Transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device with attachment portion for receiving tracking device

Abstract

A transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device having a tracking device with a mating portion and at least one set of two or more reflective elements, a casing separate from a tracking device and containing at least one coil winding having a known orientation within the casing, and an attachment portion corresponding to the mating portion for removably attaching the tracking device to the casing such that, when attached, the reflective elements have a known orientation with respect to the known orientation of the coil winding.

1 . A transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device for navigated brain stimulation comprising:
 a tracking device having a mating portion and at least one set of two or more reflective elements,   a casing, separate from a tracking device, containing at least one coil winding having a known determined orientation and position within the casing,   an attachment portion corresponding to the mating portion for removably attaching the tracking device to the casing such that, when attached, the reflective elements have a known orientation and position with respect to the known orientation of the coil winding, and   at least one reference point at a fixed location on the transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device and at a predetermined distance away from a second reference point defined on the attachment portion, wherein at least one reference point is a physical depression.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the attachment portion and the mating portion of the tracking device includes means for fixedly securing the attachment portion and the mating portion of the tracking device to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion comprises a receiving region with a notch, wherein the mating portion of the tracking device comprises a predetermined size and shape including rails, and wherein the receiving region with the notch has a predetermined size and shape that is complementary to the predetermined size and shape of the mating portion with the rails. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the physical depression is a dimple. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reference points is located on a surface of the casing. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the tracking device includes a set comprising of at least three elements at predetermined fixed locations on the tracking device and in predetermined orientations with respect to each other such that, during use, when the tracking device is removably fixed to the attachment portion, the set comprising at least three elements is at a predetermined location and orientation in relation to the attachment portion and form a reference coordinate frame with the at least one reference point. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the elements of the tracker and the at least one reference point are reflective. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the means for fixedly securing the attachment portion and the mating portion is selected from the group consisting of a screw, magnets and a C-shaped clamp. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion is a portion of the casing. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an auxiliary portion coupled to the casing in a known orientation, and   wherein the attachment portion is a portion of the auxiliary portion.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary portion is a handle. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tracking device comprises at least two sets of at least three reflective elements each arranged in a predetermined manner such that, when the tracking device is attached to the casing, the location of the transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device and orientation around each possible axis of rotation can be determined based on the reflective elements. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reflective elements is capable of reflecting at least one of infrared light or visible light. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one reference point at the fixed location on the transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device includes an indentation on a surface of the casing. 
     
     
         15 . A transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device comprising:
 a tracking device having a mating portion and at least one first set of two or more reflective elements;   a casing containing at least one coil winding and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion of the casing is sized and adapted to receive the mating portion of the tracking device when the casing is attached to tracking device, such that, during use, the casing and tracking device are mated together and together freely movable by a user with the at least one first set of two or more reflective elements of the tracking device in a fixed location with respect to the at least one coil winding of the casing,   at least one reflective reference point, wherein the at least one reflective reference point is defined at a predetermined location on the casing and at a predetermined distance away from a second point defined on the casing, and   wherein the coil winding has a known determined orientation and position within the casing.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 at least one second set of two or more reflective elements attached to the tracking device.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation and position of the one coil winding within the casing is known to within 3 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for selectively securing the transcranial magnetic stimulation coil device to a calibration tool. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the means for selectively securing the transcranial magnetic stimulation coil device to a calibration tool is capable of securing the transcranial magnetic stimulation device to the calibration tool either only at a predetermined location and/or orientation.