Method and apparatus for registration, verification, and referencing of internal organs

Abstract

Systems and methods for registering, verifying, dynamically referencing, and navigating an anatomical region of interest of a patient are provided. In one embodiment, the anatomical region of interest is imaged using an imaging device such as, for example, an x-ray device. A tracked registration device may then be removably inserted in a conduit within the anatomical region and the position of the registration device may be sampled by a tracking device as the registration device is moved within the anatomical region through the catheter. The sampled position data is registered to the image data to register the path of the conduit to the anatomical region of interest. The same or a similar device may be used to dynamically reference the movements affecting the anatomical region and modify the registration in real time. The registration may also be verified.

1 . A system for registering an anatomical region of a patient, comprising: 
 an imaging device adapted to produce image data of the anatomical region of the patient in a first frame of reference;    a registration device including at least one position indicating element, wherein the registration device is adapted to be inserted into a conduit within the anatomical region of the patient;    a tracking device adapted to produce position data regarding the path of the conduit within the anatomical region in a second frame of reference, wherein the position data is obtained by the tracking device sampling coordinates of the at least one position indicating element as the position indicating element is moved within the conduit; and    a computer element having a processor, wherein the processor is adapted to receive the image data from the imaging device, receive the position data from the tracking device, and map the image data and the position data together.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging device includes one of an x-ray device, an ultrasound device, a fluoroscopic device, a computerized tomography device, a positron emission tomography device, an isocentric fluoroscope, a rotational fluoroscopic reconstruction system, a multislice computerized tomography device, an intravascular ultrasound imager, a single photon emission computer tomographer, or a magnetic resonance imaging device.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a naturally existing conduit.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a naturally existing conduit, and wherein the naturally existing conduit comprises one of a circulatory vessel, a respiratory vessel, a lymphatic vessel, a urinary tract vessel, a cerebrospinal fluid vessel, a reproductive vessel, an auditory vessel, or a digestive vessel.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a manufactured conduit that has been inserted into the anatomical region of the patient.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a manufactured conduit that has been inserted into the anatomical region of the patient, and wherein the manufactured conduit comprises one of a tube, a catheter, or a lumen within a flexible endoscope.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a manufactured conduit within a naturally existing conduit.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a first manufactured conduit within a second manufactured within a naturally existing conduit.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient is an artificial conduit.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit is adapted to be inserted into the anatomical region in a manner that causes the conduit to at least partially fill a space within the anatomical region.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the registration device includes at least one lumen, wherein the registration device has first and second ends, and wherein at least one of the first or second ends is closed.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tracking device comprises one of an ultrasonic tracking device, a fiber-optic tracking device, a global positioning system enabled tracking device, an optical tracking device or a radar tracking device.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one position indicating element comprises a wire coil that produces a magnetic field, and wherein the tracking device comprises an electromagnetic tracking device that detects the magnetic field.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one position indicating element comprises a wire coil that detects a magnetic field, and wherein the tracking device comprises an electromagnetic tracking device that produces the magnetic field.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one position indicating element is located at the tip of the registration device, and wherein the at least one position indicating element is moved within the conduit by removing the registration device from the conduit.  
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method for registering an anatomical region of a patient, comprising: 
 receiving image data of the anatomical region of the patient in a first frame of reference from an imaging device;    receiving position data regarding the path of a conduit within the anatomical region of the patient in a second frame of reference from a tracking device, wherein the position data is obtained by a tracking device sampling the position of at least one position indicating element as the at least one position indicating element moves within the conduit; and    mapping the image data and the position data together using a registration transformation.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the imaging device includes one of an x-ray device, an ultrasound device, a fluoroscopic device, a computerized tomography device, a positron emission tomography device, an isocentric fluoroscope, a rotational fluoroscopic reconstruction system, a multislice computerized tomography device, an intravascular ultrasound imager, a single photon emission computer tomographer, or a magnetic resonance imaging device.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a naturally existing conduit, and wherein the naturally existing conduit comprises one of a circulatory vessel, a respiratory vessel, a lymphatic vessel, a urinary tract vessel, a cerebrospinal fluid vessel, a reproductive vessel, an auditory vessel, or a digestive vessel.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a manufactured conduit that has been inserted into the anatomical region of the patient, and wherein the manufactured conduit comprises one of a tube, a catheter, or a lumen within a flexible endoscope.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a manufactured conduit within a naturally existing conduit.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a first manufactured conduit within a second manufactured within a naturally existing conduit.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the tracking device comprises one of an ultrasonic tracking device, a fiber-optic tracking device, a global positioning system enabled tracking device, an optical tracking device or a radar tracking device.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one position indicating element comprises a wire coil that produces a magnetic field, and wherein the tracking device comprises an electromagnetic tracking device that detects the magnetic field.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one position indicating elements comprises a wire coil that detects a magnetic field, and wherein the tracking device comprises an electromagnetic tracking device that emits the magnetic field.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one position indicating element is located at the tip of the registration device, and wherein the at least one position indicating element is moved within the conduit by removing the registration device from the conduit.  
     
     
         26 . A method for registering an anatomical region of a patient, the method comprising: 
 imaging the anatomical region using an imaging device to produce image data regarding the anatomical region in a first frame of reference;    inserting a registration device having first and second ends into a conduit within the anatomical region, wherein the first end of the registration device is inserted into the conduit, and wherein the registration device includes at least one position indicating element located at the first end of the registration device;    moving the registration device from the conduit while sampling coordinates of the at least one position element to produce position data regarding a path of the conduit within the anatomical region in a second frame of reference, wherein the coordinates of the one or more position indicating elements are sampled by a tracking device;    mapping together the image data and the position data using a registration transformation to produce a set of registration data regarding the conduit relative to the anatomical region.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the imaging device includes one of an x-ray device, an ultrasound device, a fluoroscopic device, a computerized tomography device, a positron emission tomography device, an isocentric fluoroscope, a rotational fluoroscopic reconstruction system, a multislice computerized tomography device, an intravascular ultrasound imager, a single photon emission computer tomographer, or a magnetic resonance imaging device.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein imaging the anatomical region further comprises inserting the conduit into the anatomical region so that the conduit at least partially fills a space within the anatomical region.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein inserting a registration device further comprises inserting the registration device through an orifice within the patient.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein inserting a registration device further comprises inserting the registration device through an orifice within the patient, and wherein the orifice is a naturally occurring orifice.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein inserting a registration device further comprises inserting the registration device through an orifice within the patient, and wherein the orifice is created during a surgical procedure.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a naturally existing conduit, and wherein the naturally existing conduit comprises one of a circulatory vessel, a respiratory vessel, a lymphatic vessel, a urinary tract vessel, a cerebrospinal fluid vessel, a reproductive vessel, an auditory vessel, or a digestive vessel.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a manufactured conduit that has been inserted into the anatomical region of the patient, and wherein the manufactured conduit comprises one of a tube, a catheter, or a lumen of a flexible endoscope.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a manufactured conduit within a naturally existing conduit.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the conduit within the anatomical region of the patient includes a first manufactured conduit within a second manufactured within a naturally existing conduit.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the tracking device comprises one of an ultrasonic tracking device, a fiber-optic tracking device, a global positioning system enabled tracking device, an optical tracking device or a radar tracking device.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one position indicating element comprises a wire coil that produces a magnetic field, and wherein the tracking device comprises an electromagnetic tracking device that detects the magnetic field.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one position indicating element comprises a wire coil that detects a magnetic field, and wherein the tracking device comprises an electromagnetic tracking device that emits the magnetic field.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 displaying a location of the registration device within the conduit on an image of the anatomical region;    inserting a verification device having one or more verification position indicating elements into the conduit;    calculating a location of the one or more verification position indicating elements on the image of the anatomical region using the registration transformation; and    comparing the location of the one or more verification position indicating elements to the location of the registration device.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 inserting one or more referencing position indicating elements into the conduit;    obtaining spatial relationship data regarding the one or more referencing position indicating elements relative to one another;    creating a model of the anatomical region using the spatial relationship data;    sampling movement of the one or more referencing position indicating elements; and    applying the sampled movement to the model of the anatomical region to create a dynamic model of the anatomical region.