Patent ID: 11872076
Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An image navigator for illustrating a tracking by a tool tracker, the image navigator comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
to receive, from an ultrasound scanner, an ultrasound image of an anatomical region scanned by an ultrasound probe, wherein the ultrasound probe is configured to generate an acoustic image plane for scanning the anatomical region, and wherein a tool tracker is configured to track a distance of a interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane based on an ultrasound signal communicated between the ultrasound probe and the interventional tool as the interventional tool is navigated within the anatomical region;
receive, from the tool tracker, data representative of the tracked distance of the interventional device relative to the acoustic image plane including at least one of amplitude of the ultrasound signal and signal-to-noise ratio of the ultrasound signal;
display a graphical icon on the ultrasound image of the anatomical region; and
modulate at least one aspect of the graphical icon responsive to the tracked distance of the interventional tool relative to the acoustic image plane and as a function of the at least one of the amplitude of the ultrasound signal and the signal-to-noise ratio of the ultrasound signal.