Electromagnetic Sensor Tracking Motion Box Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electromagnetic sensor tracking systems in medical procedures face challenges in maintaining sensors within the tracking region, leading to increased procedural time and unnecessary radiation exposure due to difficulties in re-entering the 'motion box' and reliance on additional fluoroscopic images.
Innovation Solution
A visualization system that displays the motion box, sensors, and a representative thorax on a display, allowing clinicians to maintain sensors within the tracking region, reducing the need for additional fluoroscopic images and minimizing radiation exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the sensor is tracked using electromagnetic field generators, then the position and orientation of the sensor can be determined, but the sensor may go out of the spatial region (motion box) where tracking is possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a visual display dimension that overlays the motion box boundaries and sensor position on the fluoroscopic images. This adds a spatial reference layer that helps clinicians understand the sensor's location relative to the tracking region, enabling better navigation without expanding the physical motion box boundaries.
2Ease of operation
If the sensor goes out of the motion box, then the clinician can access areas outside the electromagnetic field region, but bringing the sensor back becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous visual feedback by displaying the sensor position, motion box boundaries, and directional indicators on the fluoroscopic display. This feedback mechanism guides the clinician on how to move the sensor back into the motion box, reducing the time required to recover from sensor excursions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-displays the motion box boundaries and sensor position before the clinician loses the sensor. This preliminary visualization allows the clinician to anticipate and prevent sensor excursions, or quickly understand the situation and take corrective action if the sensor goes out of range.
3Loss of information
If additional fluoroscopic images are taken to locate the sensor, then the sensor position can be determined, but the patient and clinician are exposed to additional radiation
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the electromagnetic tracking system as an intermediary to provide sensor location information without requiring additional fluoroscopic images. The motion box visualization and sensor position display serve as a non-radiative intermediary that conveys spatial information, eliminating the need for harmful repeated imaging.
4Ease of operation
If the motion box boundaries are not visualized, then the display remains simple, but the clinician cannot easily maintain the sensor within the tracking region
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses color-coded visual indicators to represent different elements: the motion box boundaries, sensor position, and directional guidance. These color changes provide intuitive information about sensor status and location, making the visualization system easy to interpret despite the added complexity of multiple displayed parameters.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for visualizing the motion box of an electromagnetic sensor tracking system on a display that can be viewed by the physician are disclosed. Electromagnetic sensor tracking systems are able to determine the position and orientation (P&O) of the sensors being tracked only when the sensors are within the motion box, or the spatial region located in proximity to the electromagnetic field generators of the system. During usage of the electromagnetic sensor tracking system, the sensor can go out of this spatial region and, when this occurs, navigating it back into the motion box can be difficult. The methods, systems, and apparatuses described herein provide for the representation of sensors, the motion box, and a representation of a thorax on a display so that the clinician can view the position and orientation of the sensors with respect to the motion box.