Movable transmit and receive coils for a location system

摘要

The apparatus for locating a probe within a body (26) includes field and reference transducers. The probe, e.g. a catheter (20) is inserted into the body as part of a surgical procedure. The probe has a number of transducers in the form of non-concentric receiver coils (21) typically at the end of the catheter. These coils react with the magnetic fields generated by reference field transducers (22) that are fixed to a frame. The triangular frame can support three reference transducers and is formed of rigid plastic. The frame is fixed to the operating table near the thorax of the patient. Different frequencies and triangular positions allow location of the probe.