Patent ID: 6490474
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
A system for tracking the three-dimensional position of a medical device within a living body, comprising:a reference catheter having a plurality of ultrasound reference transducers mounted thereon, the reference catheter positionable within the living body; an ultrasound target transducer mounted to a medical device which is to be tracked; localization hardware electronically coupled to the ultrasound target and reference transducers for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to transmit ultrasound signals, for causing a plurality of the ultrasound transducers to receive ultrasound signals including for causing ultrasound reference transducers to receive ultrasound signals emitted by other ultrasound reference transducers, and for measuring elapsed time between transmission of ultrasound signals by transmitting transducers and receipt of the signals by receiving transducers; a graphical display; and processor means electronically coupled to the localization hardware for calculating distances between the transducers using the measured elapsed time, for determining a three-dimensional arrangement of the transducers, and for generating an image for display on the graphical display representing a three-dimensional position of at least a portion of the medical device.