Patent ID: 6751492
Filing Date: 2004-06-15
Classification: A61B,A61M,A61N,Y10S

Abstract:
A system for mapping a heart, the system comprising:a mapping catheter having a tip and a first ultrasonic position sensor for insertion into the heart; and at least one reference catheter having a second ultrasonic position sensor placeable in a fixed position relative to the heart; an imaging apparatus for acquiring images of the heart for construction of a perspective image thereof; an ultrasound transmitter for actuating the first ultrasonic position sensor and the second ultrasonic position sensor; and a location processor for iteratively processing sensed information from the first ultrasonic position sensor and the second ultrasonic position sensor to create a plurality of geometric snapshots of the heart, each of the geometric snapshots comprising one or more data points, the geometric snapshots being superimposed on the perspective image of the heart; wherein a position of the mapping catheter is determined relative to the at least one reference catheter and the plurality of geometric snapshots of the heart are made based on a position of the tip of the mapping catheter on a surface of the heart at a point in time of a cardiac cycle, the plurality of the geometric snapshots defining a map.