Imaging system having interactive medical instruments and methods

• US 5,617,857 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Image Guided Technologies, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Image Guided Technologies, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Feaver, Timothy L., Chader, Martin D., Faul, Ivan, Schulz, Waldean A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, SHAWNA JEANNINE
• Application Number:
  US08/471,279
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 128/653.1, 128/664, 128/897, 128/899, 128/903, 606/130, 378/37, 378/205, 378/207
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00464 for use with different instruments with hole for different instruments A61B2017/22072
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00725 Calibration or performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3945 Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• 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 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

The invention provides an improved imaging system and method. The imaging system is of the type having a medical instrument including a source for emitting detectable energy and an instrument body having a work portion. The imaging system further includes detector for detecting the energy and a processor for determining the location of the medical instrument based on the detected energy. Such an imaging system is improved by providing a storage device on or in the medical instrument for storing initialization information, such as the location of the energy-emitting means relative to the instrument body. A transfer device is provided for transferring the initialization information from the storage device to the processor upon connection of the medical instrument to the processor. In this manner, the processor may then configure itself according to the attached instrument so that the system may track the location of the instrument body in three-dimensional space upon detection of the emitted energy.

Claims

1. An improved imaging system of the type having a medical instrument including means for emitting detectable energy and an instrument body having a work portion, the imaging system further including means for detecting the energy and a processor for determining the location of the medical instrument based on the detected energy, wherein the improvement comprises:

means on or in the medical instrument for storing information relating to the location of the energy-emitting means relative to the instrument body;

means for transferring the location information from the storing means to the processor upon connection of the medical instrument to the processor, wherein the processor may determine the location of the instrument body in three-dimensional space upon receipt of the location information and upon detection of the emitted energy, wherein the medical instrument further includes an attachment having the storing means and means for emitting detectable energy; and

means for indicating the type of instrument body that is connected to the attachment, the indicating means being formed upon connection of the attachment to the instrument body, and wherein the processor includes means for correlating the location of the work portion relative to the energy-emitting elements based on the type of instrument body that is connected to the attachment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the storing means comprises an electronic memory chip.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy-emitting means comprises a plurality of energy-emitting elements.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the storing means is included within the instrument body and includes information relating to the location of the work portion relative to the energy-emitting means.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the medical instrument includes a removable attachment having the energy-emitting means and the storing means.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the storing means includes information indicating that the storing means is included in the attachment, wherein the processor may determine that the instrument body is being used with the attachment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for determining the type of instrument body comprises an electrical circuit that is formed upon connection of the attachment to the instrument body, whereby a characteristic of the circuit may be detected to indicate the type of instrument body.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising means for attaching the attachment to only selected types of instrument bodies, and wherein the storing means includes information relating to the location of the energy-emitting elements relative to the selected type of instrument body.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes a reference frame in communication with the processor, the reference frame having at least three energy-emitting units and having means for storing information identifying the reference frame upon connection of the reference frame to the processor.

10. An improved method of the type wherein the location of an instrument body of a medical instrument is determined by detecting energy emitted from an energy-emitting source associated with the medical instrument and processing in a processor the detected information, wherein the improvement comprises:

connecting the medical instrument to the processor;

transferring stored electronic information from the medical instrument to the processor regarding the location of the energy-emitting source relative to the medical instrument;

determining with the processor the location of the instrument body in three-dimensional space based at least in part on the detected information and the stored information;

wherein the medical instrument further includes an attachment having the energy-emitting source and the stored electronic information, and further comprising removably attaching the attachment to the instrument body; and

further comprising detecting the type of instrument body upon connection of the attachment to the instrument body and determining the location of a work portion of the instrument body relative to the energy-emitting source based on the type of instrument body that is connected to the attachment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the energy-emitting source is included within the instrument body, and wherein the transferring step further includes transferring electronic information from the medical instrument to the processor regarding the location of the energy-emitting source relative to a work portion of the instrument body.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the transferring step further comprises transferring from the attachment to the processor electronic information indicating that the attachment is connected to the instrument body, and further comprising manually entering into the processor information identifying the type of instrument body that is connected to the attachment.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising selectively preventing connection of the attachment to the instrument body based on the stored information in the attachment and the type of instrument body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the transferring step further comprises transferring to the processor electronic information regarding the location of the energy-emitting source relative to a work portion on the instrument body.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the detecting step comprises forming an electrical circuit upon connection of the attachment to the instrument body and measuring a characteristic of the circuit when current is passed therethrough.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising placing a reference frame in communication with the processor, the reference frame having at least three energy-emitting units, and further comprising transferring to the processor electronic information identifying the reference frame upon connection of the reference frame to the processor.

17. An improved imaging system of the type having a medical instrument including means for emitting detectable energy and an instrument body having a work portion, the imaging system further including means for detecting the energy and a processor for determining the location of the medical instrument based on the detected energy, wherein the improvement comprises:

means on or in the medical instrument for storing information relating to the location of the energy-emitting means relative to the instrument body; and

means for transferring the location information from the storing means to the processor upon connection of the medical instrument to the processor, wherein the processor may determine the location of the instrument body in three-dimensional space upon receipt of the location information and upon detection of the emitted energy;

wherein the medical instrument includes a removable attachment having the energy-emitting means and the storing means, wherein the storing means includes information indicating that the storing means is included in the attachment, and wherein the processor may determine that the instrument body is being used with the attachment.

18. An improved method of the type wherein the location of an instrument body of a medical instrument is determined by detecting energy emitted from an energy-emitting source associated with the medical instrument and processing in a processor the detected information, wherein the improvement comprises:

connecting the medical instrument to the processor;

transferring stored electronic information from the medical instrument to the processor regarding the location of the energy-emitting source relative to the medical instrument; and

determining with the processor the location of the instrument body in three-dimensional space based at least in part on the detected information and the stored information;

wherein the medical instrument further includes an attachment having the energy-emitting source and the stored electronic information, and further comprising removably attaching the attachment to the instrument body; and

wherein the transferring step further comprises transferring from the attachment to the processor electronic information indicating that the attachment is connected to the instrument body, and further comprising manually entering into the processor information identifying the type of instrument body that is connected to the attachment.

19. An improved method of the type wherein the location of an instrument body of a medical instrument is determined by detecting energy emitted from an energy-emitting source associated with the medical instrument and processing in a processor the detected information, wherein the improvement comprises:

connecting the medical instrument to the processor;

transferring stored electronic information from the medical instrument to the processor regarding the location of the energy-emitting source relative to the medical instrument; and

determining with the processor the location of the instrument body in three-dimensional space based at least in part on the detected information and the stored information;

wherein the medical instrument further includes an attachment having the energy-emitting source and the stored electronic information, and further comprising removably attaching the attachment to the instrument body; and

further comprising selectively preventing connection of the attachment to the instrument body based on the stored information in the attachment and the type of instrument body.