Method and apparatus for tracking in a medical procedure

Abstract

A tracking system for a target anatomy of a patient can include a medical device having a body ( 281 ) having a distal end ( 290 ) and at least one channel ( 292 ) formed therein, where the body is adapted for insertion through an anatomy ( 105 ) to reach a target area ( 430 ); an accelerometer ( 185 ) connected to the body and positioned in proximity to the distal end; an imaging device ( 295 ) operably coupled with the body; and a light source ( 297 ) operably coupled with the body, where the accelerometer is in communication with a remote processor ( 120 ) for transmitting acceleration data thereto, where the imaging device is in communication with the remote processor for transmitting real-time images thereto, and where an orientation of the medical device with respect to the anatomy is determined by the processor based on the acceleration data.

1 . A method of tracking in a medical procedure, the method comprising:
 receiving acceleration data ( 750 ) from an accelerometer ( 185 ) that is integrally connected to a medical device ( 180 ), the acceleration data being received at a remote processor ( 120 ), the medical device being moved through an anatomy ( 105 ) of a patient towards a target region ( 430 ); and   determining an orientation of the medical device with respect to the anatomy based on the acceleration data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining an image of the anatomy;   calibrating the orientation with the image;   at a first bifurcation of the anatomy, determining directions into bifurcated bronchi using the image; and   comparing the determined directions to an expected direction based on the determined orientation.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising capturing real-time images of the anatomy using the medical device ( 180 ) and displaying the captured images on a display device ( 130 ) operably coupled with the processor ( 120 ). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising overlaying an orientation indicator with the captured real-time images of the anatomy ( 105 ), wherein the orientation indicator represents the orientation of the medical device ( 180 ) with respect to the anatomy. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 capturing real-time images of the anatomy ( 105 ) using the medical device ( 180 );   displaying the captured images on a display device ( 130 ) operably coupled with the processor ( 120 ); and   presenting the orientation on the display device, wherein the orientation is presented by rotating the captured images on the display device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising presenting the orientation on a display device ( 130 ) operably coupled to the processor ( 120 ). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting bifurcations in the anatomy using an image of the patient. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the image of the patient is obtained using at least one of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound imaging. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising overlaying a current position of the medical device ( 180 ) on the image of the patient. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining an image of the anatomy;   determining a target region in the image by selecting a corresponding slice of the image;   segmenting a portion of the image using image processing; and   planning a path from a trachea into a bronchial tree to the target region.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable storage medium in which computer-executable code is stored, the computer-executable code configured to cause a computing device, in which the computer-readable storage medium is provided, to:
 receive orientation data ( 750 ) from a orientation sensor ( 185 ) that is integrally connected to a medical device ( 180 ), the orientation data being received at a remote processor ( 120 ), the medical device being moved through an anatomy ( 105 ) of a patient towards a target region ( 430 );   determine an orientation of the medical device with respect to the anatomy based on the position data;   capture real-time images of the anatomy using the medical device; and   present the captured images and the orientation of the medical device with respect to the anatomy on a display device ( 130 ) operably coupled to the processor.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the orientation sensor ( 185 ) is one of an accelerometer and a magnetometer, and wherein the orientation data is acceleration data. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , further comprising computer-executable code for causing the computing device to overlay an orientation indicator with the captured real-time images of the anatomy ( 105 ), wherein the orientation indicator represents the orientation of the medical device ( 180 ) with respect to the anatomy. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , further comprising computer-executable code for causing the computing device to detect bifurcations in the anatomy using an image of the patient. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , further comprising computer-executable code for causing the computing device to overlay a current position of the medical device ( 180 ) on the image of the patient. 
     
     
         16 . An endoscope comprising:
 a body ( 281 ) having a distal end ( 290 ) and at least one channel ( 292 ) formed therein, the body being adapted for insertion through an anatomy ( 105 ) to reach a target area ( 430 );   an accelerometer ( 185 ) connected to the body and positioned in proximity to the distal end;   an imaging device ( 295 ) operably coupled with the body; and   a light source ( 297 ) operably coupled with the body,   wherein the accelerometer is in communication with a remote processor ( 120 ) for transmitting acceleration data thereto, wherein the imaging device is in communication with the remote processor for transmitting real-time images thereto, and wherein an orientation of the medical device with respect to the anatomy is determined by the processor based on the acceleration data.   
     
     
         17 . The endoscope of  claim 16 , wherein imaging device ( 295 ) and the light source ( 295 ) are positioned in proximity to the distal end ( 290 ) of the body ( 281 ). 
     
     
         18 . The endoscope of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one channel ( 292 ) is a first and second channel, the first channel being adapted for providing suction to the target area, the second channel being adapted for passing a surgical device therethrough. 
     
     
         19 . The endoscope of  claim 16 , wherein the accelerometer ( 185 ) is in communication with the remote processor ( 120 ) through a wireless link. 
     
     
         20 . The endoscope of  claim 16 , wherein the imaging device ( 295 ) is in communication with the remote processor ( 120 ) through a wireless link.