Needle Guide Tracker for Accurate Tip Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current navigation systems in interventional radiology cannot accurately determine the position of a needle tip within a 3D medical image during surgical interventions, as they rely on tracking the needle axis rather than the tip, and using tiny sensors at the tip is expensive and less accurate.
Innovation Solution
A medical system that uses a needle guide with a tracker and a processor to determine the needle tip's position by detecting contact with a proximal stop and calculating the tip's position based on the needle's length, displayed on a user interface, with options for user input or automatic detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor is placed at the tip of the needle to determine its position, then the position measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase due to requiring very tiny sensors which are expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a needle guide as an intermediary object between the tracking system and the needle. The needle guide is tracked by the navigation system, and through geometric calculation based on the known relationship between the needle guide and needle, the needle tip position is determined without placing sensors directly on the needle. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by achieving precise measurement without complex tiny sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual model of the needle and its relationship with the needle guide in the navigation system. By tracking the needle guide and using the pre-defined geometric model, the system computes the needle tip position indirectly. This copying approach allows accurate position determination without physically attaching complex sensors to the needle itself.
2Measurement precision
If a sensor is placed at the tip of the needle to determine its position, then the position measurement precision is improved, but the cost increases due to requiring expensive tiny sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guide serves as a cost-effective intermediary that can be tracked by the navigation system. Instead of using expensive tiny sensors on the needle, the system tracks the needle guide which uses standard navigation technology, thereby reducing cost while maintaining measurement precision through geometric calculation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable or single-use needle guide that can be manufactured at lower cost compared to tiny sensors. The needle guide is a simple mechanical component that leverages existing navigation infrastructure, avoiding the need for expensive specialized sensors while achieving the same measurement objective.
3Device complexity
If only the needle axis position and orientation are tracked, then the device complexity is reduced, but the information completeness deteriorates as the needle tip position cannot be determined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a pre-defined geometric relationship between the needle guide and the needle before the procedure. The relative position and orientation are predetermined and stored in the system. This preliminary setup allows the needle tip position to be calculated from the needle guide position without requiring additional real-time tracking, thus maintaining low device complexity while preventing information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously updates the needle tip position in the navigation display based on the tracked needle guide position and the pre-defined geometric model. This feedback mechanism ensures that the complete needle tip position information is always available to the user, even though only the needle guide is physically tracked, thereby resolving the information loss issue without increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a medical system for use in interventional radiology, adapted to be coupled to a navigation system, comprising:a needle (1) to be inserted into a patient's body toward a target, said needle comprising a distal tip (10) and a proximal stop (110);a needle guide (2), the needle (1) being able to slide within said guide (2) along a longitudinal axis thereof, said needle guide (2) comprising a tracker for navigating the needle guide (2) with respect to a 3D medical image of a patient;a processor configured to detect a contact between the needle guide (2) and the proximal stop (110) and to determine, from navigation data of the needle guide when said needle guide (2) is in contact with the proximal stop (110) of the needle and from the length of said needle, a position of the distal needle tip (10) with respect to the 3D medical image; anda user interface coupled to said processor and configured to display, on at least one image (I) of the patient, a representation of the needle and a point on said representation of the needle to represent the needle tip (10) in said determined position.