Patent · US Expired

Medical three-dimensional locating apparatus

US5257998A · kind A · utility

372Cited by
9References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 30, 1992
Grant dateNov 2, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 30, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S414/13
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A medical three-dimensional locating apparatus includes an arm unit comprising a first arm pivotally supported for tuning about a first axis, a second arm pivotally supported on the first arm for tuning about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and an indicating unit or an echo probe held on the second arm so as to be moved toward and away from the intersection point of the first and second axes. A support unit supports the arm unit, and position detectors are provided for detecting the position of the intersection point of the first and second axes and the position of the tip of the indicating unit or the like relative to the intersection point. The medical three-dimensional locating apparatus is capable of accurately reproducing the three-dimensional position data of a focus obtained through imaging diagnosis in the affected part for an actual surgical operation and readily selecting an optimum approach angle, namely, and angle of a direction to approach the focus to a reference line, through a simple operation.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.