Optical Waveguide Needle for Real-Time Tissue Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current minimally invasive medical interventions face challenges in providing real-time monitoring and feedback during the forward movement of medical instruments within a patient, making it difficult to accurately reach the target region without extensive imaging or step-by-step procedures.
Innovation Solution
An optical waveguide integrated within a medical instrument, such as a needle, transmits and receives light to detect reflection characteristics of tissues, allowing for real-time position feedback through an evaluation unit that determines the instrument's position based on material classes, thereby enhancing navigation during interventions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If computed tomography is used for monitoring instrument positioning, then position information can be obtained, but real-time monitoring is not possible and the process becomes step-by-step rather than continuous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical imaging-based monitoring system (CT scanner with step-by-step acquisition) with an optical sensing system using waveguides that provide continuous real-time feedback through light transmission and reflection detection, enabling continuous monitoring without mechanical movement or delayed image acquisition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical waveguides as intermediary elements that transmit light signals through the medical instrument to detect tissue properties and position in real-time, serving as a mediator between the instrument and the monitoring system to enable continuous feedback without direct imaging
2Speed
If ultrasound imaging is used for monitoring, then real-time monitoring is possible, but image quality deteriorates with deeper location and adipose patients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical waveguides as intermediary elements that transmit light signals through the medical instrument to detect tissue properties and position in real-time, serving as a mediator between the instrument and the monitoring system to enable continuous feedback without direct imaging
3Speed
If optical waveguide with light transmission is used, then real-time position feedback is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the optical waveguide system into the medical instrument to provide multiple functions simultaneously: positioning feedback, tissue characterization, and navigation guidance, allowing a single integrated system to perform what would otherwise require separate imaging and navigation devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the optical sensing components (waveguides, light sources, detectors) directly into the medical instrument structure, merging the monitoring function with the treatment/diagnosis instrument to reduce the need for separate external imaging systems
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 solution reduces the need for extensive imaging, provides real-time feedback on the instrument's position, and ensures accurate targeting of tissues, improving the reliability and efficiency of minimally invasive procedures while minimizing x-ray exposure.
Implementation Method 1
an optical waveguide has an opening for transmission and receiving of light
Implementation Method 2
evaluation of measuring data describing a receive spectrum of the receive light in the knowledge of a transmit spectrum for determination of position information on the basis of reflection characteristics of materials, in particular tissues
Data Source
AI summary
One or more example embodiments relates to a medical intervention arrangement, comprising an elongated medical instrument, such as a needle, for partial introduction into an intervention region of an examination object. In addition, one or more example embodiments relates to a computer-implemented method for determining position information of an elongated medical instrument, such as a needle, located in an intervention region of an examination object.