System And Method For Image-Guided Navigation

• US 20100228117A1
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hartmann, Steven L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,737,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3762 using computed tomography systems [CT]
• 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 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4504 Bones A61B5/4547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0421 with immobilising means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/466 adapted to display 3D data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device

Abstract

Image data can be obtained with an imaging device. A location of the imaging device relative to a subject can be determined. A location of an instrument can be tracked relative to the subject using two or more tracking systems operating with different tracking modalities. Also, the tracked location of the instrument can be illustrated relative to the image data.

Claims

1. A surgical navigation system, comprising:

an imaging system operable to acquire image data, including;

a rotor defining an imaging portion;

a rail on which the rotor is operable to ride, wherein the rail substantially surrounds a central opening;

an emission portion and an image acquisition portion mounted to the rotor; and

a gantry substantially enclosing the rotor, the rail, the emission portion, where the gantry includes an access to the central opening;

a first tracking system operable in a first manner defining a first navigation space, including

a first localizer operating in the first manner;

a first tracking device operable to be tracked with the first tracking system using the first localizer operating in the first manner; and

a first tracking determination portion;

a second tracking system operable in a second manner defining a second navigation space, including

a second localizer operating in the second manner;

a second tracking device operable to be tracked with the second tracking system using the second localizer operating in the second manner; and

a second tracking determination portion;

a third tracking device operable to be tracked by at least one of the first tracking system or the second tracking system; and

a navigation system operable to execute instructions to determine a location of the first tracking device, the second tracking device, or both the first tracking device and the second tracking device in the first navigation space, the second navigation space, or both the first navigation space and the second navigation space;

wherein at least one of the second tracking device or the third tracking device is positioned at a known position relative to the imaging system and is tracked to determine a position of the imaging system when the image data is acquired.

2. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a single mounting structure operable to be connected to a patient at a selected location;

wherein at least two of the first tracking device, the second tracking device, or the third tracking device are operable to be calibrated and connected to the single mounting structure with a connection portion and operable to be connected to the single mounting structure separately while maintaining the single mounting structure connected to the patient.

3. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the first tracking system operating in the first manner is an optical tracking system and the first and the third tracking devices are operable to be tracked by only the first tracking system;

wherein the second tracking system operating in the second manner is an electromagnetic tracking system and the second tracking device is operable to be tracked only by the second tracking system.

4. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the emission portion and the imaging portion are positioned substantially 180 degrees from each other when mounted to the rotor and within the gantry.

5. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a single mounting structure operable to be connected to a patient at a selected location;

wherein the second tracking device is operable to be connected directly to the single mounting structure in a substantially fixed manner;

wherein the first tracking device is operably mounted to the second tracking device in a substantially fixed manner when the second tracking device is fixed to the single mounting structure;

wherein a position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device are operable to be tracked when both are connected together and the second tracking device is connected to the single mounting structure with the respective first tracking system or second tracking system.

6. The surgical navigation system of claim 5, wherein the second tracking device includes a second mounting portion extending a distance from the single mounting structure;

wherein the first tracking device defines an engageable region operable to cooperate with the second mounting portion;

wherein the first tracking device further includes a locking member to lock the first tracking device relative to the second tracking device when the second mounting portion is positioned at the engageable region.

7. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a single tracking member;

the first tracking device and the second tracking device are mounted on the single tracking member;

wherein the single tracking member holds substantially fixed relative to one another the first tracking device and the second tracking device;

wherein the first tracking system and the second tracking system can track the respective first tracking device and the second tracking device when both are fixed to the single tracking member.

8. The surgical navigation system of claim 7,

wherein the single tracking member is operable to be fixed to a patient at a selected location.

9. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a single tracking member to which the first tracking device and the second tracking device are fixedly connected;

an instrument operable to be fixedly connected to the single tracking member;

wherein a position of a selected portion of the instrument is operable to be tracked with either or both of the first tracking system and second tracking system when the single tracking member is connected to the instrument.

10. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the first tracking device is fixedly associated to a first position of a patient;

wherein the second tracking device is operable to be fixed to a second position of the patient;

wherein the first position and the second position of the patient are known relative to one another in a first navigation space and a second navigation space.

11. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the navigation system is operable to correlate a first navigation space of the first tracking system and a second navigation space of the second navigation system by the tracking of the first tracking device with the first tracking system and tracking the second tracking device with the second tracking system to determine the location of a reference point in both the first and second navigation spaces.

12. The surgical navigation system of claim 11, wherein the reference point in both the first navigation space and second navigation space can be identified relative to a patient by positioning the first tracking device and second tracking device at a selected fixed location relative to the patient via a single mounting structure.

13. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the first tracking device and third tracking device are operable to be tracked with the first tracking system, wherein the first tracking system is an optical tracking system;

wherein the third tracking device is operable to be fixed to the gantry to determine a position of the imaging portion within the first navigation space;

wherein the second tracking device is an electromagnetic tracking device operable to be tracked with the second tracking system in the second manner as an electromagnetic tracking system.

14. A method of performing a navigated procedure, comprising;

tracking a gantry of an imaging system with a first tracking system using a first tracking modality;

positioning an image acquisition portion at a known location relative to a subject with the gantry;

acquiring image data of the subject at the known location;

determining a position of the acquired image data relative to the subject based upon tracking the gantry of the imaging system and registering the image space in the acquired image data to the subject space of the subject based at least upon the determined position of the acquired image data;

determining a position of a first reference point relative to the subject by tracking a first tracking device with the first tracking system;

determining the position of a second reference point relative to the subject by tracking a second tracking device with a second tracking system using a second tracking modality;

correlating a first navigation space of the first tracking system and a second navigation space of the second tracking system using at least the determined position of the first reference point and the second reference point with both the first tracking system and the second tracking system; and

tracking a position of an instrument with only the second tracking system.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the position of the first reference point relative to the subject by tracking the first tracking device with the first tracking system includes determining a first position of the first tracking device with an optical localizer;

and

wherein determining the position of the second reference point relative to the subject by tracking the second tracking device with the second tracking system includes determining a second position of the second tracking device with an electromagnetic localizer.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

fixing the first tracking device relative to a subject;

fixing the second tracking device to the first tracking device while the first tracking device is fixed relative to the subject;

tracking either or both of the first tracking device and the second tracking device while both the first tracking device and the second tracking device are affixed to the subject.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

positioning a portion of the first tracking device within a passage of the second tracking device; and

locking the second tracking device to the first tracking device.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a single tracking member having mounted thereon the first tracking device and the second tracking device at fixed positions; and

positioning the single tracking member relative to the subject;

wherein tracking the first tracking device and tracking the second tracking device can occur substantially simultaneously with a first tracking device and a second tracking device fixed relative to the single tracking member.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a single tracking member having the first tracking device and the second tracking device fixed relative to one another and the single tracking member; and

providing an instrument associated with the single tracking member;

wherein determining the position of the first reference point and the second reference point includes determining a position of a portion of the instrument by tracking both the first tracking device and the second tracking device fixed with relative to the single tracking member.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

moving the instrument to touch a fiducial point of a subject;

identifying the fiducial point in the image data to register the image data to a subject space; and

correlating the first navigation space and the second navigation space by determining the position on the instrument.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

fixing the first tracking device to a first position of the subject;

fixing the second tracking device to a second position on the subject; and

determining the first reference point and the second reference point relative to the first tracking device and the second tracking device mounted to the subject.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first tracking device is mounted at a distance from the second tracking device on the subject;

wherein the positions of each of the first reference point and the second reference point can be determined individually relative to either or both of the first tracking device and the second tracking device and the relative position of the first reference point and the second reference point can be further measured with the acquired image data; and

determining the position of the first reference point or the second reference point relative to the first tracking device or the second tracking device based upon the measurements with the acquired image data.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing the image acquisition portion mounted on a rotor; and

providing an emission portion mounted on the rotor;

wherein positioning an image acquisition portion includes moving the rotor on a rail within the gantry wherein the image acquisition portion and the emission portion are positioned substantially opposite one another with the subject between the emission portion and the image acquisition portion.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

moving a portion of the gantry to allow access to an interior central portion around which the gantry is formed; and

moving the image acquisition portion within the gantry provided as a substantially annular housing.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein tracking the gantry includes positioning a third tracking device mounted on the gantry to be tracked with the first tracking system using the first tracking modality.

15. The method of 14, wherein determining the position of the first reference point relative to the subject by tracking the first tracking device with the first tracking system and determining the position of the second reference point relative to the subject by tracking the second tracking device with the second tracking system includes:

positioning the first tracking device and the second tracking device in a single mounting structure fixed to the subject.

27. A surgical navigation system, comprising:

an imaging system operable to acquire image data;

a first tracking device associated with the imaging system;

a second tracking device and a third tracking device associated with a subject operable to be imaged with the imaging system;

a first tracking system operable in a first manner to track at least the first tracking device and the second tracking device in a first navigation space, including

a first localizer; and

a first tracking determining portion;

a second tracking system operable in a second manner to track the third tracking device in a second navigation space, including

a second localizer; and

a second tracking determining portion; and

a navigation system operable to execute instructions to determine a location of the first tracking device, the second tracking device, the third tracking device, or all of the first tracking device, the second tracking device, and the third tracking device in the first and second navigation spaces;

wherein the navigation system is operable to correlate the first navigation space and the second navigation space.

28. The surgical navigation system of claim 27, wherein the first tracking device is an optical tracking device operable to be localized with the first localizer which is an optical localizer;

wherein tracking the first tracking device with the optical localizer is substantially unencumbered by the imaging system.

29. The surgical navigation system of claim 28, wherein the imaging system includes:

a rail system substantially surrounding a central axis;

a rotor operable to move on the rail system substantially around the central axis;

an emission portion and an imaging portion mounted on the rotor substantially 180°

from one another and operable to move with the rotor around the central axis; and

an annular gantry housing substantially surrounding the rail, the rotor, the imaging portion, and the emission portion and also substantially surrounding the central axis;

wherein the first tracking device is mounted on the gantry housing.

30. The surgical navigation system of claim 29, further comprising:

a mobile cart mounted to the gantry housing;

wherein the gantry housing is operable to be positioned relative to the mobile cart in at least one of the vertical position, a horizontal position, and a rotational position.

31. The surgical navigation system of claim 30, further comprising:

a movable gantry housing portion;

wherein the movable gantry housing portion is operable to move relative to the remaining annular gantry housing to provide a passage to a central area of the annular gantry housing through the annular gantry housing and operable to allow a subject to pass through the passage to the central passage in the annular gantry housing.

32. The surgical navigation system of claim 31, wherein the subject is operable to be tracked relative to the annular gantry housing to allow for an inherent registration of image data acquired with the imaging system based at least in part on the first tracking device mounted on the annular gantry housing;

wherein the second tracking device and the third tracking device are operable to be positioned within an overlapping portion of the first navigation space and a second navigation space concurrent with or after the acquisition and registration of the image data with a subject space.

33. The surgical navigation system of claim 27, further comprising:

a single mounting structure operable to be connected to a patient at a selected location;

wherein at least two of both of the second tracking device and the third tracking device have a keyed connection portion operable to be connected to the single mounting structure separately while maintaining the single mounting structure connected to the patient.

34. The surgical navigation system of claim 27, wherein the first tracking system operating in the first manner is an optical tracking system and the first and the third tracking devices are operable to be tracked by only the first tracking system;

wherein the second tracking system operating in the second manner is an electromagnetic tracking system and the second tracking device is operable to be tracked only by the second tracking system.

35. The surgical navigation system of claim 27, further comprising:

a single mounting structure operable to be connected to a patient at a selected location;

wherein the third tracking device is operable to be connected directly to the single mounting structure in a substantially fixed manner;

wherein the second tracking device is operably mounted to the third tracking device in a substantially fixed manner when the third tracking device is fixed to the single mounting structure;

wherein a position of the second tracking device and the third tracking device is operable to be tracked when both are connected together and the second tracking device is connected to the single mounting structure with the respective first tracking system or second tracking system.

36. The surgical navigation system of claim 35, wherein the third tracking device includes a second mounting portion extending a distance from the single mounting structure;

wherein the second tracking device defines a passage operable to cooperate with the second mounting portion;

wherein the second tracking device further includes a locking member to lock the second tracking device relative to the third tracking device when the second mounting portion is positioned within the depression.

37. The surgical navigation system of claim 27, further comprising:

a single tracking member;

wherein the second tracking device and the third tracking device are mounted on the single tracking member;

wherein the single tracking member holds substantially fixed relative to one another the second tracking device and the third tracking device;

wherein the first tracking system and the second tracking system are operable to track the respective second tracking device and the third tracking device when both are fixed to the single tracking member.

38. The surgical navigation system of claim 37,

wherein the single tracking member is operable to be fixed to a patient at a selected location.

39. The surgical navigation system of claim 27, further comprising:

a single tracking member to which the second tracking device and the third tracking device are fixedly connected;

an instrument operable to be fixedly connected to the single tracking member;

wherein a position of a selected portion of the instrument is operable to be tracked with either or both of the first tracking system and second tracking system when the single tracking member is connected to the instrument.

40. The surgical navigation system of claim 27, wherein the second tracking device is fixedly associated to a first position of a patient;

wherein the third tracking device is operable to be fixed to a second position of the patient;

wherein the first position and the second position of the patient are known relative to one another in a first navigation space and a second navigation space.

41. The surgical navigation system of claim 27, wherein the navigation system is operable to correlate a first navigation space of the first tracking system and a second navigation space of the second navigation system by the tracking of the second tracking device with the first tracking system and tracking the third tracking device with the second tracking system to determine the location of a reference point in both the first and second navigation spaces.

42. The surgical navigation system of claim 41, wherein the reference point in both the first navigation space and second navigation space can be identified relative to a patient by positioning the second tracking device and third tracking device at a selected fixed location relative to the patient via a single mounting structure.