Calibration method and apparatus for calibrating position sensors on scanning transducers

• US 6,604,404 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trig Medical Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ultraguide Ltd.
• Inventors: Nagar, Ron, Paltieli, Yoav, Taran, David
• Primary Examiner(s): RAEVIS, ROBERT R
• Application Number:
  US09/950,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20020035864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 73/17.5, 73/17.9, 73/18.2, 73/18.6, 378/207, 324/202
• US Class Current: 73/1.82
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00725 Calibration or performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3413 guided by ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• 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 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• 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 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/587 Calibration phantoms models for medical purposes G09B23/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5205 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

There are disclosed systems for calibrating a first position measuring component on an imaging or scanning transducer with respect to the scanning plane. Calibrations are performed by using a calibrating device including an additional or second position measuring component, such that during the calibration process, the relative position of between these position measuring components can be calculated. Calibrations are also performed by viewing targets on the scanning plane that are at a known position with respect to the second position measuring component. Calibrations are also performed based on the to scanning plane and position measuring component on a guided device, such as a needle, that typically is used in conjunction with the imaging or scanning transducer. Methods for these calibrations are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a medical imaging device scanning and imaging plane to a first position measuring component being attached onto said medical imaging device, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a reference plane, said reference plane at a first location;

arranging a target volume identifiable by the medical imaging device scanning transducer, around said reference plane;

providing a second position measuring component having a known position with respect to said reference plane;

manipulating said medical imaging device scanning transducer to scan said target volume;

determining the position of said scanning plane with respect to said reference plane;

determining the position of said first position measuring component with respect to said second position measuring component; and

processing data corresponding to the position of said first position measuring component with respect to said second position measuring component, and data corresponding to the position of said scanning plane with respect to said reference plane in order to calculate the position of said scanning plane with respect to said first position measuring component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining the position of said first position measuring component relative to said second position measuring component, includes directly measuring the position of said first position measuring component relative to second position measuring component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first and second position measuring components are portions of magnetic, acoustic or optical position measuring systems.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining the position of said first position measuring component relative to said second position measuring component, includes indirectly measuring the position of said first position measuring component relative to second position measuring component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of indirectly measuring includes,

providing a third position measuring component, and

obtaining a first value by measuring the position of said first position measuring component with respect to said third position measuring component;

obtaining a second value by measuring the position of said second position measuring component with respect to said third position measuring component and said second position measuring component;

calculating said position of said first position measuring component relative to said second position measuring component from said first and second values.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first, second and third position measuring components are portions of magnetic, acoustic or optical position measuring systems.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least three points are non-collinear.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said medical imaging device includes an ultrasound medical imaging device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of said scanning plane with respect to said reference plane is calculated by a computer programmed with image processing means, based on data received upon scanning said target volume.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said medical imaging device includes a CT medical imaging device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said medical imaging device includes a MRI medical imaging device.