INTRACARDIAC IMAGING SYSTEM UTILIZING A MULTIPURPOSE CATHETER

• US 20110160593A1
• Filed: 12/31/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zhong, Hua, Kuehn, Fos, Aiken, Robert D., Thao, Riki Chou, Grasse, Martin M., Hill, Anthony D., DENO, D. Curtis, Just, Dale E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,900,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/463
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00755 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2053 Tracking an applied voltage gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• 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 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/063 using impedance measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7217 of noise originating from a therapeutic or surgical apparatus, e.g. from a pacemaker
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0883 for diagnosis of the heart
• 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 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/916 Ultrasound 3-D imaging

Abstract

A three dimensional physiological mapping system utilizing an intracardiac echo catheter capable of being located in six degrees of freedom by a visualization, navigation, or mapping system. An echocardiography image of the intracardiac echo catheter may be projected within a geometric model of the visualization, navigation, or mapping system where the location of the projected image is adjusted in response to user input identifying a structure present in the echocardiography image and the geometric model.

Claims

1. An intracardiac echo catheter comprising:

a flexible member having a distal end and a proximal end,

a sensor array having an ultrasound transducer and at least three electrodes being attached to the distal end, each of the electrodes configured to generate a position signal in response to an electric field, the electrodes being positioned such that the position signals are not collinear;

whereby the position signals allow a visualization, navigation, or mapping system to locate and orient the catheter in space.

2. The catheter of claim 1, having at least one electrode positioned distal to the ultrasound transducer and having one electrode positioned proximal to the ultrasound transducer.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrodes is a ring electrode.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrodes is a spot electrode.

5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrodes is a ring electrode having a portion of the conductive surface of the electrode insulated so as to be non-conductive.

6. The catheter of claim 1, each of the electrodes being further configured to generate an electrogram of cardiac structures in close proximity thereto.

7. A system for mapping a region of interest in the body comprising:

an intracardiac echocardiography system configured to generate a two dimensional echocardiogram image (ICE image),

a visualization, navigation, or mapping system configured to;

generate a geometric model of an area of interest in the body;

acquire a position signal from each of a plurality of electrodes and to locate each electrode within the geometric model;

an electronic control system (ECS) configured to acquire the ICE image, the geometric model, and the location of each electrode within the geometric model to project the ICE image within the geometric model;

the ECS being further configured to generate a user interface for displaying information to a user and for receiving user input identifying a fiducial point pair.

8. The system of claim 7, the intracardiac echocardiography system comprising a catheter containing an ultrasound transducer and a plurality of electrodes, each of the electrodes configured to generate a position signal in response to an electric field.

9. The system of claim 8, the plurality of electrodes comprising at least three electrodes.

10. The system of claim 7, the ECS being further configured to apply a calibration step in response to the fiducial point pair.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the ECS is configured to receive input identifying a plurality of fiducial point pairs prior to applying the calibration step.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the calibration step comprises applying at least one of a translation function, a rotation function, a scaling function, and a homogeneous transformation matrix function to the ICE image.

13. The system of claim 7, the intracardiac echocardiography system being further configured to generate a first ICE image and a second ICE image, the first ICE image and the second ICE image being representative of a different planes through the region of interest;

the ECS being further configured to project the first ICE image and the second ICE image into the geometric model;

wherein the ECS is further configured to apply a calibration step after receiving user input identifying a first fiducial point pair having a component in the first ICE image and a second fiducial point pair having a component in the second ICE image.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the calibration step comprises applying an affine transformation to the ICE image.

15. The system of claim 7, the user interface being further configured to display the ICE image and the ICE image projected within the geometric model.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the user input identifying a fiducial point pair comprises a point within the ICE image and a point within the geometric model corresponding to the same structure.

17. The system of claim 7, the user interface being further configured to display the electrodes within the geometric model.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the user input identifying a fiducial point pair comprises an electrode displayed within the geometric model and the electrode displayed within the ICE image.

19. A method of adjusting the display of an echocardiography image (ICE image) within a geometric model of a body structure comprising the steps of:

acquiring a geometric model of a body cavity;

acquiring an ICE image produced by a catheter present in the body cavity;

acquiring the position of the catheter within the geometric model;

receiving input identifying a fiducial point pair; and

applying a calibration step to adjust the position of the ICE image within the geometric model.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the steps of receiving input identifying a fiducial point pair and applying a calibration step to adjust the position of the ICE image within the geometric model are repeated.