Insertion guidance system for needles and medical components

A guidance system, comprising:

• a needle including a magnetic element attached to a proximal portion thereof;
• an ultrasound imaging probe physically independent from the needle for ultrasonically imaging an image area including an internal body portion target;
• a plurality of magnetic sensors included with the probe, each of the plurality of magnetic sensors configured to continuously sense a magnetic field of the magnetic element in order to generate magnetic field strength data;
• a processor configured to receive the magnetic field strength data sensed by the magnetic sensors to determine a location and orientation of the needle relative to the magnetic sensors;
• and
• a display, wherein the guidance system is configured such that the guidance system can depict an image of the internal body portion target taken by the ultrasound imaging probe and a representation of the needle oriented and located with respect to the image on the display such that an angle of the needle's approach to the internal body portion target is depicted when the needle is outside of the image area, the representation expressing the determined position and orientation of the needle relative to the internal body portion target.

A guidance system, comprising:

• an ultrasound imaging probe for ultrasonically imaging an image area including an internal body portion target;
• a medical device separate from the probe configured for insertion into the internal body portion target, the medical device having a magnetic field associated therewith;
• a plurality of magnetic sensors associated with the probe, each of the plurality of magnetic sensors configured to sense the magnetic field of the medical device in order to generate magnetic field strength data;
• a processor configured to receive the magnetic field strength data sensed by the magnetic sensors to determine a position and orientation of the medical device relative to the probe;
• and
• a display, wherein the guidance system can be operated such that the display shows an image of the internal body portion target taken by the ultrasound imaging probe and a representation of the medical device the representation expressing the determined position and orientation of the medical device relative to the internal body portion target, and wherein an angle of the medical device's approach to the internal body portion target can be depicted when the medical device is outside of the image area.