Automatic gantry positioning for imaging systems
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRobert D. Darrow, Charles L. Dumoulin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tracking system which measures the position and orientation of invasive devices is used to automatically control the location of the X-ray imaging system gantry and/or patient table. The position and orientation of the invasive device, such as a catheter, are measured by detection of a radiofrequency field generated by the invasive device. The invasive device has at least one transmit coil attached near its end and is driven by a low power RF source to produce a dipole electromagnetic field that can be detected by an array of receive coils distributed around a region of interest. Automatic gantry placement facilitates medical diagnostic and therapeutic X-ray procedures and in some instances can reduce the number of personnel required to perform these procedures.
Claims18
A tracking and imaging system adapted for following a location of at least one invasive device within a subject, comprising:
- a) an invasive device:
- b) an electromagnetic (EM) field creation means adapted for creating an electromagnetic field of known geometry within the subject attached to the invasive device;
- c) a radiofrequency (RF) receiver means adapted for detecting the electromagnetic field at a plurality of M selected locations;
- d) a tracking means adapted for computing a position and an orientation of the EM field creation means at the M selected locations indicating the location of the invasive device, the tracking means being responsive to the detected electromagnetic field;
- e) an imaging means adapted for acquisition of a medical diagnostic image of a region of interest of said subject;
- f) positioning means adapted for controlling a position and an orientation of the imaging means responsive to the tracking means based upon the computed position and orientation of the electromagnetic field;
- g) superposition means for superimposing, on the medical diagnostic image of the region of interest, a symbol at the computed position representing the EM field creation means resulting in a superimposed image;
- and
- h) display means adapted for displaying the superimposed image.
A tracking and imaging system adapted for following a location of at least one invasive device within a subject, comprising:
- a) an invasive device;
- b) an electromagnetic (EM) field creation means adapted for creating an electromagnetic field of known geometry within the subject;
- c) a radiofrequency (RF) receiver attached to the invasive device adapted for detecting the electromagnetic field at a plurality of M selected locations;
- d) a tracking means adapted for computing a position and an orientation of the EM field creation means at the M selected locations indicating the location of the invasive device, the tracking means being responsive to the detected electromagnetic field;
- e) an imaging means adapted for acquisition of a medical diagnostic image of a region of interest of said subject;
- f) positioning means adapted for controlling a position and an orientation of the imaging means responsive to the tracking means based upon the computed position and orientation of the electromagnetic field;
- g) superposition means for superimposing, on the medical diagnostic image of the region of interest, a symbol at the computer position representing the EM field creation means resulting in a superimposed image;
- and
- h) display means adapted for displaying the superimposed image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.