Automatic registration system for use with position tracking an imaging system for use in medical applications

• US 6,738,656 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ferre, Maurice R., Tieman, James S., Jakab, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US09/643,815
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 600/424, 600/407, 600/415, 600/417, 600/426, 600/427, 600/429, 606/130
• US Class Current: 600/426
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00464 for use with different instruments with hole for different instruments A61B2017/22072
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• 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 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0818 Redundant systems, e.g. using two independent measuring systems and comparing the signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• 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 5/06 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 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• 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 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 : Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 : using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/004 : for measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/14 : Transformations for image registration, e.g. adjusting or mapping for alignment of images

Abstract

A method of automatic registration includes forming an image of a body part including a representation of markers fixed in a known position in space relative to a reference mount, positioning a sensing unit in a known position in space relative to the reference mount, and automatically registering the sensing unit in space relative to the formed image based on the location of the markers in the formed image, the known location of the markers relative to the reference mount, and the known location of the sensing unit relative to the reference mount.

Claims

1. A method of automatic registration, comprising the steps of:

forming an image of a body part including a representation of markers fixed in a known position in space relative to a reference mount having an electromagnetic field generator in a known position in space relative to the reference mount;

positioning an electromagnetic field sensing unit in a known position in space relative to the reference mount, and

automatically registering the electromagnetic field sensing unit in space relative to the formed image based on the location of the markers in the formed image, the known location to the markers relative to the reference mount, and the known location of the electromagnetic field sensing unit relative to the reference mount.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the reference mount comprising a headset.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing includes providing the headset including a frame having a nose mount, and first and second ear mounts.

4. The method of claim 2 further including placing the headset on a patient'"'"'s head in a repeatable fashion.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the markers are fixed non-invasively.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic field sensing unit is positioned non-invasively.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said forming step comprises attaching the electromagnetic field generator to the reference mount.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said positioning an electromagnetic field sensing unit step comprises positioning a plurality of electromagnetic field sensing units in space relative to the formed image based on the location of the markers in the formed image.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising positioning at least one of said plurality of electromagnetic field sensing units on a medical instrument.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the reference mount with a transmitter in a known spatial relationship to at least one fiducial ball, and automatically generating a mapping function to translate a transmitter coordinate system to an image coordinate system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a mapping function based on the relative orientation of the electromagnetic field generator with respect to the reference mount.