System and Method for Bioelectric Localization and Navigation of Interventional Medical Devices

• US 20140276190A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Original Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Inventors: Navab, Nassir, Cowan, Noah, Fuerst, Bernhard, Fortune, Eric S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2053 Tracking an applied voltage gradient
• 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 5/066 Superposing sensor position on an image of the patient, e.g. obtained by ultrasound or x-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/068 using impedance sensors

Abstract

A system and method for tracking a position of an interventional medical device configured to be deployed into a subject during a medical procedure. An anatomical dataset of the subject is acquired while at least one electrical sensor is disposed along the interventional medical device. A feedback signal is generated from the electrical sensor and is processed and analyzed to identify positional information of the interventional medical device. A position of the interventional medical device with respect to the anatomical dataset is identified and the position of the interventional medical device with respect to the anatomical dataset is shown on a display.

Claims

1. A system for tracking a position of an interventional medical device configured to be deployed into a subject during a medical procedure, the system comprising:

an interventional medical device configured to be deployed into a subject during a medical procedure;

at least one electrical sensor disposed along the interventional medical device to receive electrical signals available to the interventional medical device when deployed within the subject during the medical procedure and generate a feedback signal based on the received electrical signals;

a non-transitive memory having stored therein an anatomical dataset including anatomical information about the subject;

a processor configured to access the anatomical dataset from the non-transitive memory and communicatively coupled to the electrical sensor to receive the feedback signal from the electrical sensor and analyze the feedback signal to identify positional information of the interventional medical device relative to the anatomical dataset; and

a display coupled to the processor to communicate the position of the interventional medical device with respect to the anatomical dataset.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to perform a fast Fourier transform to the feedback signal to analyze the feedback signal.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an electrical source configured to emit an electrical signal from a location internal to the subject.

4. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein the electrical source is coupled to the interventional medical device.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein the electrical source is the electrical sensor operating to create a symmetrical signal.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an electrical source configured to emit an electrical signal from a location external to the subject to propagate into the subject to the electrical sensor.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the electrical source is configured to be attached to a surface of the subject and create a differential signal.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the electrical source is formed by a plurality of external signal dischargers configured to create a spatial varying signal overlay.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the feedback signal indicates bio-electric signals received by the at least one sensor.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an internal source and an external source wherein the electrical signal is emitted through the internal source and the external source to the subject.

11. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to determine the position of the interventional medical device based on an impedance measurement derived from the feedback signal.

12. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to determine at least one of a velocity and a positional change of the interventional medical device to identify positional information of the interventional medical device

13. The system as recited in claim 12 further comprising a distal electrical sensor and a proximal electrical sensor which generate a first and second feedback signal, respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to determine time delays reflected in the first and second feedback signals in order to determine the velocity of the interventional medical device.

14. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the interventional medical device is at least one of a catheter, laparoscope or endoscope.

15. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the anatomical dataset includes at least one of an a prior fluoroscopy, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) dataset.

16. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the feedback signal creates an electric image of a local volume surrounding the interventional medical device.

17. A method for tracking a placement of an interventional medical device deployed into a subject, the method comprising the steps of:

a) acquiring an anatomical dataset of the subject;

b) providing an interventional medical device having at least one electrical sensor disposed along the interventional medical device;

c) configuring the interventional medical device to be positioned within the subject during a medical procedure utilizing the interventional medical device;

d) processing a feedback signal generated from the electrical sensor;

e) analyzing the feedback signal to identify positional information of the interventional medical device;

f) identifying a position of the interventional medical device with respect to the anatomical dataset; and

g) displaying the position of the interventional medical device with respect to the anatomical dataset.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the anatomical dataset is a previously stored dataset acquired from a non-transitive memory.

19. The method as recited in claim 17 further including performing a fast Fourier transform to the feedback signal to analyze the feedback signal.

20. The method as recited in claim 17 further including configuring an electrical source to emit an electrical signal from a location internal to the subject.

23. The method as recited in claim 17 further including configuring an electrical source to emit an electrical signal from a location external to the subject to propagate into the subject to the electrical sensor.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the electrical source is configured to be attached to a surface of the subject and create a differential signal.

25. The method as recited in claim 24 further including forming the electrical by a plurality of external signal dischargers configured to create a spatial varying signal overlay.

26. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the feedback signal indicates bio-electric signals received by the at least one sensor.

27. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the electrical signal emits through an internal source and an external source to the subject.

28. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein the position of the interventional medical device is based on an impedance measurement derived from the feedback signal.

29. The method as recited in claim 17 further including processing at least one of a velocity and a positional change of the interventional medical device to identify positional information of the interventional medical device

30. The method as recited in claim 29 further including generating a first and second feedback signal from a distal electrical sensor and a proximal electrical sensor, respectively, and determining time delays reflected in the first and second feedback signals in order to determine the velocity of the interventional medical device.

21. The method as recited in claim 21 further including coupling the electrical source to the interventional medical device.

22. The method as recited in claim 22 wherein the electrical source is the electrical sensor operating to create a symmetrical signal.