Shape sensor systems for tracking interventional instruments and mehods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9918659-B2
Application number	US-201414204807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A medical tracking system comprises a fiducial apparatus that includes a sensor docking feature configured to mate with a mating portion of a sensor device. The sensor docking feature retains the mating portion in a known configuration. The fiducial apparatus also includes at least one imageable fiducial marker and a surface configured for attachment to an anatomy of a patient.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical tracking system comprising:
a fiducial apparatus body including
a sensor docking feature formed in the fiducial apparatus body and configured to mate with a mating portion of a reference body that retains a reference portion of a sensor device in a known shape configuration;
at least one imageable fiducial marker; and
a surface of the fiducial apparatus body configured for attachment to an anatomy of a patient, wherein
the reference body, including the mating portion, includes a sensor connection component for interfacing the sensor device with a sensor interrogation system, the sensor device including a first shape sensor, the reference portion of the sensor device being a portion of the first shape sensor that passes through the reference body.

2. The medical tracking system of claim 1 further comprising an elongated flexible instrument in which a distal portion of the first shape sensor extends.

3. The medical tracking system of claim 2 wherein the first shape sensor is fixedly coupled to the elongated flexible instrument.

4. The medical tracking system of claim 1 further comprising the sensor interrogation system including a processor configured to receive information from the first shape sensor.

5. The medical tracking system of claim 4 further comprising an optical fiber link configured to connect the sensor interrogation system and the first shape sensor and convey information from the first shape sensor to the sensor interrogation system, the reference body having a sensor connector configured to mate with a distal connector of the optical fiber link.

6. The medical tracking system of claim 1 wherein the first shape sensor includes an optical fiber shape sensor.

7. The medical tracking system of claim 1 further comprising a reference fixture including a first sensor connector configured to hold a proximal end of the first shape sensor in a fixed pose.

8. The medical tracking system of claim 7 wherein the reference fixture further includes a second sensor connector configured to hold a proximal end of a second shape sensor in a fixed pose, wherein the reference fixture retains the proximal ends of the first and second shape sensors in a fixed relationship to each other.

9. The medical tracking system of claim 8 further comprising an elongated flexible instrument in which a distal end of the second shape sensor extends.

10. The medical tracking system of claim 1 wherein the known shape configuration is a fixed, predefined configuration.

11. The medical tracking system of claim 10 wherein the sensor docking feature includes a winding channel configured to receive and retain the reference portion of the sensor device in the predefined configuration.

12. The medical tracking system of claim 10 wherein the sensor docking feature includes a plurality of recessed features configured to receive a plurality of projections of the mating portion to retain the fiducial apparatus body and the reference body in a predefined spatial relationship.

13. The medical tracking system of claim 10 wherein the sensor docking feature includes a plurality of projections configured for receipt in a plurality of recesses of the mating portion to retain the fiducial apparatus body and the reference body in a predefined spatial relationship.

14. The medical tracking system of claim 1 wherein the known shape configuration is a measurably variable configuration.

15. The medical tracking system of claim 14 wherein the measurably variable configuration is an insertion distance.

16. The medical tracking system of claim 14 further including a variation tracking system for measuring a pose variation between the reference body and the fiducial apparatus body.

17. A method for medical instrument tracking, the method comprising:
receiving a model of an anatomic structure, the model defining an image reference frame and including an image of a fiducial apparatus including at least one fiducial marker;
registering a reference portion of a first shape sensor device to the at least one fiducial marker when the fiducial apparatus including the at least one fiducial marker is coupled to the first shape sensor device, by a mating feature and a docking feature, such that the reference portion of the first shape sensor device passes through a reference body such that the reference portion is retained by the reference body in a known shape configuration relative to the at least one fiducial marker;
receiving first shape sensor information in a first sensor reference frame from a first shape sensor of the first shape sensor device; and
determining a pose of the first shape sensor in the image reference frame based on a correlation between the image reference frame and the first sensor reference frame to register the first shape sensor device to the model.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying an image from the image reference frame that corresponds to the pose of the first shape sensor.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving the model of the anatomic structure includes receiving a model derived from a set of three dimensional volumetric images.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving first shape sensor information includes receiving information generated from an optical fiber shape sensor.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving first shape sensor information includes receiving the first shape sensor information from the first shape sensor coupled to an elongated flexible instrument extending with the anatomic structure.

22. A method for medical instrument tracking, the method comprising:
receiving a model of an anatomic structure, the model defining an image reference frame and including a model of at least one fiducial marker;
receiving first shape sensor information in a first reference frame from a first shape sensor including a reference portion that passes through a reference body such that the reference portion is retained by the reference body in a known shape configuration with respect to the at least one fiducial marker, the reference portion being included in the first shape sensor;
receiving second shape sensor information in a second reference frame from a second shape sensor positioned within the anatomic structure; and
determining a pose of the second shape sensor in the image reference frame based on a correlation between the first reference frame, the second reference frame, and the image reference frame, wherein
the first shape sensor includes a sensor connection component for interfacing the first shape sensor with a sensor interrogation system.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising displaying an image from the image reference frame that corresponds to the pose of the second shape sensor.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein receiving the model of the anatomic structure includes receiving a model from a set of three dimensional volumetric images.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein receiving first shape sensor information includes receiving information generated from an optical fiber shape sensor.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein receiving second shape sensor information includes receiving information generated from an optical fiber shape sensor.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein receiving second shape sensor information includes receiving the second shape sensor information from the second shape

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Chopra Prashant
• Duindam Vincent
• Zhao Tao
• Cole John A

Classifications

• A61B2560/0456

  Apparatus provided with a docking unit · CPC title

• A61B2090/3966

  Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image · CPC title

• A61B2034/105

  Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones · CPC title

• A61B34/20

  Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis · CPC title

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title