Catheter locatable with non-ionizing field and method for locating same

• US 5,042,486 A
• Filed: 09/12/1990
• Issued: 08/27/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Pfeiler, Manfred, Ermert, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US07/581,556
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 128/653 R, 128/656, 128/658, 128/659, 128/662.02, 128/662.03, 128/662.06, 128/898
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• 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 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• 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

Abstract

A catheter locatable with a non-ionizing field, such as an electromagnetic or acoustic field, has a transmitting or receiving antenna for the relevant field at its tip. Receiving or transmitting antennas for the non-ionizing field are attached to a patient in which the catheter is disposed. A receiver or transmitter is connected to these antennas, and converts the received field waves into electrical locating or image signals. The location of the catheter tip is then portrayed on a display combined with an image of the blood vessel structure acquired in a different manner, such as by x-ray imaging.

Claims

1. A method for real-time locating of a catheter in a vessel in a patient comprising the steps of:

obtaining a radiological vessel image;

obtaining an image using ionizing radiation of a catheter in a vessel contained within said vessel image using a non-ionizing field; and

superimposing said image of said catheter on said radiological vessel image.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining an image of said catheter using a non-ionizing field is further defined by obtaining an image of a tip of said catheter using said non-ionizing field.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining an image of said catheter using a non-ionizing field is further defined by the steps of:

operating an antenna disposed at a tip of said catheter as a transmitting antenna for non-ionizing field signals;

receiving the non-ionizing field signals from said transmitting antenna by a plurality of receiving antennas disposed externally at a surface of said patient; and

converting the received signals into electrical image signals for generating an image of said catheter tip.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining an image of said catheter using a non-ionizing field is further defined by the steps of:

operating an antenna disposed at a tip of said catheter as a receiving antenna for non-ionizing field signals;

transmitting the non-ionizing field signals to said receiving antenna from a plurality of transmitting antennas disposed externally at a surface of said patient; and

converting the received signals into electrical image signals for generating an image of said catheter tip.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining an image of said catheter using a non-ionizing field is further defined by obtaining an image of said catheter using an electromagnetic field.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining an image of said catheter using a non-ionizing field is further defined by obtaining an image of said catheter using an acoustic field.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining an image of said catheter using a non-ionizing field as further defined by the step of:

locating the successive positions of said catheter in a chronological sequence to describe a continuous image of the path which the tip of said catheter has traversed.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising the additional steps of:

providing said catheter with a plurality of individually locatable segments; and

identifying the location and direction of a tip of said catheter using said locatable segments.