Endoscope structures and techniques for navigating to a target in branched structure
First Claim
1. A method for steering a catheter through a branched structure to a target location, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a flexible, steerable catheter with a position sensor element located near a distal tip of the catheter, the position sensor element being part of a position measuring system measuring a position and a pointing direction of the tip of the catheter relative to a three-dimensional frame of reference;
(b) designating the target location relative to the three-dimensional frame of reference;
(c) advancing the catheter into the branched structure; and
(d) displaying a representation of at least one parameter defined by a geometrical relation between the pointing direction of the tip of the catheter and a direction from the tip of the catheter towards the target location, wherein the at least one parameter includes a direction of deflection required to bring the pointing direction of the catheter into alignment with the target location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods employing a small guage steerable catheter (30) including a locatable guide (32) with a sheath (40), particularly as an enhancement to a bronchoscope (14). A typical procedure is as follows. The location of a target in a reference coordinate system is detected or imported. The catheter (30) is navigated to the target which tracking the distal tip (34) of the guide (32) in the reference coordinate system. Insertion of the catheter is typically via a working channel of a convention bronchoscope. Once the tip of the catheter is positioned at the target, the guide (32) is withdrawn, leaving the sheath (40) secured in place. The sheath (40) is then used as a guide channel to direct a medical tool to target.
515 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A method for steering a catheter through a branched structure to a target location, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a flexible, steerable catheter with a position sensor element located near a distal tip of the catheter, the position sensor element being part of a position measuring system measuring a position and a pointing direction of the tip of the catheter relative to a three-dimensional frame of reference; (b) designating the target location relative to the three-dimensional frame of reference; (c) advancing the catheter into the branched structure; and (d) displaying a representation of at least one parameter defined by a geometrical relation between the pointing direction of the tip of the catheter and a direction from the tip of the catheter towards the target location, wherein the at least one parameter includes a direction of deflection required to bring the pointing direction of the catheter into alignment with the target location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 52)
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31. A method for achieving registration between three-dimensional imaging data and a three dimensional frame of reference of a position measuring system, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a catheter with; (i) a position sensor element which operates as part of the position measuring system to allow measurement of a position and a pointing direction of the tip of the catheter relative to the three-dimensional frame of reference, and (ii) an image sensor; (b) generating from the three-dimensional imaging data at least three simulated views of distinctive features within the branched structure; (c) generating at least three image sensor views of the distinctive features, each image sensor view and a corresponding one of the simulated views constituting a pair of similar views; (d) allowing an operator to designate a reference point viewed within each of the image sensor views and a corresponding reference point viewed within each corresponding simulated view; and (e) deriving from the designated reference points a best fit registration between the three-dimensional imaging data and the three-dimensional frame of reference. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 50)
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37. A method for achieving registration between three-dimensional imaging data and a three dimensional frame of reference of a position measuring system, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a catheter with; (i) a position sensor element which operates as part of the position measuring system to allow measurement of a position and a pointing direction of the tip of the catheter relative to the three-dimensional frame of reference, and (ii) an image sensor; (b) moving the tip of the catheter along a first branch portion of a branched structure and deriving a plurality of images from the image sensor, each image being associated with corresponding position data of the position sensor in said three dimensional frame of reference; (c) processing said images and corresponding position data to derive a best-fit of a predefined geometrical model to said first branch portion in said three dimensional frame of reference; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for a second branch portion of the branched structure; and (e) correlating said geometrical models of said first and second branch portions with the three-dimensional imaging data to derive a best fit registration between the three-dimensional imaging data and the three dimensional frame of reference. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 51)
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53. A method for steering a catheter through a branched structure to a target location, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a flexible, steerable catheter with a position sensor element located near a distal tip of the catheter, the position sensor element being part of a position measuring system measuring a position and a pointing direction of the tip of the catheter relative to a three-dimensional frame of reference; (b) designating the target location relative to the three-dimensional frame of reference; (c) advancing the catheter into the branched structure; and (d) displaying a representation of at least one parameter defined by a geometrical relation between the pointing direction of the tip of the catheter and a direction from the tip of the catheter towards the target location, wherein the steerable catheter is a flexible bronchoscope.
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Specification