Patent Application
20160354012
This disclosure relates to using magnetic sensors to provide geometry information.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
Noninvasive electrocardiographic imaging involves inverse reconstruction of electrical potentials sensed on a body surface geometry to another surface geometry within the body. The inverse reconstruction utilizes geometry information that is typically derived from imaging data, such as from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) or another imaging modality. In some cases, such imaging can be expensive and/or difficult to coordinate with cardiac electrophysiology studies.
This disclosure relates to using magnetic sensors to provide geometry information.
As one example, a system includes an electromagnetic spatial measurement apparatus. The measurement apparatus includes: a moveable sensor to provide a sensor signal in response to an electromagnetic field, and a plurality of stationary sensors that each provides respective sensor signals in response to the electromagnetic field. The measurement apparatus provides first position data representing multiple positions of the moveable sensor in a given coordinate system. The measurement apparatus also provides second position data based on a position of each of the plurality of sensors in the given coordinate system. The system also includes a processor configured to:
As another example, a method includes storing invasive position data representing different positions of one or more sensors in a given coordinate system within a volume defined by an electromagnetic field and storing non-invasive position data representing different positions of a plurality of control points in the given coordinate system determined from a position of one or more sensors. The method also includes computing internal geometry data based on the invasive position data, the internal geometry data representing a three-dimensional anatomical surface within a patient's body. The method also includes computing electrode geometry data based on the non-invasive position data, the electrode geometry data representing a location of each of a plurality of electrodes on an outer surface of the patient's body. Electrical activity sensed by the plurality of electrodes can be reconstructed onto an anatomical envelope within the patient's body based on the internal geometry data and electrode geometry data.
This disclosure provides systems and methods that utilize magnetic sensors to generate geometry information. The geometry information created using the magnetic sensors can be utilized to perform electrogram reconstruction, in which electrograms are reconstructed onto an anatomical envelope within a patient's body, such as a cardiac surface (e.g., the epicardial or endocardial surface) or another surface within the patient's body. Additionally or alternatively, the geometry information that is generated can be utilized to help localize and/or navigate in an implantable device relative to the anatomical structures.
As a further example, one or more EM sensors (also referred to herein as a receiver) may be movable within a patient's body while within an EM field provided by an EM field generator (also referred to as a transmitter). For instance, the sensor(s) can be attached to or integrated into a probe or catheter within the EM field and provide a sensor signal corresponding to at least a location thereof in a three-dimensional coordinate system. The probe or catheter thus can be moved to a plurality of different locations to capture sensor signals for a plurality of locations across a region of interest, which locations can be combined to generate corresponding geometry data representing for the region of interest. One or more magnetic sensors may also be provided at fixed locations within the patient's body (e.g., one or more heart locations, such as sinoatrial node, or other anatomical landmarks). As an example, the geometry can include an anatomical geometry, such as the heart surface, (e.g., epicardial and/or endocardial surface) or another three-dimensional construct within the body.
In some examples, the probe with the magnetic sensor can be utilized as a digitizer that is moved into engagement to detect the location of one or more electrical sensors that may be disposed at stationary (e.g., fixed) locations non-invasively on a patient's body surface. In other examples, one or more magnetic sensors may be integrated into or otherwise co-located with some or all of the electrical sensors that are distributed across the body surface. Since the magnetic sensors have a known (predetermined) position with respect to such electrical sensors, the locations of the magnetic sensors can be used to ascertain geometry data representing the location of the body surface electrical sensors in a common coordinate system with the geometry for the invasive region of interest.
The resulting geometry information can be utilized for forward and/or inverse calculations for reconstructing electrical activity, including electrical cardiac signals from the heart, electrical signals measured from body surface electrodes, electrical signals measured from a catheter that may be moved within a patient's body as well as any combination thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the geometry information can be used to facilitate localization and navigation of objects within the patient's body.
In the example of
By way of example, one or more of the EM sensor(s) 20 can be moveable within the alternating EM field, and the field can induce electrical current in the sensor. The induced signal can vary depending on the location and orientation of the sensor with respect to the field. As an example, one or more EM sensors 20 are fixed to part of a probe, such as a catheter or other guide mechanism (e.g., guide wire). For instance, the probe can be inserted into the patient's body in a minimally invasive manner and moved to a plurality of locations across an anatomical surface within the patient's body and the sensor signals can be used to generate position data 22 corresponding to an anatomical surface region of interest. The region of interest thus corresponds to surface region inside the body and the locations across such surface can be recorded in the coordinate system of the EM measurement system 12 and stored in memory as part of the corresponding position data 22 to provide a plurality of control points residing on the anatomical surface region of interest.
As an example, a vascular catheter can be fitted with one or more electromagnetic tracking sensors having with three, four, five or six degrees of freedom. A five degree of freedom EM tracking sensor enables tracking of x, y, and z spatial coordinates, as well as angular coordinates characterizing rotation about the transverse axis (pitch) and anterior-posterior axis (roll). A six degree of freedom sensor affords an additional capacity for tracking angular coordinates characterizing rotation about the inferior-superior axis (yaw). According to the examples provided in this disclosure, such as for purposes of mapping position, it is sufficient for the EM spatial measurement system 12 to employ sensors to provide the position data 22 including three-dimensional spatial coordinates.
As an example, one or more of the sensors 20 can be movable within the EM field such that the position data 22 associated with each such movable sensor can represent multiple positions of each such sensor within the three-dimensional coordinate system. For example, the field generator 18 provides an EM field within a three-dimensional volume of interest, which can be positioned near a patient's body to generate the corresponding position data 22 based on positioned determined for EM sensors located within the field volume. The position data thus is associated with the patient's body and can correspond specifically to locations distributed across one or more regions of interest within a patient's body. For instance, the sensor 20 can be moved across the surface of the patient's heart and corresponding points distributed across the surface can be obtained over time to generate the corresponding position data 22 by the measurement system 12. In some examples, the movement of the probe carrying the sensor 20 as may be guided by an imaging modality, such as ultrasound or fluoroscopy, during the positioning of the probe (e.g., catheter) containing one or more sensors 20. Alternatively, visual guidance can be omitted.
In some examples, one or more EM sensors 20 can be fixed at a known anatomical position within the patient's body to provide the corresponding system signal associated with the fixed position in response to the EM field. The sensor at the fixed known anatomical position thus can be utilized as a control point to facilitate determining geometry from the other sensor locations within the coordinate system.
Additionally, one or more of the EM sensors 20 further can be utilized outside the patient's body to ascertain locations of electrical sensors located outside of the patient's body or otherwise distributed around the invasive locations determined within the patient's body. The non-invasive EM sensors 20 can have fixed locations with respect to the electrical sensors 24, such as connected to the electrical sensors or to a common substrate to which both the EM and electrical sensors are mounted. Such non-invasive EM sensor 20, for example, can be located at predetermined control points outside the patient's body having a known spatial location with respect to one or more of the non-invasive electrical sensors 24. Some or all such stationary non-invasive EM sensors 20 can be co-located (e.g., overlying relationship) with respect to the electrical sensors 24. As another example, one or more non-invasive EM sensors 20 may be moveable into contact with the electrical sensors, such as part of a digitizer probe, and when contact is made the resulting position data 22 can be tagged to identify contact with a respective electrical sensor. Regardless of being stationary or moveable, the field generator 18 induces a sensor signal in each of the EM sensors having a signal strength that depends on its location (spatial coordinates) within the EM field, which location is recorded in the position data generated by the controller 21.
In the example of
As one example, the electrical sensors 24 can be implemented as an arrangement of sensors to cover a preselected portion of the patient's body surface, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0281814, entitled MULTI-LAYERED SENSOR APPARATUS; although other configurations and arrangements of electrical sensors 24 could be utilized. As another example, the arrangement of sensors can be implemented as set or zone of electrodes configured to cover selected parts of the patient's body surface that map deterministically to a given region or interest on one or more surface areas of the heart, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0067489, entitled SYSTEM AND METHODS TO FACILITATE PROVIDING THERAPY TO A PATIENT.
The geometry calculator 26 computes the envelope geometry 30 based upon the position data 22 collected by one or more EM sensors 20. By moving such EM sensors within the patient's body move across the surface region of interest, the geometry calculator 26 thus can compute the envelope geometry 30 to correspond to an actual surface of the patient's heart (e.g., epicardial surface and endocardial surface). In other examples, the geometry calculator 26 computes the envelope geometry to correspond to a virtual surface having a predetermined geometrical relationship with respect to the patient's heart according to the locations on the region of interest that have been tagged during the mapping by the movable EM sensor 20. As mentioned, the region of interest can correspond to a predetermined contiguous surface area of a patient's heart, a plurality of separate regions across the patient's heart, or the entire heart surface. Since the movable EM sensor 20 can be moved and engaged with the patient's anatomy, the mapping process can be repeated as the EM sensor 20 tags a plurality of spaced apart locations distributed across the surface of interest to create an accurate representation of organ geometry (e.g., endocardial chambers, epicardial surface, esophagus and the like). The tagging of spaced apart locations across the surface can be manual in response to a user input (e.g., activation of a trigger or button) or it can be an automated process by which position data is processed to tag a designated number of points within a surface area (e.g., a predetermined density of tagged locations per surface area). The geometry calculator 26 computes the envelope geometry 30, for example, to define a mesh surface of the envelope corresponding to the region of interest (e.g., a cardiac mesh).
Additionally, the geometry calculator 26 can determine electrode geometry 28 in a corresponding three-dimensional coordinate system based on position data 22 describing spatial coordinates for a set of EM sensor locations associated with the electrical sensors 24. As mentioned, a set of non-invasive EM sensors 20 can be located at predetermined control points outside the patient's body having a known spatial location with respect to one or more of body surface electrical sensors 24. Alternatively, one or more non-invasive EM sensors 20 may be moveable into contact with the electrical sensors, such as part of a digitizer probe, and when contact is made the resulting position data 22 can be tagged to identify contact with a respective electrical sensor. The geometry calculator 26 thus computes electrode geometry 28 from the associated position data, such as to represent centers (e.g., centroids) of each sensor electrode that is positioned on body surface. Once calculated, the envelope geometry 30 and electrode geometry 28 are stored in memory (e.g., one or more non-transitory machine readable media) to facilitate electrogram reconstruction and/or localization based on measured body surface electrical activity. In some examples, the electrogram reconstruction and/or localization may be performed based on measured body surface electrical activity and stored geometry data, even in the absence of further use of the EM spatial measurement system.
The electrical measurement system 14 can receive sensor signals from each of the electrical sensors 24 to provide corresponding electrical data 32 for one or more time intervals. The electrical data 32 thus can correspond to electrical signals measured at a plurality of locations distributed across the patient's body where the electrical sensors 24 are located. The locations of the sensors can be computed by the geometry calculator corresponding to the electrode geometry 28, such as disclosed herein. The electrical data 32 thus can include data representing the time-varying amplitude of the measured electrical potential, which can be time-stamped corresponding to the time associated with the amplitude that varies as a function of time.
The system 10 can also include electrogram reconstruction function 34 that is programmed to generate reconstructed electrograms 36 based on the electrical data 32 and the geometry data 16. For example, the electrogram reconstruction function 34 can solve the inverse problem by reconstructing electrical activity for each of the electrodes according to the electrode geometry 28 onto a corresponding cardiac envelope based on the envelope geometry 30. Examples of solutions to the inverse problem include the boundary element method (BEM) or the method of fundamental solution (MFS). The reconstructed electrograms thus can correspond to electrograms across an envelope, and can include static (three-dimensional at a given instant in time) and/or be dynamic (e.g., four-dimensional map that varies over time) based on the measured electrical data 32.
Examples of inverse algorithms that can be utilized in the system 10 include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,983,743 and 6,772,004, which are incorporated herein by reference. The EGM reconstruction 186 thus can reconstruct the body surface electrical activity measured via the sensors 164 onto a multitude of locations on an envelope (e.g., greater than 1000 locations, such as about 2000 locations or more). In other examples, the processing system 162 can compute electrical activity over a sub-region of the heart based on electrical activity measured invasively, such as via the device 156 (e.g., including a basket catheter or other form of measurement probe). The resulting reconstructed electrograms 36 can be stored in memory and provided as an output to the display such as to provide electrocardiographic maps of electrical potentials or other signal characteristics that can be derived from the reconstructed electrograms on the cardiac envelope.
In some examples, the position data 22 can also include a time-stamp that is synchronized temporally with respect to the measured electrical data 32. By synchronizing the position data 22 with the electrical data 32, a probe (e.g., catheter) carrying an electrode can be utilized to supply an electrical signal via the electrode at a spatial location within the patient's body and the supplied signal can be detected via the arrangement of body surface electrical sensors 24. The electrical signal that is applied to the electrode on the movable catheter, for example, can be a pulse wave, a square wave, a sinusoidal wave, a triangle wave or other predetermined waveform, which may be periodic or supplied intermittently such as in response to a user input. Thus, by collecting position data 22 and electrical data 32 synchronized in time for a given known position where an electrical signal is supplied via the electrode, the electrical data can be registered with respect to the position data 22 (e.g., by translator generator of the geometry calculator 26) to generate a domain translator 38. The domain translator 38 thus can be used translate sensed electrical information to position information in a given coordinate system, which may be the same or a different coordinate system from the EM measurement system 12.
As one example, the domain translator 38 can be in the form of a look-up table (LUT) in which the sensor signals for each of the plurality of electrical sensors 24 operate as an index to a given position derived from the position data at a corresponding location within the patient's body where the signal was applied. By supplying signals at a plurality of different locations distributed across a region of interest, a look up table for mapping between the sensed electrical data and spatial coordinates can be generated for the region of interest. In this way, by a user positioning a catheter, which may or may not include an EM sensor, at a location on the surface that has been mapped in this manner and supplying an electrical signal (e.g., the same signal that was utilized to generate the look up table), the look-up table 38 can provide a location estimate according to which location best matches the sensed electrical signals provided in the look-up table. As a further example, the spatial location can be estimated by the LUT interpolating among multiple entries according to the measured electrical signals (sensed by the electrical sensors 24) in response to the signal that is applied to the electrode on the catheter within the patient's body. By determining position over time, movement of the catheter and its trajectory can also be ascertained by the domain translator LUT.
As another example, the domain translator 38 can be implemented as a transform that converts measured electrical signals into spatial coordinates in a given coordinate system. The transform can be generated through a mapping and registration process in which the sensed electrical signals by creating respective geometries using a localization process (e.g., dipole localization) in a first spatial domain and relative positions between the magnetic sensor locations determined for a second spatial domain. A transform generation process can be utilized to convert position data from the first spatial domain, as determined via the localization process, into the second spatial domain corresponding to the EM measurement system. For example, a catheter can be positioned at a location within a region of interest that was utilized in creating the transform, and the electrical data provided by the electrical sensors 24 in response to the signal applied to the electrode can be localized into coordinates in the first spatial domain. The transform is then applied to the coordinates in the first spatial domain to provide a corresponding spatial location associated with the catheter in the second spatial domain. Thus, the transform can provide a dynamic mapping between the spatial domain of the magnetic sensors locations that were detected during the mapping and calibration process and a different domain associated with the electrode locations via another localization process.
For example, a device 56, such as a catheter, can be inserted into a patient's body 54, such as through a low or minimally invasive procedure. The device 56 includes one or more electrodes configured to deliver energy and/or sense electrical activity within the patient's body 54. The device 56 can apply energy via one or more electrodes as a localization-specific signal, a pacing signal or to deliver another therapy, such as to electrically affect tissue (e.g., providing electrical therapy, or controlling delivery of chemical therapy, sound wave therapy, thermal therapy or any combination thereof). The device 56 can be inserted within or near the heart 52 to sense and/or deliver energy in a contact or non-contact manner. Additionally or alternatively, the device 56 can include one or more EM sensors that provide sensor signals to an EM spatial measurement system 64 in response to an EM field (e.g., sensor 20 of
An invasive system 58 can include a control 60 configured to control a signal generator 61 to apply a signal via one or more electrodes of the device 56. For example, the control 160 can control parameters (e.g., current, voltage, repetition rate, trigger delay, sensing trigger amplitude) of the signal generator 61 for delivering therapy (e.g., ablation or stimulation) via the electrode(s) to one or more location of the heart 52. The control 60 can set the therapy parameters and apply stimulation based on automatic, manual (e.g., user input) or a combination of automatic and manual (e.g., semiautomatic) controls. For example, the invasive system 58 can be located external to the patient's body 54 and be configured to control delivery of electrical signals via one or more electrodes of the device 56. For instance, the system 58 can also control electrical signals provided via a conductive link electrically connected between the delivery device (e.g., one or more electrodes) 56 and the system 58. One or more sensors (not shown but could be part of the device 56) can also communicate sensor information to a processing system 78.
The EM spatial measurement system 64 can be implemented as corresponding to the EM spatial measurement system 12 of
Additionally, the system 50 includes a plurality of sensors 70 attached to the body 54 at locations. As disclosed herein, the EM measurement system 64 is used to ascertain electrode geometry that characterizes the location of each of the electrodes in given three-dimensional coordinate system. The sensors 70 thus can sense electrical activity on the body surface, including real-time electrical activity for the patient's heart 52 as well as electrical signals corresponding to the signals applied via the device as provided by the signal generator 61.
In the example of
As mentioned, the electrical sensors 70 provide real time sensed electrical signals to the electrical measurement system 72. The measurement system 72 can include appropriate control and signal processing circuitry 74 for providing corresponding measurement data 76 that describes electrical activity detected by the sensors 70. The measurement data 76 can include analog and/or digital information (e.g., corresponding to electrogram data 14). The control 74 can also be configured to control the data acquisition process (e.g., sample rate, line filtering) for measuring electrical activity and providing the measurement data 76. In some examples, the control 74 can control acquisition of measurement data 76 separately from the invasive system operation, such as in response to a user input. In other examples, the measurement data 76 can be acquired concurrently with and in synchronization with specific signals applied by the signal generator 61 for purposes calibrating and configuring a domain translator for localization. For instance, appropriate time stamps can be utilized for indexing the temporal relationship between the respective measurement data 72 and position data 68. In either example, the non-invasive measurement system 72 can measure the body surface electrical activity via the sensor to provide corresponding measurement data 76.
The processing system 78 thus can perform various signal processing and transformative methods, including a geometry calculator 80, electrogram reconstruction 82, a graphical user interface (GUI) 86 and an output generator 84 to control a display 92.
Since, in some examples, the measurement system 72 can measure electrical activity of a predetermined region or the entire heart concurrently (e.g., where the sensors 164 covers the entire thorax of the patient's body 154), the measurements are spatially and temporally consistent across the entire region of interest. Consequently, the accuracy in the resulting output location provided in the output data 174 can be increased when compared to other measurement approaches, such as to supply the user with a more accurate and global information to facilitate monitoring and application of therapy.
By way of further example, the geometry calculator is programmed to compute envelope geometry and electrode geometry, such as disclosed with respect to
As disclosed herein, the envelope geometry can represent to a three-dimensional surface geometry (e.g., a cardiac mesh) corresponding to a patient's heart, which surface can be epicardial or endocardial. In some examples, the geometry calculator 80 computes the envelope geometry to represent actual surface of the patient heart geometry based on EM position data 68 acquired during mapping by the catheter device 56. Alternatively, the geometry calculator 80 computes the envelope geometry based on the position data 68 to represent to a 3D geometric surface mesh that resides between the epicardial surface of a patient's heart and an outer surface of the patient's body where the electrical sensors 70 have been positioned. In addition to the envelope geometry, the geometry calculator also determines the electrode geometry as data representing the position of the electrodes in the sensor array in the same coordinate system as the envelope geometry, both of which can be stored in memory as geometry data. Appropriate anatomical or other landmarks, including locations for the EM or electrical sensors on or within the patient's body 54 can further be tagged and identified in the geometry data, such as for display in conjunction with other electrical or spatial information. The identification of such landmarks and can be done manually (e.g., by a person via image editing software) or automatically (e.g., via image processing techniques).
The output generator 188 can generate corresponding output data to provide a corresponding graphical map 90 in a display 92. For instance, the graphical map 90 can include reconstructed electrograms (e.g., a potential map) on the cardiac envelope. In some examples, a location for the device 56 is displayed on graphical model of patient anatomy or superimposed on the electrocardiographic map 90. The location can take other forms to provide guidance to the user, such as disclosed herein.
A graphical user interface (GUI) 86 can be employed to interact with the processing system 78 and/or the systems 72, 58 and/or 64. For example, the GUI 86 can be used to set parameters associated with the displayed graphical representation, corresponding to an output visualization of the computed map, such as including selecting a time interval, a type of information that is to be presented in the visualization and the like can be selected in response to a user input. Additionally, a user can employ the GUI 86 to selectively program one or more parameters (e.g., desired resolution, convergence thresholds, waveform parameters, spatial modeling and spatial thresholds, filter parameters and the like).
In the example of
As a further example, the signal generator 161 supplies a localization signal to surrounding tissue in the patient's body 154 via one or more electrodes on the device 156. The localization signals can be measured by the non-invasive plurality of sensors 170 attached to the body 154 at locations in a three-dimensional coordinate system, such as determined by geometry calculator 180. The sensors 170 thus can sense electrical activity, including signals corresponding to the applied localization signals. As mentioned, the sensors 164 can also sense other electrical signals, such as corresponding to real-time electrograms for the patient's heart.
The placement of the device 156 can be guided via a localization method 194. As an example, the localization method 194 includes instructions executed by the processing system 162 to localize the device 156 employing an equivalent dipole model and measurements based on electrical measurement data 176 from the body surface sensors 170. For instance, the localization method 194 can compute a solution for a dipole model cost function to provide coordinates for the signal emitting element on the device to localize the device 156 and its electrodes, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0061599, entitled LOCALIZATION AND TRACKING OF AN OBJECT, which is incorporated herein by reference. In other examples, the localization method can be determine spatial coordinates for the device based on the position data that is provided for one or more EM sensors on the device 156. The guidance provided via the localization method 194 can be automated, semi-automated or be manually implemented based on information sensed. During localization, the electrode on the device 156 can contact or not contact the patient's heart 152, endocardially or epicardially.
By way of further example, localization method 194 can be implemented with respect to higher amplitude spikes or other signals that physician delivers via the device 156 for various clinical reasons. The localization results would presumably be quite confident in this localization because SNR is high. Immediately following the clinical higher amplitude signal, a localization signal (e.g., normal low output pulses that do not stimulate or achieve the same therapeutic effect) can be delivered via one or more electrodes on the device 156, and the localization method 194 can then compute the position of the device in response to the localization signal. The difference in position for each of the different types localizations can be computed, and the difference can be used to calibrate the system. For example, if catheter delivers high amplitude pacing pulse for another reason at a location A, dipole would localize to position A. Then with catheter remaining at location A′ (the same or slightly displaced version of location A), another localization signal with lower output current can be applied, and localization engine can employ the dipole method to localize to location A′. The system would calibrate position A′ as true position A, and apply such computed calibration, which is stored in memory, for future localizations. The dipole calibration can also be guided by intraprocedural imaging (e.g., x-ray fluoroscopy, ultrasound, CT or the like) and/or based position data 168 provided by the EM spatial measurement system to confirm the localized position matches the corresponding position determined via the other modality. The localized position determined by the localization method 194 can be co-registered to a common coordinate system with such other modality, such as the into which the geometry calculator provides the relevant geometry data (e.g., envelope geometry and electrode geometry).
The device 200 can also include a substrate 208 to which each of the electrodes 202 can be attached. The substrate can be compliant and flexible to facilitate attachment to the body surface and accommodating the contours of such surface. The sensor device 200 can come in a variety of shapes and sizes that can be utilized to accommodate patients of different sizes. The electrical traces interconnecting the electrodes 202 and the terminal 206 can be embedded in the substrate 208, such as interposed between layers thereof or otherwise insulated and shielded to facilitate propagation of the electrical signals while mitigating interference with other signals.
The device 200 also includes a plurality of EM sensors 210. Each of the EM sensors 210 can include a sensor coil, such as a single sinusoidal coil that can provide five or six degree of freedom sensing for each EM sensor 210. Each EM sensor thus provides a sensor signal in response to current induced when exposed to an EM field, such as disclosed herein. The sensor signals can be provided via electrically conductive traces or wires from each respective sensors 210 along the surface of the substrate 208 and terminate in a corresponding terminal connector 212. Each of the electrical traces can be appropriately shield to mitigate interference among the electrical and EM sensor signals. The terminal connector 212 can be one of a mating or other connector that can couple the set of EM sensors 210 with a corresponding EM measurement device, such as disclosed herein.
In other examples, a wireless communication protocol can be used to propagate the EM sensor signals to a processing device (e.g., controller 21 of the EM spatial measurement system 12). For instance, the EM sensor can be implemented as a radio frequency identifier (RFID) transmitter that is activated to transmit RFID data and signal strength information in response to receiving the varying EM field or another interrogating radio frequency signal. Other wireless technologies could also be used to communicate the EM sensor signals.
Each of the electrodes 202 has a known position with respect to each other. For example, distance between centers of each of the respective electrodes 202 can be predetermined over the surface of the device 200. Each of the EM sensors 210 are similarly positioned at a predetermined spatial location with respect to each of the sensor electrodes 202. Thus, by knowing the spatial relationship (geometry) between each of the EM sensors 210 and the respective electrical sensors 202, the spatial coordinates of the electrical sensors can be determined readily from the position data representing the spatial coordinates of the EM sensors.
In the example of
The location and orientation of the EM sensor 222 is known a priori with respect to each of the one or more electrical sensors 224 on the catheter body. For instance, the electrodes 224 can be implemented as annular rings circumscribing the distal end of the catheter body, spaced a predetermined distance from its tip. In this way, the location of each electrode 224 and the catheter tip, which may or may not include an electrode, can be determined based upon position data derived from the EM sensor signal that is produced by the sensor 222 in response to an EM field, such as disclosed herein.
As a further example, one or more of electrodes 224 can be utilized to supply an electrical signal such as can be provided by a signal generator external to the patient's body and provided to the electrode via an electrical conductor. Additionally or alternatively, one or more electrodes 224 are implemented as sensing electrodes to be positioned on or near a surface for contact or non-contact sensing of electrical activity within the patient's body. The one or more sensing electrodes 224 can provide electrical signals via electrical conductors (e.g., shielded cables or traces) contained within channels or mounted to the catheter. The sensed electrical signals from sensors 224 can be provided to electrical sensing circuitry that can be stored in memory for subsequent processing. Similarly, the induced electrical signals from EM sensor 222 is provided to EM sensing circuitry to determine position data (e.g., data 22, 68, 168) that can be stored in memory for subsequent processing, such as disclosed herein.
In response signals detected by the EM sensor 256, the EM measurement system 254 can generate a corresponding position data 266. The position data 266 can include control points, representing 3D spatial locations in the EM spatial domain, and associated timing information (e.g., time-stamps). The timing information (e.g., from signal generator 264) can be provided to an electrical measurement system 272 to synchronize measured electrical signals with respect to signals supplied via the signal generator 264 to the electrode 262. A plurality of body surface sensors 270 are demonstrated as electrical sensors 1 through electrical sensors N, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. Each of the electrical sensors 270 constitute non-invasive sensors to measure electrical activity from the patient's body surface, such as disclosed herein. Each sensor thus can supply electrical signals representing sensed electrical activity on the body surface to electrical measurement system 272. The electrical measurement system 272 includes associated circuitry to generate an electrical data 274 corresponding to the sensed electrical activity. The measurement system 272, for example includes circuitry such as amplifiers, filters, and the like, to provide corresponding electrical data based on the sensed electrical activity on the surface.
As one example, by moving the catheter 258 across a region of interest (e.g., a portion or an entire surface while the signal generator 264 activates, intermittently, to supply a calibration signal to the electrode 262 at a plurality of discrete locations across the region of interest, respective data sets 266 and 274 are generated in each of the EM-spatial domain and the electrical domain for tagging the location via the catheter 258. For instance, the electrical data 274 and the position data 266 both can be stamped with timing information (e.g., time stamp metadata) to synchronize position data 266 derived from the EM sensors with the measured electrical data 274. The system can also include a 3D surface geometry for the region of interest, such as a 3D surface mesh, which can be derived from position data 266, imaging data or another method. A 3D registration function 276 performs three-dimensional registration based on the position data 266, electrical data 274 and geometry data 268. That is, the 3D registration can temporally and spatially register the sensed electrical data (in the electrical domain) 274 from the sensors 270 with respect to the position data 266 (in the EM domain) at the time when the signal is supplied to the electrode. In this way, the electrical data measured for each calibration pulse can operate as a surrogate for the spatial coordinates known from the EM sensor 256.
In one example, the translator generator 278 generates the translator 252 based upon the correspondence between each EM signal that is generated for a given position of the EM sensor 256 and the sensed electrical data responsive to the generated signal for such position. The registration function 276 can create a correspondence between each magnetic sensor location, corresponding to control points in the EM domain, and the electrical signals detected by the sensors 270, such as are fixed on the body surface. In this way each set of electrical signals provided by the electrical data can The domain translator generator 278 can receive the correspondence information between the position data and electrical data for each tagged location and in turn generate the domain translator 252. For example, the domain translator 252 can be generated as a look-up table that maps directly between the set of electrical sensor signals across the body surface to a corresponding tagged position in a given coordinate system (e.g., coordinate system of the EM measurement system or other). The look-up table provides a direct mapping between each set of electrical signals and a respective EM location in which the set of electrical data operates as an index to the look-up table to provide the location. The resolution of the look-up table can be increased by increasing the number of control points on the surface of interest in the EM domain that are being mapped to electrical data sets. The matching of electrical signals can be implemented by calculating a similarity between a newly detected set of electrical signals (e.g., provided as electrical data 274), which set of signals is temporally synchronized with an signal applied to an electrode via the signal generator 264, and the electrical signals stored in the look-up table. For example, the similarity between input data set and the signals in the look-up table can be computed using a cross correlation to bypass signal magnitude difference; although other methods can be used to compute the similarity.
Alternatively or additionally, instead of the domain translator 278 being programmed as a look-up table between the magnetic sensor location and electrical sensor signals, the registration component 276 can utilize predetermined locations for each respective electrical sensor 270 in a given coordinate system. Thus, for each location that is detected and tagged based on an EM sensor 256, the sensor generates to 254 simultaneously generates a corresponding impulse or other supplied signal. The electrical signals from sensors 270 thus can record the sensor signal that is supplied by the electrode within the patient's body to detect the location of the catheter in the corresponding three-dimensional coordinate system to which the sensors have been registered. The location determined for the catheter 258 can thus create a correspondence between the magnetic sensor location and the location determined using the electrical signals (e.g., computed by a localization method, such as the dipole method of
By way of example,
The system 350 of
As also disclosed herein, geometry data 381 can be generated (e.g., by geometry calculator) based on EM sensor position data acquired for an anatomic envelope and electrode locations in the given coordinate system. The geometry data 381 thus can stored in memory to include both envelope geometry and electrode geometry to enable the electrogram reconstruction 382 to reconstruct electrical activity from the body surface onto the cardiac envelope based on electrical measurement data. In this way, once the geometry data 381 and translator 395 are generated, one can navigate around the catheter device 356 based on relative location of the catheter to these known geometries, and the translator can update the location during such navigation.
The system 350 can also include a localization method to determine spatial coordinates in a given domain. This may be in addition to or as an alternative to the location provided by the translator 395. For example, the localization method can implement a dipole localization method based on electrical measurement data from sensors 370 where the locations of the sensors are known, such as based on imaging, EM position measurements or the like.
The coordinates determined by the localization method 394 and/or by the domain translator 395 can be utilized by an output generator 384 to display location information represent for the device 356 in three-dimensional space based on coordinates determined according to one or more approaches herein. Additionally, the location (or a corresponding path) can be displayed at the spatial locations across a cardiac envelope (e.g., on an epicardial or endocardial surface of the heart 354). The output generator 384 can display the location separately. In other examples, the location can be combined with other output data, such as to display location information on graphical map of electrical activity of the heart 354. Additionally or alternatively, the localization can be continuous process and/or be synchronized with respect to the application of therapy provided by the system 358.
In view of the foregoing structural and functional features described above, example methods will be better appreciated with reference to
At 406, non-invasive position data is stored. For instance, the non-invasive position data represents different positions of a plurality of control points (e.g., corresponding to EM sensors) in the given coordinate system associated with a position of one or more sensor electrodes (e.g., sensors 24, 70, 170, 202, 224 or 370). The control points can correspond to known locations of EM sensors that are spaced apart from sensor electrodes by a predetermined distance. In other examples, one or more of the control points can correspond to known locations of EM sensors that are co-located with the sensor electrodes. There can be a one EM sensor for each sensor electrode or there can be different number of the EM sensors and sensor electrodes (e.g., fewer EM sensors than sensor electrodes).
At 408, internal geometry data is computed (e.g., by geometry calculator 26, 80, 180). For instance, the internal geometry data is computed based on the invasive position data to represent a three-dimensional anatomical surface for a region of interest within a patient's body. The internal geometry data provide an anatomical model for the region of interest. For example, the internal geometry data can be a mesh model of the anatomical surface by describing a polygon mesh (e.g., a triangle mesh) of vertices and edges in the given 3D coordinate system. The mesh thus can include concave and convex polygons depending on the contours of the surface (e.g., endocardial and/or epicardial) that is modeled. At 410, electrode geometry data is computed (e.g., by geometry calculator 26, 80, 180). The electrode geometry data is computed based on the non-invasive position data to represent a location (e.g., point, such as a centroid) of each of a plurality of electrodes (e.g., sensors 24, 70, 170, 202 or 370) on an outer surface of the patient's body. The internal geometry and the electrode geometry can define geometry data in a common 3D coordinate system, such as for the EM spatial measurement system.
The geometry data thus can be stored in memory and used repeatedly to enable reconstruction of electrograms, as disclosed herein. The internal geometry data and electrode geometry data can be aggregated so that the location of each of a plurality of electrodes and the three-dimensional anatomical surface within a patient's body are in a common coordinate system to enable the reconstruction. The geometry data can be used for forward and inverse calculation of measured electrical signals, including electrical cardiac signals from heart, electrical signals from torso electrodes, and electrical signals from catheter, and combinations thereof.
For example, at 412, the electrical activity can be sensed from the plurality of electrodes (e.g., sensors 24, 70, 170, 202 or 370) on an outer surface of the patient's body. The electrical measurements can include signals during one or more time intervals. At 414 electrical activity sensed by the plurality of electrodes is reconstructed onto an anatomical envelope within the patient's body based on the internal geometry data and electrode geometry data. The reconstruction at 412 thus can be generated based on one or more intervals of body surface measured electrical activity, wherein the reconstructed electrical activity represents electrical activity across the three-dimensional anatomical surface within a patient's body during one or more such time interval. The time interval further may be selected in response to a user input.
As mentioned, by generating the geometry data using EM sensors, the cardiac electrical activity can be reconstructed on to the cardiac envelope. For example, using EM sensors on both catheter and body surface electrodes, one can detect locations of vest electrodes and catheter electrodes accurately in the absence of imaging. As noted, this can expedite the process (e.g., due to reduced computations) as well as decrease overall costs associated with the procedure. EM sensor(s) on a catheter thus can be used to create cardiac surface by moving the catheter around the region of interest, such as including LA, RA, LV, RV endocardial chambers. Since the EM fields are of a low field strength and can safely pass through human tissue, location measurement of an object is possible without the line-of-sight constraints of an optical spatial measurement system and without ionization of non-optical imaging modalities. The catheter can also be configured with electrodes or other delivery mechanisms to ablate tissue and to measure intracardiac signals.
The method begins at 452 to define a spatial coordinate system. The coordinate system, for example, is a three-dimensional coordinate system that has been registered with respect to a patient's anatomy and/or an EM measurement system. The coordinate system can be derived from processing image data that includes sensors spatial locations as well as patient anatomy. The measurement system can include an arrangement of sensors (e.g., electrodes 24, 70, 170, 202, 224 or 370) distributed over a portion of the patient's torso surrounding the region in which the localization is to be performed. The locations of the sensors during localization can be the same or having a known spatial relationship with respect to the sensor locations in the image data used to define the coordinate system.
At 454, electrical signals are measured. The electrical signals are measured during a time that includes application of a localization signal. The localization signal can be a predetermined or otherwise deterministic signal that is applied at a site within a volume (e.g., patient's body) at an unknown location, which corresponds to the source being localized. The applied signals for dipole based localization can be any electrical signal including but not limited to pacing signals, or sinusoidal or square waves delivered to bipolar lead pairs from catheter.
There can be more than one such source that can apply respective signals. When more than one signal is applied at different sites being localized during the method 450, the signals can be differentiated. For instance, to detect multiple dipoles using pacing signals, the different lead pairs can be can be energized at different time instances to differentiate the signals corresponding to the different lead locations. To detect multiple dipoles using sinusoidal or square waves, such signals can be applied at different identifiable times (e.g., identified time stamps), concurrently at different frequencies or having other signal characteristics that can be identified individually. The measured electrical signals can be stored in memory as measurement data representing measured electrical signals at each of a plurality of known locations (e.g., measured by sensors at locations determined a priori) with respect to the given coordinate system (at 452).
The applied localization signal can be generated from one or more electrodes located at a position that is unknown and that is to be determined by the localization method 450. One or more electrodes can be disposed on a probe, such as a catheter or other device, at predetermined locations relative to each other. A signal generator can apply a specific signal that can be measured and localized by applying the dipole model for each electrode as disclosed herein. For example, the applied signal can be a predetermined waveform that is distinguishable from anatomical generated signals, such as may be a pulse, a sinusoidal waveform or the like that can be generated by a signal source electrically connected to the electrode(s) being localized. Extraneous signals (e.g., electrograms, noise or other signals) can be filtered out of the measurements, for example.
At 456, the method includes determining a dipole location and moment according to a predetermined optimization function for the dipole model. That is, the electrical signals measured at 454 provide known values that are used in the optimization function to find extrema that define the location and moment of the dipole with respect to the given coordinate system. As disclosed herein, the localization method 450 employs a dipole model cost function having parameters (variables) representing a dipole location and moment for localizing the source of the applied signal. The dipole location thus can be calculated as an optimization problem that fits the dipole model cost function to the data represented the measured electrical signals at each of the sensor locations, which are known in the coordinate system (at 452). In some examples, the determination at 456 can implement a boundary condition, as disclosed herein. Additionally or alternatively, the dipole model cost function can consider noise that exists in the electrode measurements (at 454).
At 458, the determined location and moment of the dipole can be stored in memory. The memory can include any local or remote memory (e.g., volatile and/or non-volatile memory) that is accessible for retrieval, such as for use by the same or different computer. The dipole location that is stored can thus represent spatial coordinates for the localized source. As mentioned, in some examples, there are multiple sources, which may be on the same or different probe, and respective locations can be stored at 458 for each such source.
At 460 the location for the source is visualized, such as in a display, printed output or the like (e.g., 92, 192392). For example, the identified location can be overlaid in a graphical map of a patient's anatomy, such as a heart or other anatomic region where the source was localized to reside via the method. By determining the dipole location and graphical map in a common coordinate system or (via registration or transform) visualization of the dipole location, as well as a device carrying the field source for which the dipole location was determined at 456, is facilitated.
In the three dimensional coordinate system (defined at 452), the unknown parameters of the dipole model cost function determined at 456 can include the spatial coordinates for the 3D position of the dipole (r′) and the dipole moment (p, having magnitude and direction). These unknown parameters can be computed as a function of the measurements and known spatial locations for such measurements. Additionally, since the dipole moment can be expressed in terms of the dipole location, as disclosed herein, the mathematical functions for the model can be expressed in terms of the unknown dipole location. Thus, the dipole model can parameterize the moving dipole as a vector having a dipole location parameter and a dipole moment parameter with respect to the given coordinate system. Further examples of dipole localization are disclosed in the above incorporated U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0061599.
In view of the foregoing structural and functional description, those skilled in the art will appreciate that portions of the invention may be embodied as a method, data processing system, or computer program product. Accordingly, these portions of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware. Furthermore, portions of the invention may be a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer readable program code on the medium. Any suitable computer-readable medium may be utilized including, but not limited to, static and dynamic storage devices, hard disks, optical storage devices, and magnetic storage devices.
Certain embodiments of the invention have also been described herein with reference to block illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products. It will be understood that blocks of the illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the illustrations, can be implemented by computer-executable instructions. These computer-executable instructions may be provided to one or more processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus (or a combination of devices and circuits) to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor, implement the functions specified in the block or blocks.
These computer-executable instructions may also be stored in computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory result in an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function specified in the flowchart block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.
What have been described above are examples. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methods, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations are possible. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of this application, including the appended claims. Where the disclosure or claims recite “a,” “an,” “a first,” or “another” element, or the equivalent thereof, it should be interpreted to include one or more than one such element, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. As used herein, the term “includes” means includes but not limited to, the term “including” means including but not limited to. The term “based on” means based at least in part on.”
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/169,896 filed on Jun. 2, 2015 and entitled USING MAGNETIC SENSORS TO CREATE GEOMETRIES AND NAVIGATE CATHETERS, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62169896 | Jun 2015 | US |
