PROBE DATA MAPPING USING CONTACT INFORMATION

• US 20110137153A1
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Israel Ltd. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Israel Ltd. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Govari, Assaf, Altmann, Andres Claudio, Ephrath, Yaron
• Granted Patent: US 10,624,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• 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 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A method of mapping includes receiving inputs measured by a probe at respective locations inside a body cavity of a subject. At each of the respective locations, a respective contact quality between the probe and a tissue in the body cavity is measured. The inputs for which the respective contact quality is outside a defined range are rejected, and a map of the body cavity is created using the inputs that are not rejected.

Claims

1. A method of mapping, comprising:

receiving inputs measured by a probe at respective locations inside a body cavity of a subject;

measuring, at each of the respective locations, a respective contact quality between the probe and a tissue in the body cavity;

rejecting the inputs for which the respective contact quality is outside a defined range; and

creating a map of the body cavity using the inputs that are not rejected.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the body cavity comprises a chamber of a heart.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the inputs comprises receiving signals from a position transducer in the probe that are indicative of coordinates of a distal end of the probe inside the body cavity.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the inputs comprises measuring a physiological parameter at the locations, and wherein creating the map comprises mapping the physiological parameter over the cavity.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein measuring the physiological parameter comprises receiving signals that are indicative of electrical activity in the tissue.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein measuring the respective contact quality comprises measuring a pressure exerted on a distal end of the probe.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein measuring the pressure comprises receiving a signal from a force sensor within the probe.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein rejecting the inputs comprises rejecting measurements when the pressure is below a predetermined lower bound.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein rejecting the inputs comprises rejecting measurements when the pressure is above a predetermined upper bound.

10. The method according to claim 6, and comprising controlling the probe automatically, responsively to the measured pressure, so as to move the probe within the body cavity.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein measuring the respective contact quality comprises measuring an electrical impedance between the probe and the tissue.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein creating the map comprises adding tags to the map indicating the respective contact quality at one or more of the locations.

13. Apparatus for mapping, comprising:

a probe, having a distal end configured for insertion into a body cavity and comprising a contact sensor for measuring a respective contact quality between the probe and a tissue at multiple locations in the body cavity; and

a console, which is configured to receive inputs from the probe that are indicative of the contact quality at each of the respective locations, to reject the inputs for which the respective contact quality is outside a defined range, and to create a map of the body cavity using the inputs that are not rejected.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the body cavity comprises a chamber of a heart.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the probe comprises a position transducer, which is configured to provide to the console an input indicative of coordinates of a distal end of the probe inside the body cavity.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the probe comprises a physiological sensor for measuring a physiological parameter at the respective locations inside the body cavity of a subject, and wherein the console is configured to map the physiological parameter over the cavity.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the physiological sensor comprises an electrode, which is configured to generate signals that are indicative of electrical activity in the tissue.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the contact sensor is configured to measure a pressure exerted on a distal end of the probe.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the contact sensor comprises a force sensor within the probe.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the console is configured to reject measurement points when the pressure is below a predetermined lower bound.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the console is configured to reject measurement points when the pressure is above a predetermined upper bound.

22. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the console is configured to control the probe automatically, responsively to the measured pressure, so as to move the probe within the body cavity.

23. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the contact sensor comprises an electrode, which is coupled to measure an electrical impedance between the probe and the tissue.

24. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the console is configured to add tags to the map indicating the respective contact quality at one or more of the locations.