Magnetic localization of a medical device

Abstract

A method of localizing a medical device in a magnetic localization field is disclosed. The medical device includes a distal region forming at least a partial loop and can be devoid of dedicated magnetic localization sensors. A conductive loop is defined by a conductive segment of the partial loop between a first end point (e.g., a first electrode on the distal region) and a second end point (e.g., a second electrode on the distal region) and a pathway connecting the end points through an electrically-conductive fluid (e.g., blood). A magnetically induced voltage is sensed in this conductive loop and then processed to localize the medical device within the magnetic localization field. Multiple such magnetically induced voltages from multiple such conductive loops can also be sensed and fit to a model to improve localization results.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.