Image-Guided Catheter Navigation System with Roadmap Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image-guided coronary navigation in cardiology is manual and inefficient, leading to excessive use of contrast agents and x-ray exposure, and is challenging due to the heart's motion, which complicates accurate and rapid deployment of guidewires and medical devices.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a processing device connected to an angiogram x-ray system and electrocardiogram monitoring, with a position capture module to superimpose the guidewire or device's position on a roadmap image, enabling automated navigation and reduced x-ray exposure through periodic image capture and remote manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual navigation with repeated contrast injections is used, then the practitioner can navigate the guidewire across the stenosis, but the patient is exposed to excessive contrast agents and x-rays
Solution Approach 1:
A roadmap image is obtained in advance and stored in the system. This preliminary action allows the practitioner to plan the procedure and reduces the need for repeated contrast injections during navigation, as the roadmap provides a pre-established visual guide of the coronary anatomy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates and uses a copy of the coronary anatomy (roadmap image) that can be displayed and referenced without requiring repeated exposure to contrast and x-rays. The actual guidewire position is then overlaid on this static copy, reducing harmful exposures while maintaining navigation accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If manual navigation is used, then the practitioner can deploy the guidewire, but the deployment is slow and less accurate
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback by overlaying the actual guidewire position (detected by the position capture module) on the roadmap image. This closed-loop feedback allows the practitioner to see immediate position information and make rapid adjustments, improving both accuracy and speed of deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical navigation with an automated image-guided system that uses electronic detection and display of guidewire position. This substitution provides more precise and rapid position information compared to manual techniques alone.
3Ease of operation
If roadmap images are used for coronary applications, then navigation guidance is provided, but the heart motion makes overlay of previous injections difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of attempting to overlay multiple moving images, the system uses a single static roadmap image as a reference copy. The actual guidewire position is then overlaid on this stable copy, avoiding the alignment problems that arise from heart motion and making the navigation guidance clear and easy to use.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces contrast agent use and x-ray exposure for patients, while enhancing the physician's ability to accurately and quickly deploy medical devices with closed-loop control, improving treatment efficiency and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
an angiogram x-ray system connected by data transfer connection to the processing device and capable of capturing angiographic images of a patient
Implementation Method 2
an electrocardiogram monitoring device that is also connected by data transfer connection to the processing device and to the x-ray system
Data Source
AI summary
A navigation system for catheter-based interventions, the system comprising a processing device; an angiogram x-ray system connected by data transfer connection to the processing device and capable of capturing angiographic images of a patient; an electrocardiogram monitoring device that is also connected by data transfer connection to the processing device and to the x-ray system; a medical instrument to be inserted into the area of the patient captured by the angiographic image; a position capture module for getting position information about the position of the medical instrument, the unit connected by data transfer connection to the processing device, wherein the processing device is capable of triggering the capturing of the angiographic images as a roadmap and superimposing on the roadmap the position information about the medical instrument.