US 8,478,383 B2 · Probe tracking using multiple tracking methods

Abstract

A method, including: receiving an input indicative of respective apparent locations of a plurality of points disposed along a length of a probe inside a body of a subject, and applying a model of known mechanical properties of the probe to the respective apparent locations so as to minimize a first cost function with respect to shapes that can be assumed by the probe in the body. The method further includes choosing a shape responsively to the minimized first cost function and determining preliminary coordinates of the apparent locations responsively to the shape, minimizing a second cost function with respect to differences between the apparent locations and the preliminary coordinates, and generating corrected coordinates of the points along the length of the probe based on the minimized second cost function.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

receiving at a processor an input indicative of respective measured locations of a plurality of points disposed along a length of a probe inside a body of a subject, the probe having a predetermined shape;
applying a model of known mechanical properties of the probe to the respective measured locations with respect to a plurality of shapes of the probe different from the predetermined shape;
choosing a shape of the plurality of shapes and determining preliminary coordinates of the respective measured locations responsively to the chosen shape;
minimizing differences between the respective measured locations and the preliminary coordinates;
and generating corrected coordinates of the points along the length of the probe based on the minimized differences.

2 more elements

Apparatus, comprising:

a probe having a plurality of points disposed along a length thereof, the probe having a predetermined shape outside the body;
and a processor which is configured to:
receive an input indicative of respective measured locations of the plurality of the points inside a body of a subject, apply a model of known mechanical properties of the probe to the respective measured locations with respect to a plurality of shapes of the probe different from the predetermined shape, choose a shape of the plurality of shapes and determine preliminary coordinates of the respective measured locations responsively to the chosen shape, minimize differences between the respective measured locations and the preliminary coordinates, and generate corrected coordinates of the points along the length of the probe based on the minimized differences.

A computer software product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program instructions recorded therein, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive an input indicative of respective measured locations of a plurality of points disposed along a length of a probe inside a body of a subject, the probe having a predetermined shape, apply a model of known mechanical properties of the probe to the respective measured locations with respect to a plurality of shapes of the probe different from the predetermined shape;
choose a shape of the plurality of shapes and determine preliminary coordinates of the respective measured locations responsively to the chosen shape;
minimize differences between the respective measured locations and the preliminary coordinates;
and generate corrected coordinates of the points along the length of the probe based on the minimized differences.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Probe tracking using multiple tracking methods

Life of this patent

Probe tracking using multiple tracking methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18