Efficient closed loop feedback navigation

Abstract

The present invention provides a means for guiding a medical device within the body to approach a target destination. The system and method provide a means for determining a predicted length and orientation, navigating the device to an intermediate point less than the predicted length, determining an error between the projected destination and actual target destination, and successively updating a predicted value of a control variable to yield an orientation within a predetermined distance error before advancing the device the remaining distance to the destination. This provides a physician with the capability of verifying the device will be accurately guided to the target destination without trial and error. A method is also provided for intuitive navigation to targets with limited trial and error based on user-applied device orientation adjustments, where the user chooses the magnitude of the adjustments and the system determines the adjustment direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A navigation system for navigating the distal end of an elongate medical device in an operating region in a subject, the navigation system comprising:
 an orientation system for remotely orienting the distal end of the medical device in a selected direction in the operating region;   a movement system for controlling the length of the elongate medical device in the operating region;   location data input from a localization system that determines the current position and orientation of the distal end of medical device; and   a method of registering localized catheter positional data obtained from the localization system to the navigation system coordinates.   
     
     
         20 . The navigation system of  claim 19 , wherein the control receives data input of an anatomical surface normal from the localization system, and uses the surface normal information is used to compute an optimal change of control variable in order to enhance device contact with the anatomical surface. 
     
     
         21 . The navigation system of  claim 19 , further comprising a three dimensional window display, and wherein the controller displays the current location and orientation of the device. 
     
     
         22 . The navigation system of  claim 19 , wherein the current location and orientation of the device is graphically displayed together with a three dimensional preoperative image rendering. 
     
     
         23 . The navigation system of  claim 19 , wherein the current location and orientation of the device is graphically displayed together with a surface rendering of a preoperative image. 
     
     
         24 . The navigation system of  claim 19 , wherein the current location and orientation of the device is graphically displayed together with a three dimensional intra-operative image rendering. 
     
     
         25 . The navigation system of  claim 19 , further comprising a connection to an X-ray system, wherein images can be transferred from the X-ray system to the navigation system, and the current location and orientation of the device as determined by the localization system is suitably projected and graphically overlaid on a transferred X-ray image. 
     
     
         26 . The navigation system of  claim 25 , wherein the current location and orientation of the device as determined by the localization system is suitably projected and corresponding graphics sent to the X-ray system for display on the live X-ray image display. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the control uses data input from a localization system associated with the distal end of the medical device to determine the current position and orientation of the distal end of medical device, and wherein the control determines the error by determining the minimum distance between a projection from a distal end of the medical device in its current orientation and the destination point. 
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 19  wherein the control operates the movement system to make the length of the elongate device less than the predicted length by operating the movement system to make the length of the medical device a predetermined fraction of the predicted length. 
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the control operates the movement system to make the length of the elongate device less than the predicted length by operating the movement system to make the length of the medical device a predetermined fraction of the predicted length. 
     
     
         30 .- 72 . (canceled)