Imaging of interventional devices during medical procedures

• US 5,577,502 A
• Filed: 04/03/1995
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Dumoulin, Charles L., Darrow, Robert D., Souza, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, SHAWNA JEANNINE
• Application Number:
  US08/415,409
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 128/653.1, 128/653.2, 128/721
• US Class Current: 600/426
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00694 with means correcting for movement of or for synchronisation with the body
• 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 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7289 Retrospective gating, i.e. associating measured signals or images with a physiological event after the actual measurement or image acquisition, e.g. by simultaneously recording an additional physiological signal during the measurement or image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5276 due to motion

Abstract

A tracking system monitors the position of a device within a subject and superimposes a graphic symbol on a diagnostic image of the subject. Registration of the tracked location with the diagnostic image is maintained in the presence of subject motion by monitoring subject motion and adjusting the display to compensate for subject motion. Motion monitoring can be performed with ultrasonic, optical or mechanical methods. The display can be adjusted by modifying the displayed location of the device or it can be adjusted by translating, rotating or distorting the diagnostic image.

Claims

1. A method for providing an image of a subject with a correctly registered image of an invasive device employing the steps of:

(a) obtaining a plurality of reference images each corresponding to a different point of a periodic motion cycle of said subject;

(b) storing each image and its corresponding periodic motion cycle point;

(c) measuring said device location;

(d) performing a measurement of the periodic motion point at essentially the same time as the device location measurement;

(e) selecting a reference image corresponding to the measured periodic motion point;

(f) superimposing an image of the device at the measured device location on the selected reference image; and

(g) repeating steps "c"-"f" to produce a correctly registered real-time motion picture of the device and subject images.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the periodic motion cycle is a respiratory cycle of the subject.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the periodic motion cycle is a cardiac cycle of the subject.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the periodic motion cycle is a respiratory cycle of the subject.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the periodic motion cycle is a cardiac cycle of the subject.

4. A method for providing an image of a subject with a correctly registered image of an invasive device employing the steps of:

(a) obtaining a plurality of reference images each corresponding to a different point of a periodic motion cycle of said subject;

(b) storing each image and its corresponding periodic motion cycle point;

(c) measuring the device location at points corresponding to the periodic motion points of the stored images;

(d) superimposing an image of the device at the measured device location on the reference image corresponding to the same periodic motion point; and

(e) repeating steps "c"-"d" to produce a correctly registered real-time motion picture of the device and subject images.