Intracardiac imaging system utilizing a multipurpose catheter
AssigneeSt. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
InventorsD. Curtis Deno, Anthony D. Hill, Hua Zhong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A three dimensional physiological mapping system utilizing an intracardiac echo catheter capable of being located in six degrees of freedom by a visualization, navigation, or mapping system. An echocardiography image of the intracardiac echo catheter may be projected within a geometric model of the visualization, navigation, or mapping system where the location of the projected image is adjusted in response to user input identifying a structure present in the echocardiography image and the geometric model.
Claims20
An intracardiac echo catheter comprising:
- a flexible member having a distal end and a proximal end;
- a sensor array having an ultrasound transducer and at least three electrodes being attached to the distal end, wherein each of the at least three electrodes comprises an electrical position and a physical position, and wherein the electrical position comprises a further radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the sensor array than a radial distance of the physical position for at least one of the at least three electrodes, each of the electrodes configured to generate a position signal in response to an electric field, the electrodes being arranged such that positions indicated by the position signals are not collinear and are not orthogonal;
- whereby the position signals allow a visualization, navigation, or mapping system to locate and orient the catheter in space.
An elongate medical device comprising:
- a flexible member having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;
- an ultrasound transducer disposed at the distal end portion of the flexible member;
- and
- at least three electrodes disposed in a non-collinear and non-orthogonal configuration at the distal end portion of the flexible member, wherein each of the at least three electrodes comprises an electrical position and a physical position, and wherein the electrical position comprises a further radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the flexible member than a radial distance of the physical position for at least one of the at least three electrodes, each of the electrodes configured to generate a position signal in response to an electric field.
A system comprising:
- an elongate medical device comprising:
- a flexible member having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;
- an ultrasound transducer disposed at the distal end portion of the flexible member, the ultrasound transducer associated with an ultrasound imaging plane;
- at least three electrodes disposed in a non-collinear and non-orthogonal configuration at the distal end portion of the flexible member, wherein each of the at least three electrodes comprises an electrical position and a physical position, and wherein the electrical position comprises a further radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the flexible member than a radial distance of the physical position for at least one of the at least three electrodes, each of the electrodes configured to generate a position signal in response to an electric field;
- and
- an electronic controller comprising a processor, the electronic controller configured to receive or determine respective electrical positions of the at least three electrodes and to determine a position and orientation of the ultrasound imaging plane according to the respective electrical positions of the at least three electrodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.