Method and Apparatus for Image-Based Navigation

• US 20120197108A1
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hartmann, Steven L., Burg, Bruce M., Bzostek, Andrew, Jacobsen, Brad, Koenig, Matthew W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,617,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/397 electromagnetic other than visible, e.g. microwave
• 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 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 5/00 Coils superconducting coils H01F6/06; fixed inductances of the signal type H01F17/00

Abstract

A system and method for a procedure that can be performed on any appropriate subject. Procedures can include assembling any appropriate work piece or installing members into a work piece, such as an airframe, autoframe, etc. Regardless of the subject, tracking a substantially small tracking device in a plurality of degrees of freedom is provided. The tracking device can be positioned on or be formed in an instrument to be tracked.

Claims

1. A navigation system, comprising:

an instrument that is operable to be moved relative to a subject and having an exterior wall that defines an instrument axis;

a first guide post extending from the exterior wall, the first guide post having a first guide wall formed at a first guide wall angle relative to the instrument axis of the instrument; and

a first conductive wire wound around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging the first guide wall of the first guide post;

wherein the first wire winding assumes a first wire angle substantially similar to the first guide wall angle such that a first navigation vector is defined by the first conductive wire at a first navigation vector angle relative to the instrument axis.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a localizer operable to generate an electromagnetic field;

wherein the electromagnetic field is operable to be sensed by the first conductive wire wound around the instrument, wherein the first navigation vector is defined by the induced current formed in the first conductive wire that is induced by the generated electromagnetic field.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a navigation processor operable to receive a signal from the first conductive wired based on the induced current in the first conductive wire to determine the first navigation vector.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a second guide post extending from the exterior wall, the second guide post having a second guide wall formed at a second guide wall angle relative to the axis of the instrument, wherein the second guide wall angle is different from the first guide wall angle; and

a second conductive wire wound around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging the second guide wall of the second guide post;

wherein the second conductive wire winding assumes a second angle substantially similar to the second guide wall angle such that a second navigation vector is formed at a second navigation vector angle relative to the instrument axis that is different than the first navigation vector angle.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

an output system operable to output at least six degree of freedom information regarding the instrument;

wherein the navigation processor is operable to execute instructions to determine at least three degrees of position information and three degrees of orientation information based on the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector defined by the respective first conductive wire winding and the second conductive wire winding.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first guide post includes a plurality of first guide posts spaced a distance apart along the instrument axis substantially along a line substantially parallel to the instrument axis.

7. The system of claim 1,

a second guide post extending from the exterior wall, the second guide post having a second guide wall formed at the first guide wall angle relative to the instrument axis of the instrument;

and

a second conductive wire wound around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging the second guide wall of the second guide post;

wherein the second wire winding assumes a second wire angle substantially similar to the second guide wall angle such that a second navigation vector is defined by the second conductive wire at a second navigation vector angle relative to the instrument axis;

wherein the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector are rotationally displaced around the instrument axis.

8. A navigation system, comprising:

an instrument that is operable to be moved relative to a subject and having an exterior wall that defines an instrument axis;

a tracking device positioned on the exterior wall of the instrument, the tracking device including;

a first portion having a first guide post extending from the exterior wall, the first guide post having a first guide wall formed at a first guide wall angle relative to the axis of the instrument and a first conductive wire wound around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging the first guide wall of the first guide post; and

a second portion having a second guide post extending from the exterior wall, the second guide post having a second guide wall formed at a second guide wall angle relative to the axis of the instrument, and a second conductive wire wound around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging the second guide wall of the second guide post;

wherein the first guide wall angle and the second guide wall are different from one another;

wherein the first portion defines a first navigation vector and the second portion defines a second navigation vector;

wherein the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector are at different angles relative to the instrument axis;

a navigation processor operable to receive a signal based upon a position of the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector to determine at least six degrees of freedom of location information regarding a location of the instrument; and

a display device operable to display the determined location information.

9. The navigation system of claim 8, further comprising:

an imaging system operable to generate image data regarding the subject; and

a localizer operable to generate an electromagnetic field;

wherein the display device is operable to display an image of the subject based on the generated image data;

wherein the display of the determined location of the instrument is an icon superimposed on the displayed image;

wherein the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector are based on the sensed electromagnetic field.

10. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein each of the first guide post and the second guide post each include a respective support wall that extends to a respective top wall to which the respective first guide wall and second guide wall extend.

11. The navigation system of claim 8,

wherein the first guide post includes a plurality of first guide posts spaced a distance apart along the axis of the instrument and all extending from the exterior wall of the instrument;

wherein the first conductive wire includes a single winding between two of the plurality of the first guide posts.

12. The navigation system of claim 8,

wherein the first guide post includes a plurality of first guide posts spaced a distance apart along the axis of the instrument and all extending from the exterior wall of the instrument;

wherein the first conductive wire includes a plurality of windings between two of the plurality of the first guide posts.

13. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein each of the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire are electrically insulated from one another.

14. A navigation system, comprising:

an instrument that is operable to be moved relative to a subject and having an exterior wall that defines an instrument axis;

a tracking device positioned on the exterior wall of the instrument, the tracking device including;

a first portion having a first guide post extending from the exterior wall, the first guide post having a first guide wall formed at a first guide wall angle relative to the axis of the instrument and a first conductive wire wound around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging the first guide wall of the first guide post; and

a second portion having a second guide post extending from the exterior wall, the second guide post having a second guide wall formed at a second guide wall angle relative to the axis of the instrument, and a second conductive wire wound around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging the second guide wall of the second guide post;

wherein the first portion defines a first navigation vector and the second portion defines a second navigation vector;

wherein the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector are rotationally displaced relative to one another around the instrument axis; and

a navigation processor operable to receive a signal based upon a position of the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector to determine at least six degrees of freedom of location information regarding a location of the instrument.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first guide wall angle and the second guide wall are the same.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a localizer operable to generate an electromagnetic field to be sensed by the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire to define the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector are rotationally displaced about 120 degrees relative to one another around the instrument axis.

18. A method of navigating an instrument relative to a subject with a navigation system, comprising:

forming a tracking device on an instrument having an axis that is operable to be moved relative to a subject and having an exterior wall, including;

wrapping a first conductive wire around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging a first guide post that extends from the exterior wall, the first guide post having a first guide wall formed at a first guide wall angle relative to the axis of the instrument; and

wrapping a second conductive wire around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging a second guide post extending from the exterior wall, the second guide post having a second guide wall formed at a second guide wall angle relative to the axis of the instrument, wherein the second guide wall angle is different from the first guide wall angle;

wherein the first portion defines a first navigation vector and the second portion defines a second navigation vector;

wherein the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector are different.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing the instrument wherein the first guide wall angle is between 1 and 89 degrees relative to the instrument axis.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing the second guide wall and angle and the third guide wall angle to be within the range of 1 degree and 89 degrees relative to the axis of the instrument but different from the first guide wall angle.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

tracking the instrument relative to the subject;

receiving signals from the tracking device;

executing instructions with a navigation processor to determine location information regarding the instrument based on the received signals from the tracking device regarding all of the first navigation vector and the second navigation vector to determine at least six degrees of freedom of location information regarding a location of the instrument; and

displaying the determined location information.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

acquiring image data of the subject; and

displaying an image of the subject based upon the acquired image data;

wherein displaying the determined location information includes superimposing an icon representing the instrument on the displayed image of the subject.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein wrapping a first conductive wire around the exterior wall includes wrapping the first conductive wire around the first exterior wall a plurality of times between the first of the first guide post and the second of the first guide post both extending from the exterior wall.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

generating an electromagnetic field with a localizer;

sensing a current formed in all of the first conductive wire, the second conductive wire, and third conductive wire; and

sending the signal to be received from the tracking device.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

wrapping a third conductive wire around the exterior wall of the instrument and engaging a third guide post extending from the exterior wall, the third guide post having a third guide wall formed at a third guide wall angle relative to the axis of the instrument, wherein the third guide wall angle is different from all of the first guide wall angle and the second guide wall angle.