Needle Guide Localization System for Respiratory Motion Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In interventional radiology, accurately planning the insertion of needles in a patient's body is challenging due to patient respiration and registration errors, especially when multiple needles are involved, as existing systems struggle to provide real-time guidance and accurate positioning within 3D medical images.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a needle guide coupled with a localization system and a processor to track the needle's position and orientation relative to a 3D medical image, allowing for the computation and display of distances between virtual and inserted needles, taking into account respiratory cycles and providing optimal insertion times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a 3D medical image is used to plan needle insertion, then the target can be visualized and needle trajectory can be planned, but the image does not account for patient respiration and registration errors causing the virtual needle to mismatch with the actual needle position
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary registration of the 3D medical image with the patient's actual anatomy using identifiable landmarks and surface mapping before needle insertion. This preliminary action establishes a reference framework that accounts for anatomical variations and registration errors, improving the accuracy of subsequent needle positioning guidance
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously tracks the actual needle position using electromagnetic or optical sensors and compares it with the virtual needle position in the 3D image in real-time. This feedback loop allows the system to detect and compensate for deviations caused by respiration and registration errors, maintaining accurate positioning guidance throughout the procedure
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple needles are inserted to cover the entire target tumour, then complete tumour destruction can be achieved, but it becomes difficult to interpret the three-dimensional positions and relationships of all needles
Solution Approach 1:
The system projects the three-dimensional positions of multiple needles onto two-dimensional planar representations that correspond to the original 3D medical image slices. This dimensionality reduction maintains spatial relationships while making the needle positions visually interpretable and easier to manage on standard display devices
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a virtual needle representation as an intermediary between the physical needles and the physician's perception. Each virtual needle in the 3D image corresponds to its physical counterpart, providing a simplified visual model that maintains accurate spatial relationships while reducing the cognitive complexity of managing multiple needles
3Measurement precision
If real-time tracking of needle position is implemented, then accurate guidance can be provided, but the system complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential positional information (x, y, z coordinates and orientation) from the complex electromagnetic or optical tracking data using simple sensor arrays attached to the needle. This extraction approach provides sufficient real-time positioning accuracy without requiring complex processing of all tracking parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The localization system uses a universal tracking infrastructure that can track multiple needles simultaneously using the same electromagnetic or optical field. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate tracking systems for each needle, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining real-time positioning accuracy for all needles
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a system for planning introduction of a needle in a patient's body, comprising:a needle guide configured to be coupled to a needle;a localization system configured for tracking the needle guide with respect to the patient's body, the localization system being coupled to a needle tracker attached to the needle guide and a reference marker adapted to be attached to the patient's body to determine a spatial position and orientation of the needle tracker relative to the reference marker;a processor configured fordetermining a virtual position and orientation of the needle with respect to the 3D image using localization data of the needle guide, thereby defining a virtual needle having said virtual position and orientation,detecting a part of the needle that has already been inserted into the patient's body as a trace in the 3D medical image,computing a distance between the virtual needle and the detected needle, anddetermining a representation of the computed distance;a display coupled to the processor for displaying a representation of the virtual needle and the representation of the computed distance between the virtual needle and the detected part of the needle.