Patent ID: 7305263
Filing Date: 2007-12-04
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A magnetic navigation system for orienting a magnetically responsive medical device in a selected direction within an operating region in a subject's body, the system comprising: a support for supporting the subject; a magnet system for applying a magnetic field to the operating region, the magnet system comprising at least two magnets disposed on opposite sides of the operating region for applying a magnetic field of at least 0.08 Tesla in any selected direction in the operating region by a change of the position and/or orientation of the magnets within an exclusion zone volume; an imaging system for imaging the operating region, the imaging system comprising a imaging beam source and an imaging beam detector disposed on opposite sides of the operating region, the source and the detector being carried on a C-arm which can pivot about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the subject to change the imaging angle; the magnets of the magnet system being configured and positioned so that the C-arm can pivot through at least about 60° without impinging upon the exclusion zone of the magnets.