Fiber Optic Thermometry for Radiation-Free Catheter Tip Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intravascular guidance methods for medical devices like guidewires and catheters, such as fluoroscopic and electromagnetic tracking, expose patients to radiation and electromagnetic interference, and have limited depth range and signal drop-out issues.
Innovation Solution
A system using optical fibers with reflective gratings to sense strain and temperature, providing 3D shape and temperature information for medical instruments, enabling accurate tip placement and navigation through body conduits without radiation or interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fluoroscopic methods are used for tracking medical device tips, then tip localization accuracy is improved, but patient and clinician exposure to harmful X-ray radiation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electromagnetic/fluoroscopic tracking systems with an optical fiber-based sensing system. Optical fibers with distributed sensors (such as fiber Bragg gratings) are embedded in the medical device to directly measure position, orientation, and shape through optical principles, eliminating the need for external fluoroscopic imaging and its associated radiation exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical fibers as intermediary sensing elements within the medical device itself. These fibers act as mediators that directly sense mechanical deformations and transmit optical signals back to the control system, providing accurate tracking information without requiring external radiation-based imaging.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If electromagnetic tracking systems are used to avoid radiation exposure, then radiation exposure is reduced, but the systems become prone to electromagnetic field interference from consumer electronics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electromagnetic field-based tracking with optical fiber-based sensing. Optical fibers use light propagation and optical interference principles that are immune to electromagnetic field interference from consumer electronics, thereby maintaining reliability while avoiding radiation exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameter from electromagnetic fields to optical fields. By using light wavelength, intensity, or phase changes in optical fibers to encode position and shape information, the system achieves electromagnetic immunity while maintaining accurate tracking capability.
3Ease of operation
If electromagnetic tracking systems are used, then line-of-sight reliance is eliminated, but the systems are subject to signal drop out and limited depth range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electromagnetic sensing with distributed optical fiber sensing embedded within the device. Optical fibers can transmit signals through the entire length of the device regardless of external electromagnetic conditions or line-of-sight constraints, ensuring continuous and reliable signal transmission throughout the procedure.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, apparatus and method directed to determining a temperature within a patient body, including an optical fiber with one or more core fibers. The system can include a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing an incident light signal to the optical fiber, receiving a reflected light signal of the incident light, processing the reflected light signal to determine a temperature within the patient body near a measurement region. The method may include determining a location of a distal tip of the optical fiber within the patient body at least based on the temperature.