US 8,412,307 B2 · System and method for marking an anatomical structure in three-dimensional coordinate system

Abstract

The present invention is a device localization system that uses one or more ultrasound reference catheters to establish a fixed three-dimensional coordinate system within a patient's heart using principles of triangulation. The coordinate system is represented graphically in three-dimensions on a video monitor and aids the clinician in guiding other medical devices, which are provided with ultrasound transducers, through the body to locations at which they are needed to perform clinical procedures. In one embodiment of a system according to the present invention, the system is used in the heart to help the physician guide mapping catheters for measuring electrical activity, and ablation catheters for ablating selected regions of cardiac tissue, to desired locations within the heart.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A system for marking an anatomical structure, comprising:

at least one reference element;
a marking catheter configured for being introducing within an anatomical structure, the marking catheter carrying at least one tracking element;
localization hardware configured for causing the at least one reference element and the at least one tracking element to transmit and/or receive tracking signals between each other;
and
a processor configured for determining positions of the marking catheter within a three-dimensional coordinate system based on the tracking signals;
and
a graphical user interface configured for recording one of the positions of the marking catheter, and for graphically generating an anatomical landmark corresponding to the recorded position.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/223,513Filed 9 Sep 2005 · continuation

Priority

1 Aug 1997

Published

US 2006/0058663 A116 Mar 2006

Granted

2 Apr 2013

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

A61B 5/06
Measuring for diagnostic purposes ; Identification of persons: devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies ;…
A61B 5/287
Invasive: holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
A61B 5/6855
Catheters: with a distal curved tip
A61B 5/6856
Catheters: with a distal loop

Family

Application08/905,090Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Aug 1997

Application10/273,468Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Oct 2002

US 2006/0058663 A1Pre-grant publication · published 16 Mar 2006

US 6,970,733 B2Parent of this continuation

US 6,490,474 B1Parent of this continuation

US 2003/0036696 A1Published application

US 8,412,307 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

System and method for marking an anatomical structure in three-dimensional coordinate system

Life of this patent

System and method for marking an anatomical structure in three-dimensional coordinate system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30