System and method for electrode localization using ultrasound

• US 6,490,474 B1
• Filed: 08/01/1997
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pathways Corp. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Zeng, Jinglin, Hurd, Marsha, Willis, N. Parker, Brisken, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US08/905,090
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 600/424, 600/374, 600/373, 600/509, 607/122, 607/126, 606/41, 606/45, 606/49, 606/32, 606/34
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00065 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00113 with foam
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2063 Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• 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 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6855 with a distal curved tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6856 with a distal loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6858 with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 : Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 : involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 : with multiple treatment transducers

Abstract

The present invention is a device localization system that uses one or more ultrasound reference catheters to establish a fixed three-dimensional coordinate system within a patient'"'"'s heart using principles of triangulation. The coordinate system is represented graphically in three-dimensions on a video monitor and aids the clinician in guiding other medical devices, which are provided with ultrasound transducers, through the body to locations at which they are needed to perform clinical procedures. In one embodiment of a system according to the present invention, the system is used in the heart to help the physician guide mapping catheters for measuring electrical activity, and ablation catheters for ablating selected regions of cardiac tissue, to desired locations within the heart.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the three-dimensional position of a medical device within a living body, comprising:

a reference catheter having a plurality of ultrasound reference transducers mounted thereon, the reference catheter positionable within the living body;

an ultrasound target transducer mounted to a medical device which is to be tracked;

localization hardware electronically coupled to the ultrasound target and reference transducers for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to transmit ultrasound signals, for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to receive ultrasound signals including for causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and for measuring elapsed time between transmission of ultrasound signals by transmitting transducers and receipt of the signals by receiving transducers;

a graphical display; and

processor means electronically coupled to the localization hardware for calculating distances between the transducers using the measured elapsed time, for determining a three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing a three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the medical device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is for tracking the three-dimensional position of a medical device having a distal tip and wherein the processor means is for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing the three-dimensional position of the distal tip.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor means is for determining the three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers by determining the three-dimensional arrangement of the reference transducers to establish a coordinate system within the body and by determining the three-dimensional position of the target transducer relative to the coordinate system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor means is further for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing the three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the reference catheter.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the medical device is a mapping catheter having a mapping electrode.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the mapping catheter includes a plurality of ultrasound target transducers.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the mapping catheter includes an elongate shaft, a plurality of arms extending from the shaft, and a plurality of target transducers and mapping electrodes on the arms of the catheter.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the processor means is further for deriving the three-dimensional positions of the arms and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing the three-dimensional position of at least a portion of each arm.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the mapping catheter comprises both the reference catheter and the medical device.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the mapping and reference catheters are separate.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the reference catheter is a mapping catheter having at least one electrode.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the medical device is a catheter having an electrode and wherein the processor means is further for deriving the three-dimensional position of the electrode and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing the three-dimensional position of the electrode.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the reference catheter comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

14. A system for tracking the three-dimensional position of a medical device within a living body, comprising:

a reference catheter having a plurality of ultrasound reference transducers mounted thereon, the reference catheter positionable within the living body;

an ultrasound target transducer mounted to a medical device which is to be tracked, the medical device having an electrode;

localization hardware electronically coupled to the ultrasound target and reference transducers for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to transmit ultrasound signals, for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to receive ultrasound signals including for causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and for measuring elapsed time between transmission of ultrasound signals by transmitting transducers and receipt of the signals by receiving transducers;

a graphical display; and

processor means electronically coupled to the localization hardware for calculating distances between the transducers using the measured elapsed time, for establishing a coordinate system using the calculated distances, for determining a three-dimensional position of the target transducer relative to the coordinate system, for using the three-dimensional position of the target transducer to derive a three-dimensional position of the electrode relative to the coordinate system, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing a three-dimensional position of the electrode.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor means is further for using the three-dimensional position of the target transducer to derive the three-dimensional position and orientation of the catheter relative to the coordinate system, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing the three-dimensional position and orientation of at least a portion of the catheter.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the reference catheter has an electrode.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the reference catheter comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

18. A system for diagnosing and/or treating cardiac arrhythmias, the system comprising:

a plurality of ultrasound reference transducers, the reference transducers mounted on at least one reference catheter positionable within a patient'"'"'s chest;

a mapping catheter having a mapping portion including at least one mapping electrode and at least one ultrasound target transducer adjacent to the mapping catheter;

localization hardware electronically coupled to the target and reference transducers for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to transmit ultrasound signals, for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to receive ultrasound signals including for causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and for measuring elapsed time between transmission of ultrasound signals by transmitting transducers and receipt of the signals by receiving transducers;

electrophysiology hardware electronically coupled to the mapping electrode for receiving mapping signals corresponding to electrical activity measured by the mapping electrodes;

a graphical display; and

processor means electronically coupled to the localization hardware for calculating distances between the transducers using the measured elapsed time;

for determining a three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers, for receiving mapping signals from the electrophysiology hardware, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing a three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the mapping catheter.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the reference catheter has a mapping electrode.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the processor means is for determining the three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers by determining the three-dimensional arrangement of the reference transducers to establish a coordinate system within the body and by determining the three-dimensional position of the target transducer relative to the coordinate system.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the processor means further generates data representing the received mapping signals for display on the graphical display.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the processor means is for displaying the data representing the received mapping signals on the graphical display at a location corresponding to the three-dimensional positions of the mapping electrodes.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor means is for generating an isochronal map displaying the data representing the received mapping signals on the graphical display at a location corresponding to the three-dimensional positions of the mapping electrodes.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor means is for generating an isopotential map displaying the data representing the received mapping signals on the graphical display at a location corresponding to the three-dimensional positions of the mapping electrodes.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the mapping catheter includes:

an elongate shaft;

a plurality of arms extending from the shaft;

a plurality of the mapping electrodes carried on the arms; and

a plurality of ultrasound tracking transducers on the arms.

26. The system of claim 18 wherein:

the system further comprises an ablation catheter having an ablation section, an ablation electrode at the ablation section for forming lesions in the heart, and an ultrasound tracking transducer;

the localization hardware is electronically coupled to the ultrasound tracking transducer on the ablation catheter; and

the processor means is further for generating an image which represents the three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the ablation section of the ablation catheter.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the processor means is further for, with the ablation section at a target location at which a lesion has been formed, using the measured elapsed time for calculating the distances between the ultrasound tracking transducer on the ablation catheter and the other ultrasound transducers, for determining the three-dimensional location of the ablation section using the calculated distances, and for generating an image for selective display on the graphical display which represents the three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the lesion.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein:

the system further comprises a marking catheter having a distal tip and an ultrasound transducer;

the localization hardware is electronically coupled to the ultrasound transducer on the marking catheter;

the processor means is further for deriving the three-dimensional position of the distal tip from the three-dimensional position of the ultrasound transducer on the marking catheter.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the processor means is further for generating an image which includes the derived three-dimensional position of the distal tip.

30. The system of claim 18 wherein the reference catheter comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein the mapping and reference catheters are separate.

32. An electrode localization and ablation system, comprising:

a reference catheter having a plurality of ultrasound reference transducers mounted thereon, the reference catheter positionable within the living body;

an ablation catheter having an ablation section including at least one ablation electrode for forming lesions and at least one ultrasound target transducer;

localization hardware electronically coupled to the target and reference transducers for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to transmit ultrasound signals, for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to receive ultrasound signals including for causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and for measuring elapsed time between transmission of ultrasound signals by transmitting transducers and receipt of the signals by receiving transducers;

a source of ablation energy electrically coupled to the ablation electrode to cause the ablation electrode to generate lesions within the living body;

a graphical display; and

processor means electronically coupled to the localization hardware for calculating distances between the transducers using the measured elapsed time, for determining a three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing a three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the ablation section.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the processor means is further for, with the ablation section at a target location at which a lesion has been formed, using the measured elapsed time for calculating the distances between the ultrasound tracking transducer on the ablation catheter and the other ultrasound transducers, for determining the three-dimensional location of the ablation section using the calculated distances, and for generating an image for selective display on the graphical display which represents the three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the lesion.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the processor means is for determining the three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers by determining the three-dimensional arrangement of the referenc e transducers to establish a coordinate system within the body and by determining the three-dimensional position of the target transducer relative to the coordinate system.

35. The system of claim 32 wherein the reference catheter comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

36. A method of tracking the position of a target catheter within a chamber of a living heart, comprising the steps of:

positioning a reference catheter inside the body, near the heart, with the reference catheter having a plurality of ultrasound transducers mounted thereon;

positioning a target catheter within a chamber of the heart, the target catheter having at least one ultrasound transducer mounted thereon;

causing a plurality of the transducers to generate ultrasound signals, causing a plurality of the transducers to receive ultrasound signals, including causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and recording elapsed time between the generation of signals from each transmitting one of the transducers and the receipt of signals by receiving ones of the transducers;

determining a location of the target catheter with respect to the reference catheter based on the recorded times; and

displaying a location of at least a portion of the target catheter on a graphical display.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of using one of the catheters to measure the electrical activity of the heart.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of using one of the catheters to ablate cardiac tissue.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein the reference catheter is positioned in the heart and/or coronary vasculature.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the location of the target catheter is determined using a triangulation algorithm.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein the reference catheter comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein the reference catheter is positioned within the coronary sinus of the heart.

43. A method of tracking the position of a medical device within a living body, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a reference catheter having a plurality of ultrasound reference transducers, each reference transducer capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals;

(b) providing a medical device, the medical device including an ultrasound target transducer;

(c) positioning the reference catheter and the medical device within the living body;

(d) causing a plurality of the transducers to transmit ultrasound signals for receipt by others of the transducers, including causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers;

(e) measuring elapsed time between transmission of each ultrasound signal emitted in step (d) and its receipt by each of the other transducers, and using the measured elapsed time to determine relative distances between the transducers;

(f) using distances determined in step (e), establishing a three-dimensional arrangement of the reference transducers to establish a coordinate system within the body, and determining a location of the medical device relative to the coordinate system; and

(g) displaying a three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the target transducer relative to the coordinate system on a graphical display.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the medical device provided in step (b) is a mapping catheter having a mapping electrode, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(h) positioning the mapping electrode at a location within the living body;

(i) measuring electrical activity from the electrode; and

(j) deriving the three-dimensional position of the electrode from the three-dimensional position of the target transducer and graphically representing mapping signals corresponding to electrical activity measured by the electrode on the graphical display at the three dimensional position of the electrode.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the mapping catheter provided in step (b) includes multiple mapping electrodes and a plurality of target transducers, and wherein:

step (h) includes simultaneously positioning a plurality of the mapping electrodes at a location;

step (i) includes measuring the electrical activity with the plurality of electrodes; and

step (j) includes deriving the three-dimensional positions of the electrodes using the three-dimensional positions of the target transducers and simultaneously displaying electrical activity measured by each of a plurality of the mapping electrodes on the graphical display at the three dimensional position of its corresponding electrode.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the mapping catheter provided in step (b) includes an elongate shaft, a plurality of arms extending from the shaft, a plurality of mapping electrodes on the arms, and a plurality of ultrasound transducers on the arms, and wherein the reference catheter provided in step (a) comprises the mapping catheter.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein the mapping catheter provided in step (b) includes multiple mapping electrodes and a plurality of target transducers, and wherein:

step (h) includes simultaneously positioning a plurality of the mapping electrodes at a location;

step (i) includes measuring the electrical activity with the plurality of electrodes; and

step (j) includes deriving the three-dimensional positions of the electrodes using the three-dimensional positions of the target transducers and graphically displaying parameters derived from the measured electrical activity on the graphical display at the three dimensional position of at least a portion of the electrodes.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the mapping and reference catheters are separate.

49. The method of claim 43 wherein the medical device provided in step (b) is a mapping catheter having a mapping electrode, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(h) positioning the mapping electrode at a location within the living body;

(i) measuring electrical activity from the electrode; and

(j) deriving the three-dimensional position of the electrode from the three-dimensional position of the target transducer and graphically representing parameters derived from the measured electrical activity on the graphical display at the three dimensional position of the electrode.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein:

step (b) further provides a second medical device in the form of an ablation catheter having an ablation section including an ablation electrode and a target transducer, and wherein the method further includes;

(k) evaluating the display created at step (j) to identify a target location for ablation;

(l) moving the ablation catheter towards the target location in the body while tracking the location of the ablation catheter relative to the coordinate system;

(m) graphically representing the location of the ablation section on the graphical display;

(o) while observing the graphical display, repeating steps (l) and (m) until the graphical display shows the ablation section at the target location; and

(p) supplying ablation energy to the ablation electrode to induce ablation at the target location.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the mapping and reference catheters are separate.

52. The method of claim 43 wherein the method is for tracking the position of a catheter within a patient'"'"'s heart, and wherein:

step (a) provides a reference catheter having a distal tip;

step (c) includes positioning the reference catheter in the right ventricle of the patient'"'"'s heart with the distal tip at the right ventricular apex.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein;

step (a) provides a second reference catheter;

step (c) includes positioning the second reference catheter in the coronary sinus of the patient'"'"'s heart.

54. The method of claim 43, wherein the method is for tracking the position of a catheter within a patient'"'"'s heart, wherein the patient'"'"'s heart has a cardiac cycle, and wherein the method further comprises the step of storing data representing the three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the catheter at a selected portion of the cardiac cycle.

55. The method of claim 43 wherein the method is for tracking the position of a catheter within a patient'"'"'s heart, and wherein:

step (a) provides a reference catheter;

step (c) includes positioning the reference catheter in the coronary sinus of the patient'"'"'s heart.

56. The method of claim 43, further including the step of using the relative distances established in step (e), deriving the three-dimensional position and orientation of the reference catheter and displaying an image representing the three-dimensional position and orientation of at least a portion of the reference catheter on the graphical display.

57. The method of claim 43, further including the step of repeating steps (d) through (g) while moving the medical device to a location within the living body.

58. The method of claim 43 wherein step (e) includes using a triangulation algorithm to determine the location of the target transducer.

59. The method of claim 43 wherein the medical device provided in step (b) is an ablation device having an ablation electrode, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(h) positioning the ablation electrode at a target location within the living body;

(i) delivering ablation energy to the electrode to induce ablation at the target location and to thereby form a lesion; and

(j) extrapolating the three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the lesion from the three-dimensional location of the target transducer established in step (f); and

(k) including the three-dimensional location of the lesion determined in step (j) on the graphical display.

60. The method of claim 43 wherein the medical device is a marking catheter having a distal portion and wherein the ultrasound tracking transducer is located at the distal portion, and wherein:

step (c) includes manipulating the marking catheter under fluoroscopic visualization to position the target transducer adjacent to a predetermined anatomical structure within the body; and

the method further includes the step of extrapolating the position of the anatomical structure from the three-dimensional position of the target transducer determined in step (f) and displaying the three-dimensional position of the anatomical structure on the graphical display.

61. The method of claim 43 wherein the reference catheter comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

62. The method of claim 43, wherein the reference catheter is positioned within the coronary sinus of the heart.

63. A system for tracking the three-dimensional position of a medical device within a living body, comprising:

a plurality of reference catheters, each reference catheter having at least one ultrasound reference transducer mounted thereon and being positionable within the living body;

an ultrasound target transducer mounted to a medical device which is to be tracked;

localization hardware electronically coupled to the ultrasound target and reference transducers for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to transmit ultrasound signals, for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to receive ultrasound signals including for causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and for measuring elapsed time between transmission of ultrasound signals by transmitting transducers and receipt of the signals by receiving transducers;

a graphical display; and

processor means electronically coupled to the localization hardware for calculating distances between the transducers using the measured elapsed time, for determining a three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing a three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the medical device.

64. The system of claim 63 wherein at least one of the reference catheters has at least two ultrasound reference transducers thereon.

65. A system for tracking the three-dimensional position of a medical device within a living body, comprising:

a plurality of reference catheters, each having at least one ultrasound transducer mounted thereon, the reference catheters positionable within a living body;

an ultrasound target transducer mounted to a medical device which is to be tracked, the medical device having an electrode;

localization hardware electronically coupled to the ultrasound target and reference transducers for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to transmit ultrasound signals, for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to receive ultrasound signals including for causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and for measuring elapsed time between transmission of ultrasound signals by transmitting transducers and receipt of the signals by receiving transducers;

a graphical display; and

processor means electronically coupled to the localization hardware for calculating distances between the transducers using the measured elapsed time, for establishing a coordinate system using the calculated distances, for determining a three-dimensional position of the target transducer relative to the coordinate system, for using the three-dimensional position of the target transducer to derive a three-dimensional position of the electrode relative to the coordinate system, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing a three-dimensional position of the electrode.

66. The system of claim 65 wherein at least one of the reference catheters has at least two ultrasound transducers thereon.

67. The system of claim 65 wherein each of the reference catheters comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

68. A system for diagnosing and/or treating cardiac arrhythmias, the system comprising:

a plurality of reference catheters, each having at least one ultrasound reference transducer mounted thereon, the reference catheters positionable within a patient'"'"'s chest;

a mapping catheter having a mapping portion including at least one mapping electrode and at least one ultrasound target transducer adjacent to the mapping catheter;

localization hardware electronically coupled to the target and reference transducers for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to transmit ultrasound signals, for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to receive ultrasound signals including for causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and for measuring elapsed time between transmission of ultrasound signals by transmitting transducers and receipt of the signals by receiving transducers;

electrophysiology hardware electronically coupled to the mapping electrode for receiving mapping signals corresponding to electrical activity measured by the mapping electrodes;

a graphical display; and

processor means electronically coupled to the localization hardware for calculating distances between the transducers using the measured elapsed time, for determining a three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers, for receiving mapping signals from the electrophysiology hardware, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing a three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the mapping catheter.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein at least one of the reference transducers has at least two ultrasound reference transducers thereon.

70. The system of claim 68 wherein each of the reference catheters comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

71. An electrode localization and ablation system, comprising:

a plurality of reference catheters, each having at least one ultrasound reference transducer mounted thereon, the reference catheters positionable within a living body;

an ablation catheter having an ablation section including at least one ablation electrode for forming lesions and at least one ultrasound target transducer;

localization hardware electronically coupled to the target and reference transducers for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to transmit ultrasound signals, for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to receive ultrasound signals including for causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and for measuring elapsed time between transmission of ultrasound signals by transmitting transducers and receipt of the signals by receiving transducers;

a source of ablation energy electrically coupled to the ablation electrode to cause the ablation electrode to generate lesions within the living body;

a graphical display; and

processor means electronically coupled to the localization hardware for calculating distances between the transducers using the measured elapsed time, for determining a three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing a three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the ablation section.

72. The system of claim 71 wherein at least one of the reference catheters has at least two ultrasound reference transducers thereon.

73. The system of claim 71 wherein each of the reference catheters comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

74. A method of tracking the position of a target catheter within a chamber of a living heart, comprising the steps of:

positioning a plurality of reference catheters inside the body, near the heart, with each reference catheter having at least one ultrasound mounted thereon;

positioning a target catheter within a chamber of the heart, the target catheter having at least one ultrasound transducer mounted thereon;

causing a plurality of the transducers to generate ultrasound signals, causing a plurality of the transducers to receive ultrasound signals, including causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and recording elapsed time between the generation of signals from each transmitting one of the transducers and the receipt of signals by receiving ones of the transducers;

determining a location of the target catheter with respect to the reference catheter based on the recorded times; and

displaying a location of at least a portion of the target catheter on a graphical display.

75. The method of claim 74 where at least one of the reference catheters has at least two ultrasound reference transducers thereon.

76. The method of claim 74 wherein each of the reference catheters comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

77. The method of claim 74, wherein one of the reference catheters is positioned within the coronary sinus of the heart.

78. The method of claim 74, wherein one of the reference catheters is positioned within the coronary sinus of the heart, and another of the reference catheters is positioned in the right ventricle of the heart.

79. A method of tracking the position of a medical device within a living body, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of reference catheters, each reference catheter including at least one reference transducer capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals;

(b) providing a medical device, the medical device including an ultrasound target transducer;

(c) positioning the reference catheter and the medical device within the living body;

(d) causing a plurality of the transducers to transmit ultrasound signals for receipt by others of the transducers, including causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers;

(e) measuring elapsed time between transmission of each ultrasound signal emitted in step (d) and its receipt by each of the other transducers, and using the measured elapsed time to determine relative distances between the transducers;

(f) using distances determined in step (e), establishing a three-dimensional arrangement of the reference transducers to establish a coordinate system within the body, and determining a location of the medical device relative to the coordinate system; and

(g) displaying a three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the target transducer relative to the coordinate system on a graphical display.

80. The method of claim 79 wherein at least one of the reference catheters has at least two ultrasound reference transducers capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals.

81. The method of claim 79 wherein each of the reference catheters comprises a single spline on which the ultrasound reference transducers are mounted.

82. The method of claim 79, wherein one of the reference catheters is positioned within the coronary sinus of the heart.

83. The method of claim 79, wherein one of the reference catheters is positioned within the coronary sinus of the heart, and another of the reference catheters is positioned in the right ventricle of the heart.