Navigation Field Distortion Detection
AssigneeMedtronic Navigation, Inc.
InventorsBrad JACOBSEN, Andrew Bzostek, Steven L. Hartmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method and system for navigating an instrument relative to a patient that can be near a field distorting feature. A localizer can generate an electromagnetic field that is sensed by a tracking device to determine a location of the tracking device with the sensed electromagnetic field. The system and related method can assist in determining whether a navigation field is distorted near a tracking device of the instrument.
Claims35
A method to determine proper navigation of an instrument in a navigation field, comprising:
- receiving a first signal from a first tracking device fixed to the instrument at a first instrument position;
- receiving a second signal from a second tracking device fixed to the instrument at a second instrument position that is spaced a distance along the instrument from to the first instrument position, wherein the instrument is able to flex to change at least one of a relative distance or orientation between the first instrument position and the second instrument position;
- determining a first three-dimensional position of the first tracking device based on the first received signal;
- determining a second three-dimensional position of the second tracking device based on the second received signal;
- determining a relative position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device based on the determined first three-dimensional position and the determined second three-dimensional position;
- recalling at least one instrument constraint from a memory system;
- and
- determining whether the determined relative position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device is probable based on the recalled at least one instrument constraint.
A method to determine proper navigation of an instrument in a navigation field, comprising:
- evaluating physical constraints of a flexible instrument;
- storing with a first storage device the evaluated physical constraints;
- determining a calibrated position of a first tracking device and a second tracking device fixed to the flexible instrument;
- and
- storing with a second storage device the calibrated position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device fixed to the flexible instrument;
- wherein the stored evaluated physical constraints and stored calibrated position are accessible by a processor to execute an algorithm to determine an energy of bending of the flexible instrument based on the accessed stored evaluated physical constraints and accessed stored calibrated position.
A system to determine proper navigation of an instrument in a navigation field, comprising:
- a localizer to generate an electromagnetic field as the navigation field;
- a flexible instrument configured to be moved relative to the navigation field;
- a first tracking device fixed to the flexible instrument at a first position;
- a second tracking device fixed to the flexible instrument at a second position spaced apart from the first position;
- a navigation processor configured for:
- receiving a first signal from the first tracking device;
- receiving a second signal from the second tracking device;
- determining a relative position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device based on the respective received first single and second signal;
- recalling at least one instrument constraint from a memory system;
- determining whether the determined relative position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device is probable based on the recalled at least one instrument constraint.
The system of claim 29, wherein the navigation processor is further configured for determining whether the determined relative position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device is probable by:
- determining a geometry of the flexible instrument based on the determined relative position of the first tracking device and the second tracking device;
- and
- determining a physical parameterizable energy of the flexible instrument based on the geometry of the flexible instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.