Method and apparatuses for maintaining a trajectory in sterotaxi for tracking a target inside a body

A method for maintaining a trajectory toward a target site and for viewing any intervening tissue along the trajectory, as defined by the axis of a viewing instrument and a target coordinate in the target site, while the instrument is moved in space, comprising:

• (a) acquiring scans of the patient;
• (b) using the acquired scans to obtain information of the patient target site;
• (c) assigning the target coordinate on the constructed image;
• (d) correlating an image coordinate system with an instrument coordinate system;
• and
• (e) controlling the orientation of the instrument to maintain the defined trajectory, as the instrument is moved in space outside or inside the body.

A processor-readable medium embodying a program of instructions for execution by a processor to perform a method of maintaining a trajectory toward a target site, as defined by the axis of a viewing instrument and a target coordinate in the target site, while the instrument is moved in space, the program of instructions comprising instructions for:

• (a) acquiring scans of the patient;
• (b) using the acquired scans to obtain information of the patient target site;
• (c) assigning the target coordinate on the constructed image;
• (d) correlating an image coordinate system with an instrument coordinate system;
• and
• (e) controlling the orientation of the instrument to maintain the defined trajectory, as the instrument is moved in space outside or inside the body.

A device for maintaining a trajectory between a tip of an instrument and a moving target in a patient's body, comprising:

• (a) an articulated mechanical arm having or accommodating a distal-end instrument having a tip that has or accommodates a force contact sensor;
• (b) a tracking mechanism for tracking the position and orientation of the instrument with respect to coordinates of the moving target;
• (c) a processor in communication with the tracking mechanism for calculating and updating the coordinates of the moving target;
• and
• (d) an actuator, in communication with the tracking mechanism, for adjusting the orientation of the mechanical arm, so as to maintain the trajectory between the tip of the instrument in the direction of the moving target.

A method for maintaining a trajectory between a tip of an instrument and a moving target in a patient's body using a robot-held instrument, comprising:

• (a) acquiring scans of the patient;
• (b) using the acquired scans to construct an image of the patient target site;
• (c) assigning the target coordinate on the constructed image;
• and
• (d) controlling the orientation of the instrument to maintain a trajectory defined by the axis of the probe and a point on the moving target, while maintaining the tip of the instrument at a fixed location against a tissue surface, as the instrument is moved in space outside or inside the body.

A processor-readable medium embodying a program of instructions for execution by a processor to perform a method of maintaining a trajectory between a tip of an instrument and a moving target in a patient's body using a robot-held instrument, the program of instructions comprising instructions for:

• (a) acquiring scans of the patient;
• (b) using the acquired scans to construct an image of the patient target site;
• (c) assigning the target coordinate on the constructed image;
• and
• (d) controlling the orientation of the instrument to maintain a trajectory defined by the axis of the probe and a point on the moving target, as the instrument is moved in space outside or inside the body.