Heart Movement Compensation in Intracardiac Probe Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accurate tracking of probes during electrocardiography procedures is challenging due to heart movement and changes in the body frame of reference, requiring frequent recalibration and complicating the monitoring of intrabody electrical signals.
Innovation Solution
A system with a flexible probe equipped with a position sensor and electrode, where a processor analyzes position signals and intrabody electrical signals to determine the mean position of the probe within the heart, correcting for heart movement and changes in the body frame of reference by generating a mapping between electrical signals and reference sites, allowing for continuous tracking without recalibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If probe tracking is performed during electrocardiography procedures, then probe position monitoring is enabled, but tracking accuracy deteriorates due to heart movement and body frame of reference changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the position of the reference probe and uses this feedback to detect changes in the body frame of reference. When movement is detected, the system automatically updates the coordinate transformation parameters to maintain accurate tracking of all probes relative to the heart, resolving the contradiction between maintaining tracking accuracy and dealing with an unstable body frame of reference
Solution Approach 2:
A reference probe is introduced as an intermediary element that remains stationary relative to the body frame of reference while its position changes relative to the heart. This reference probe serves as a mediator to distinguish between movements caused by heart motion and those caused by body frame changes, enabling the system to compensate for both and maintain tracking accuracy
2Measurement precision
If frequent recalibration is performed to maintain tracking accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but procedure time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic self-calibration by continuously monitoring the reference probe position and autonomously updating transformation parameters when changes in the body frame of reference are detected. This eliminates the need for manual recalibration by operators, maintaining tracking accuracy without adding procedure time or complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous tracking and automatic compensation throughout the procedure, eliminating the need for intermittent recalibration stops. The continuous monitoring and real-time parameter updates ensure tracking accuracy is maintained without interrupting the procedure flow
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A method, including inserting a flexible probe (22) into a living subject and positioning a distal end of the probe in a heart of the subject, the distal end including a position sensor (36) configured to generate position signals indicative of a position of the distal end, and an electrode (32) configured to convey electrical signals from the heart. The method further includes formulating, in response to the position signals, a first indication of a change in a mean position of the heart within the living subject and deriving a second indication of a change in the electrical signals. The method also includes determining, in response to the first and second indications, a new mean position of the heart.