Combination of electromagnetic and electropotential localization

• US 8,175,681 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hartmann, Steven L., Bzostek, Andrew, Jascob, Bradley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROZANSKI, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US12/336,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20100152571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 600/424, 600/407, 600/427, 128/899, 607/122
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2046 Tracking techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis

Abstract

A navigation system or combination of navigation systems can be used to provide two or more types of navigation or modalities of navigation to navigate a single instrument. The single instrument can be positioned within the patient and tracked. For example, both an Electromagnetic (EM) and Electropotential (EP) navigation system can be used to navigate an instrument within a patient.

Claims

1. A system for tracking an instrument within a volume, comprising:

a first electromagnetic tracking system including a first tracking device operable to determine a position of the first tracking device within a first tracking domain;

a second electropotential tracking system including;

a plurality of current electrodes operable to induce a current into the volume to form a second tracking domain;

a second tracking device operable to sense a voltage at the second tracking device based upon the induced current;

an instrument having a first portion connected to the first tracking device and a second portion connected to the second tracking device to allow tracking of the instrument with at least one of the first tracking system or the second tracking system, wherein the second portion is operable to move relative to the first portion to place the second tracking device at a known position relative to the first tracking device;

a controller in communication with the first electromagnetic tracking system and the second electropotential tracking system;

wherein the controller is operable to determine a registration of the first tracking domain and the second tracking domain based on at least the position of the first tracking device relative to the second tracking device within the volume;

wherein the registration is operable to allow tracking of the instrument with either of the first electromagnetic tracking system or the second electropotential tracking system in the volume.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an imaging system operable to acquire image data of the volume;

wherein the first electromagnetic tracking system is operable to generate an electromagnetic field defining a tracking volume domain of a determined uniformity within the volume allowing the first tracking domain to be registered to the image data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first electromagnetic tracking system includes a localizer;

wherein either of the localizer or the first tracking device is operable to generate the electromagnetic field and the other of the localizer or the first tracking device is operable to sense the electromagnetic field;

wherein the electromagnetic field defines the first tracking domain.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the imaging system is operable to acquire image data of the first tracking device and the second tracking device to determine the position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device relative to each other within the volume.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instrument having the first portion and the second portion includes:

an outer member as the first portion and an inner member as the second portion, wherein the outer member and the inner member are operable to move relative to one another;

wherein the outer member is connected to the first tracking device and the second inner member is connected the second tracking device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first tracking device is configured to be fixedly associated with the volume;

wherein the second tracking device is moveable to a known position relative to the first tracking device;

wherein when the second tracking device is at the known position, the controller is operable to correlate the position of the first tracking device relative to the second tracking device and correlate the first tracking domain relative to the second tracking domain.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the instrument is a catheter and lead assembly;

wherein the catheter includes a first tracking device and the lead includes the second tracking device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first tracking device is one or more coils of wire and the second tracking device includes an electrode.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first tracking device and the second tracking device are formed as a single device operable to be tracked within both of the first electromagnetic tracking system and the second electropotential tracking system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the single device includes a first portion defining an electrode to sense a voltage and a second portion operable to sense or generate a field.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the instrument includes both the first tracking device and the second tracking device operable to be positioned at a known position relative to one another in at least a first orientation of the instrument.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the instrument includes a lead having an electrode;

wherein the electrode of the lead is the second tracking device.

13. A method of tracking an instrument using at least a first tracking system and a second tracking system, comprising:

providing the first tracking system to determine a position of a first tracking device, including;

generating an electromagnetic field to define a first navigation space in a volume;

determining a first position of the first tracking device with the generated electromagnetic field;

providing the second tracking system to determine a position of a second tracking device, including;

generating a current in the volume to define a second navigation space;

sensing a voltage with the second tracking device;

determining a second position of the second tracking device based upon the sensed voltage;

registering the first tracking system and the second tracking system based upon moving the second tracking device to a known position relative to the first tracking device; and

tracking the second tracking device with the second tracking system and illustrating on a display device a position of the second tracking device based upon the registration of the first tracking system and the second tracking system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing image data of the volume;

registering the image data to the first navigation space; and

illustrating on the display device the determined first position of the first tracking device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein moving the second tracking device to a known position relative to the first tracking device includes:

positioning the first tracking device on a tube;

moving the second tracking device through the tube; and

measuring a signal change when the second tracking device moves past the first tracking device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein registering the first tracking system and the second tracking system, includes:

determining a first identity position in the volume with the first tracking device in the first navigation space;

determining a second identity position in the volume with the second tracking device in the second navigation space;

relating a selected plurality of points in the second navigation space with a selected plurality of points in the first navigation space based upon the known first identity position and the second identity position;

calculating a position with the second tracking system of the second tracking device once the second tracking device is no longer at the identity position; and

displaying a tracked position of the second tracking device on the display device relative to the image data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the first identity position includes determining a plurality of first identity positions and determining a second identity position includes determining a plurality of second identity positions;

and

registering the first tracking system and the second tracking system based on the determined plurality of first identity positions and plurality of second identity positions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining a first identity position includes positioning the first tracking device at substantially the same location as the second tracking device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the first position of the first tracking device and the second position of the second tracking device includes:

acquiring image data of the first tracking device and the second tracking device; and

determining spatial positions of both the first tracking device and the second tracking device in the image data.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

selecting a position to implant a lead; and

navigating a lead with the image data based upon the tracked position of the second tracking device alone.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

illustrating a selected position of implantation for a lead on the image data; and

navigating a lead to the selected position while substantially only tracking the position of the second tracking device.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a catheter including the first tracking device; and

providing a lead including the second tracking device.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a lead including the second tracking device;

wherein the lead includes an electrode as the second tracking device.

24. A system for tracking an instrument including a tracking device operable to be tracked within a volume, comprising:

a tracking device including;

a tip electrode,

an annular ring electrode, and

a coil of conductive material wrapped relative to a surface of the annular ring; and

a first electromagnetic tracking system for determining a position of the coil of conductive material within a first tracking domain;

a second electropotential tracking system including;

a plurality of current electrodes operable to induce a current into the volume to form a second tracking domain;

wherein the tip electrode and the annular ring electrode are operable to sense a voltage based upon the induced current;

a communication system interconnecting the tip electrode, the annular ring and the coil of conductive material with both the first tracking system and the second tracking system;

an instrument having a first portion connected to the tip electrode and a second portion connected to the annular ring electrode and the coil of conductive material to allow tracking of the instrument with at least the second tracking system, wherein the second portion is operable to move relative to the first portion to place the annular ring electrode at a known position relative to the tip electrode;

a controller in communication with the first electromagnetic tracking system and the second electropotential tracking system;

wherein the controller is operable to determine a registration of the first tracking domain and the second tracking domain based on at least the position of the annular ring relative to the coil of conductive material within the volume;

wherein the registration is operable to allow tracking of the first portion with the second electropotential tracking system in the volume.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first electromagnetic tracking system includes:

a first localizer operable to generate an electromagnetic field or sense an electromagnetic field;

wherein the coil of conductive material is operable to generate an electromagnetic field or sense an electromagnetic field.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a display device;

wherein the first or second tracking system is in communication with the display device and operable to display a represented position of the annular ring, the coil of conductive material, or combinations thereof.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein image data is operable to be displayed on the display device relative to the representation of the annular ring and the coil of conductive material.

28. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

wherein the second portion defines a cannula and the annular ring and coil of conductive material are positioned around the cannula.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the instrument includes at least one of a catheter, an implantable lead, or combinations thereof.