Method And Apparatus For Identifying An Instrument Location Based On Measuring A Characteristic

• US 20140106325A1
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: SIMON, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,755,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/262
• 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 5/7267 involving training the classification device
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients

Abstract

A method to determine the location of an instrument within a patient can be based upon the measuring of a characteristic within the patient and matching the currently measured characteristic with a previously measured characteristic. If the measurements of a characteristic matches in an appropriate or selected manner then a location match can be determined. The characteristic can be any appropriate characteristic and measured in any appropriate way.

Claims

1. A system of locating an instrument, comprising:

a training instrument to obtain training data by measuring a characteristic in a first volume;

a first classifier system to execute instructions to determine a classification based on the training data; and

a memory system to save the determined classification;

wherein the determined classification is operable to determine a training anatomical location of the training instrument when obtaining the training data.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a procedure instrument configured to be positioned into a second volume to measure the characteristic in the second volume and obtain a procedure data;

a first memory system to store the procedure data;

a first classifier to access the first memory system and classify the procedure data;

a processor to determine a procedure anatomical location of the procedure instrument based upon the classification of the measured procedure data; and

an output device to output the procedure location to a user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first volume and the second volume are the same volume.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a tracking system configured to track a navigation location of the training instrument while obtaining the training data.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the procedure instrument is operable to measure the characteristic and the first classifier is operable to execute a program to determine if the obtained procedure data is in the determined classification.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the procedure instrument and the training instrument are a single instrument.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein a single processor is operable to execute instructions to operate as the first classifier, the second classifier, and the processor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the training instrument includes an imaging system operable to acquire image data of a subject;

wherein the measurement of the characteristic is measured with analysis of the image data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the imaging system is non-invasive.

10. A method of locating an instrument, comprising:

a classification phase, including;

acquiring a training datum by measuring a characteristic at a training location;

determining a classification in the training datum at the training location;

storing the determined classification; and

a procedure phase, including;

acquiring a procedure datum by measuring the characteristic during a procedure at a procedure location;

recalling the stored determined classification;

determining if the procedure datum matches the determined classification;

outputting the determination to a user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining if the procedure datum matches the determined classification includes comparing the acquired procedure datum to the recalled determined classification.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a probability that the procedure location is identical to the training location based upon a comparison of the procedure datum to the determined classification.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

outputting the determined probability that the procedure datum at the procedure location is identical to the training location.

14. The method of claim 10,

wherein acquiring a training datum includes obtaining a plurality of training data at the training location;

wherein determining the classification includes extracting a feature from the plurality of training data.

15. The method of 14, further comprising:

determining an algorithm configured to classify the procedure datum based upon the feature extracted from the training data;

formulating a code based upon the algorithm; and

storing the code with a memory system for execution of the code with a processor.

16. The method of 15, further comprising:

acquiring a second training datum; and

altering the code based upon the second training datum to increase the certainty of a selected classification of the procedure datum.

17. A method of locating an instrument, comprising:

recalling a stored determined classification of a training datum;

comparing an acquired procedure datum measured at a procedure location during a procedure to the recalled determined classification;

determining a probability that the procedure location is identical to a training location based upon a comparison of the procedure datum to the determined classification; and

outputting the determined probability to a user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

acquiring a training datum by measuring the characteristic at the training location;

determining the classification in the training datum at the training location; and

storing the determined classification.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining an algorithm configured to classify the procedure datum based upon a feature extracted from the training datum;

wherein determining the probability that the procedure location is identical to a training location includes executing the determined algorithm with a processor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein outputting the determined probability to the user includes displaying the determined probability with a display device.