Catheter sensor systems

摘要

A medical system including a catheter or other flexible structure uses a combination of two different sensor systems to measure a pose of a section or tip of the catheter or flexible structure. The first sensor system, which may include an electromagnetic sensor, can measure a pose of a first section of the catheter, and the second sensor system can measure a pose of the second section relative to the first section. The second sensor system may employ a technology such as fiber shape sensing that permits the second section to be smaller than the first section, so that a distal tip of the catheter or flexible structure can fit within smaller natural lumens.

主权项

1. A medical system comprising:
a catheter having a first section and a second section, the second section adjacent to the first section, wherein the first section defines a first longitudinal catheter axis and the second section defines a second longitudinal catheter axis; an electromagnetic sensor system in the first section including:
a first electromagnetic sensor in a first lumen portion extending along a longitudinal sensor axis in parallel with the first longitudinal catheter axis at a proximal end of the first section, anda second electromagnetic sensor in a second lumen portion extending along the longitudinal sensor axis in parallel with the first longitudinal catheter axis at a distal end of the first section, the distal end of the first section being adjacent to the second section,wherein the first section between the proximal and distal ends flexibly couples the first and second electromagnetic sensors so that the first electromagnetic sensor is movable with respect to the second electromagnetic sensor, wherein the first electromagnetic sensor includes a first signal wire coupled to a first coil extending within the first lumen portion along the longitudinal sensor axis and the second electromagnetic sensor includes a second signal wire coupled to a second coil extending within the second lumen portion along the longitudinal sensor axis; and a fiber shape sensor system that extends through the first section between and along the first electromagnetic sensor and the second electromagnetic sensor, the fiber shape sensor extending through the second section, the fiber shape sensor system being configured for measurement of a pose of the second section relative to the distal end of the first section and measurement of a relative orientation between the first electromagnetic sensor and the second electromagnetic sensor.