Apparatus for determining the position and orientation of an invasive portion of a probe inside a three-dimensional body

• US 5,622,170 A
• Filed: 10/04/1994
• Issued: 04/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Image Guided Technologies, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Image Guided Technologies, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Schulz, Waldean A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US08/317,805
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 606/130, 128/653.1, 364/413.22, 356/375, 356/141.1-141.3, 356/152.1
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7074 Tools specially adapted for spinal fixation operations other than for bone removal or filler handling A61B17/7062, A61B17/808, A61B17/8858 take precedence; for spinal image producing devices A61B90/36, A61B34/20; markers A61B90/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2068 using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points
• 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 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3945 Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3954 magnetic, e.g. NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3979 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• 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 5/0064 Body surface scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• 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 5/1077 Measuring of profiles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/501 : for diagnosis of the head, e.g. neuroimaging or craniography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 : combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 : Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 : for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/14 : Fixators for body parts, e.g. skull clamps; Constructional details of fixators, e.g. pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 : Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 : Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers

Abstract

System for sensing at least two points on an object for determining the position and orientation of the object relative to another object. Two light emitters mounted in spaced relation to each other on an external portion of an invasive probe remaining outside an object into which an invasive tip is inserted are sequentially strobed to emit light. Three light sensors or detectors, the positions of which are known with respect to a predetermined coordinate system, detect the positions of the two light emitters positioned on the probe. A computer connected to the probe and to the light sensors receives data from the sensors and determines the position and orientation of the probe relative to the predetermined coordinate system. The computer then determines the position and orientation of the invasive portion of the probe inside the object by correlating the position of the invasive portion of the probe relative to the predetermined coordinate system with the position of a model of the object defined in relation to the predetermined coordinate system. A display device connected to the computer indicates the location of the invasive portion of the probe in the object by displaying a representation of the location of the invasive portion of the probe with respect to the model of the object.

Claims

1. Apparatus for determining the position and orientation of an invasive portion of a probe inside a three-dimensional body, wherein the probe includes an external portion that remains outside the body, comprising:

means defining a coordinate system wherein the three dimensional body is adapted to be disposed within said coordination system;

means defining an electronically displayable model of said body;

a probe comprising a portion adapted to be external to said three dimensional body and an invasive portion adapted to be internal to said three dimensional body;

at least two probe light emitters mounted in spaced relationship on the external portion of the probe each for projecting a probe light ray;

at least three light sensors, in known locations within said defined coordinate system, remotely located from the probe for detecting at least two probe light rays;

means to cause probe light rays to pass between said probe light emitters and said at least three light sensors which are non-linear with respect to each other;

means to measure angles between said probe light beams to at least three of said light sensors; and

means coupled to said at least three light sensors for converting said angles to current locations of said probe light emitters and, from said locations, determining the position and orientation of the probe relative to said defined coordinate system and for deducing the position and orientation of the invasive portion of the probe by correlating the position and orientation of the probe relative to the defined coordinate system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising display means coupled to said location determining means for indicating the position and orientation of the invasive portion of the probe by displaying a representation of the invasive portion of the probe tip in spacial relationship to a display of said model of the body.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said at least three light sensors comprises at least three one-dimensional light sensors in spaced relationship for sensing light rays from said probe light emitters.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each said one-dimensional light sensors comprises:

a linear photodetector; and

a lens positioned between said linear photodetector and said probe light emitters for focusing light rays from said probe light emitters onto said linear photodetector.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said probe light emitters is strobed off and on by said computing means in a predetermined manner so that only one of said probe light emitters is illuminated at any one time.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each said lens of each said one-dimensional light sensor comprises a cylindrical lens.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said display means is a video monitor.