Magnetic and optical catheter alignment

A method for calibrating a probe that includes an image sensor and a magnetic field sensor, the method comprising:

• disposing the probe in a jig;
• generating at least one magnetic field having a predefined direction in alignment with the jig;
• rotating an optical target relative to the probe and a portion of the jig;
• capturing with the image sensor an image of the optical target aligned with the jig while the probe is held stationary in the jig,
• receiving from the probe a signal output by the magnetic field sensor in response to the at least one magnetic field and the image captured by the image sensor while the probe is held in the jig;
• and
• calibrating an alignment of the image sensor relative to the magnetic field sensor responsively to the received signal and the received image.

A method for using an apparatus to calibrate a probe, the probe comprising an image sensor and a magnetic field sensor, the apparatus comprising:

• a jig;
• a magnetic field generator;
• an optical target aligned with the jig, based on a central alignment feature, the optical target being configured to be rotated around the central alignment feature;
• and
• processing circuitry;
• the method comprising:
• disposing the probe in the jig;
• generating at least one magnetic field having a predefined direction in alignment with the jig, the jig holding the probe such that the axes of the magnetic field sensor are substantially aligned with the respective axes of the magnetic coordinate frame based on the predefined direction of the at least one magnetic field;
• capturing with the image sensor the image of the optical target aligned with the jig while the probe is held stationary in the jig;
• receiving from the probe the signal output by the magnetic field sensor in response to the at least one magnetic field and the image captured by the image sensor while the probe is held in the jig, the signal being received by the processing circuitry;
• and
• calibrating the alignment of the image sensor relative to the magnetic field sensor responsively to the received signal and the captured image, the calibrating being performed by the processing circuitry.