Needle Alignment Light Guidance for Predictive Trajectory Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical instruments, such as needles, face challenges in accurately reaching target areas within a patient due to anatomical movements and the need for manual correction, which prolongs interventions and increases radiation exposure.
Innovation Solution
A medical intervention device with an alignment element and light-guiding facility that projects a light pattern onto a projection surface, providing intuitive positioning instructions based on image data and bendability of the instrument to guide manual insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual path correction is performed through repeated imaging and step-by-step needle advancement, then the needle can reach the target area, but the intervention duration is prolonged and radiation exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates the complete needle trajectory and determines all necessary path corrections before the intervention begins. The processor computes the ideal needle path through the anatomy and predicts required proximal portion adjustments in advance, allowing the user to simply follow pre-determined instructions rather than performing repeated trial-and-error corrections during the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a computational intermediary (processor) that acts between the user's manual manipulation and the actual needle path. The processor receives input about desired needle paths, calculates the necessary proximal portion adjustments based on instrument bendability characteristics, and outputs specific positioning instructions to the user, thereby mediating the complex relationship between manual manipulation and actual needle trajectory.
2Measurement precision
If manual path correction is performed through repeated imaging, then the needle can reach the target area, but radiation exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs all necessary trajectory calculations and path correction determinations before the intervention begins. By pre-calculating the complete needle path and all required adjustments based on the anatomy and instrument characteristics, the system eliminates the need for repeated imaging during the procedure, thereby preventing additional radiation exposure while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides the user with specific feedback instructions about how to adjust the proximal portion of the instrument to achieve the desired needle path. Based on pre-calculated trajectories and instrument bendability characteristics, the system tells the user exactly what adjustments to make, replacing the need for repeated imaging-based feedback with pre-computed guidance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the instrument path is corrected by moving the proximal portion sideways, then the needle trajectory can be adjusted, but the complexity of predicting the actual path change increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processor acts as an intermediary that handles the complex mathematical relationship between proximal portion movement and resulting needle path changes. Instead of requiring the user to mentally predict complex elastic deformations and trajectory changes, the processor receives simple input about desired paths, performs the complex calculations using instrument bendability data, and outputs straightforward positioning instructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates instrument bendability parameters (mechanical properties) into the trajectory calculation process. By using these parameters to characterize the instrument's elastic behavior, the system can accurately predict how proximal portion movements will translate to actual needle path changes, thereby simplifying the prediction process while maintaining trajectory adaptability.
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
Enables quick and reliable targeting of intervention areas with reduced radiation exposure and improved efficiency by simplifying path corrections.
Implementation Method 1
a light-guiding facility for projecting at least one light pattern onto the projection surface
Data Source
AI summary
A medical intervention device including a bendable medical instrument, which may be inserted into an intervention area of an examination object and has a proximal portion for handling, an alignment element on the instrument, having a projection surface with a marking, a representation facility, light-guiding facility, and a processing facility, having: an evaluation unit configured to ascertain a predictive continuation trajectory from image data representing the intervention area and positioning data describing the current position and location of the instrument using property data describing the bendability of the instrument, and an output unit for outputting a representation of the intervention area and the predictive continuation trajectory based on the image data on the representation facility. The light-guiding facility is configured for projecting a light pattern onto the projection surface in such a way that a positioning instruction for position correction is produced at the proximal portion of the instrument in order to achieve the at least one predictive continuation trajectory upon further insertion of the instrument.