Tracking system to follow the position and orientation of a device with radiofrequency fields
US5377678A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 14, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jan 3, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 14, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2090/3958
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A tracking system in which radiofrequency signals emitted by an invasive device such as a catheter, are detected and used to measure the position and orientation of the invasive device. The invasive device has a transmit coil attached near its end and is driven by a low power RF source to produce a dipole electromagnetic field that can be detected by an array of receive coils distributed around a region of interest. The position and orientation of the device as determined by the tracking system are superimposed upon independently acquired Medical Diagnostic images, thereby minimizing the radiographic exposure times. One or more invasive devices can be simultaneously tracked.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.