Positional marker system with point light sources

• US 7,444,178 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Original Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Inventors: Goldbach, Günter
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, SANG H
• Application Number:
  US11/244,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20060082789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 356/614, 356/620, 356/625, 600425-430, 600/3, 600/439, 250/203.1, 250/206.1, 128/665, 128/653.1, 128/653.2, 382/103, 382106-107, 382/154, 382/291, 382/304
• US Class Current: 600/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3945 Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes
• 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 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre

Abstract

A positional marker system is disclosed. The positional marker system includes at least one light-emitting or light-reflecting marker that can be positionally detected by an optical tracking system, such as a medical tracking system, wherein the emitting and/or reflecting portion of the marker or markers is formed as a point light source and/or point light reflector.

Claims

1. A positional marker system trackable by an optical tracking system having a sensor with a predetermined pixel size, comprising:

at least one of a light-emitting and light-reflecting marker that can be positionally detected by the sensor of the optical tracking system, said at least one of the light-emitting and light-reflecting marker formed as a point light, said point light dimensioned such that an image of the point light detected by the sensor is smaller in size than the predetermined pixel size of the sensor, wherein the optical tracking system is a medical tracking system.

2. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the point light emits a homogeneous light in an emitting direction.

3. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the point light is a point light source and/or a point light reflector.

4. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the point light has a minimum size of about 30 micrometers.

5. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the point light has a minimum size of about 50 micrometers.

6. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the point light has a minimum size of about 62.5 micrometers.

7. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the point light is processed or formed such that the point light emits light in a spatially uniform distribution.

8. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the point light comprises an end of a photoconductive inner part of an optical fiber that has been polished or burnished such that the point light forms a convex scattering lens.

9. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the point light is a number of point lights that are the ends of the optical fibers fed from a common light source, wherein the light source can be an actively emitting source or a light collecting device that collects ambient light.

10. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the marker or markers are reflective markers manufactured from a material that exhibits a refraction index of up to about 2.4 or 2.6.

11. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the material is diamond, rutile, fabulite or moissanite material.

12. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the marker or markers are reflective markers made of a transparent or semi-transparent material and exhibit a crystal cut or diamond cut.

13. The positional marker system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the cut is an ideal cut.