Active template guide plate and system and method for utilizing same
First Claim
1. A guide plate for inserting, into a body, needles used for medical purposes, said guide plate comprising:
- a plurality of openings, each opening being for receiving a needle,a first wall and a second wall, which are generally parallel to one another, and define a generally hollow space between the first wall and the second wall, the openings being defined by tubes extending from the first wall to the second wall, and a respective sensor arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed about a respective one of said tubes, the sensor arrangement being for detecting presence of a needle when a needle is received in an opening; and
for each of said openings, reporting apparatus for reporting sensing of a needle by each respective sensor arrangement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A guide plate for inserting, into a body, instruments, such as needles, used for medical purposes, comprising a plurality of openings for receiving an instrument; for each of the openings, a sensor arrangement for detecting presence of an instrument when an instrument is received in an opening; and reporting apparatus for reporting sensing of an instrument by each respective sensor arrangement. Use may be with an imaging system, including a display for an image of a portion of the body into which instruments are inserted. The imaging system can superimpose on the image an array corresponding to openings in the guide plate; a signal transmission means responsive to reports from respective reporting apparatus transmit output of the reporting apparatus to the imaging system. A display modification arrangement can modify elements of the array to indicate that an instrument has been inserted into a respective opening.
25 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A guide plate for inserting, into a body, needles used for medical purposes, said guide plate comprising:
a plurality of openings, each opening being for receiving a needle, a first wall and a second wall, which are generally parallel to one another, and define a generally hollow space between the first wall and the second wall, the openings being defined by tubes extending from the first wall to the second wall, and a respective sensor arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed about a respective one of said tubes, the sensor arrangement being for detecting presence of a needle when a needle is received in an opening; and for each of said openings, reporting apparatus for reporting sensing of a needle by each respective sensor arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An imaging system for a portion of a body, comprising:
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an array generator for generating an array of symbols superimposed on an image of said portion of the body; an input for receiving data concerning which locations in the body corresponding to symbols of said array have undergone a change in status; a guide plate having an array of openings corresponding to said array of symbols, said guide plate further comprising a first wall and a second wall, which are generally parallel to one another, and define a generally hollow space between the first wall and the second wall, the openings being defined by tubes extending from the first wall to the second wall, and a respective sensor arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed about a respective one of said tubes; a sensor arrangement for sensing insertion of an element into one of said openings and for providing an output indicative of said insertion; and means for changing, in response to said output, an indication associated with said symbols in said array to indicate which locations in said body have undergone a change in status. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A combination of components for operation with an imaging system, comprising:
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a guide plate for inserting, into a body, needles used for medical purposes, said guide plate including; a plurality of openings in said guide plate, each opening being for receiving a needle, said guide plate comprising a first wall and a second wall, which are generally parallel to one another, and define a generally hollow space between the first wall and the second wall, the openings being defined by tubes extending from the first wall to the second wall, and a respective sensor arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed about a respective one of said tubes; said sensor arrangement being for detecting presence of a needle when a needle is received in an opening; for each of said openings, reporting apparatus for reporting sensing of a needle by each a respective sensor arrangement; and a sensor reading module, responsive to said reporting apparatus for providing to said imaging system, data concerning which of said openings has a needle disposed therein. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification