Method and apparatus for determining the position of a target relative to a reference of known co-ordinates and without a priori knowledge of the position of a source of radiation
US5299254A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 19, 1992 |
| Grant date | Mar 29, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 19, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B6/08
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and to apparatus determining the exact position of a target relative to a reference of known co-ordinates. The apparatus comprises a source of radiation for forming an image of a target, which image is received by a receiver device situated beyond the target. A mask-forming device is interposed between the receiver device and the source of radiation, the mask-forming device including at least one localization means of known position relative to a reference point and suitable for forming an image in said image-forming radiation, means are also provided for displacing the radiation source in three dimensions, at least between two different angular positions, thereby displacing the co-ordinates of two different images of the target obtained from the two different angular positions of the source. The invention makes it possible to determine the exact position of a target with a very high degree of precision using a method which is simple and which limits the radiation dose. The target may be a cell or a stone or a bone to be treated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.