking device;

a navigation system that determines the location of the first reference frame and the second reference frame based on the tracking of the first tracking device and the second tracking device; and

a display that displays an image of the anatomical structure,

wherein the navigation system determines if the image displayed is accurate based on a difference existing between the location of the first reference frame and the location of the second reference frame.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

an instrument; and

a third tracking device coupled to the instrument to enable the tracking system to track the third tracking device,

wherein the navigation system determines a position of the instrument relative to the anatomical structure based on the tracking of the third tracking device and the display displays the image of the anatomical structure with at least one of the first reference frame, the second reference frame, the instrument and combinations thereof superimposed on the image at a location that corresponds to the position of the first reference frame, the second reference frame, and the instrument relative to the anatomical structure.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the navigation system determines navigation is inaccurate if the difference between the location of the first reference frame and the second reference frame has changed during the surgical procedure.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the location of the first reference frame and the second reference frame is defined by at least three degrees of freedom.