Patent ID: 8511316
Filing Date: 2013-08-20
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A system for determining an orientation of an interventional instrument within a body when the interventional instrument is used for a medical procedure, comprising: an interventional instrument comprising an instrument specific opaque marking element comprising a sphere-shaped element and at least one ring-shaped element, and which is recognized in an x-ray image for identifying the instrument, wherein the at least one ring-shaped element has a different orientation when viewed from a left side of the instrument, from above the instrument, and from a right side of the instrument, so that a directional tilt of the instrument is recognized based on the orientation viewed; a pixel grid configured to be superimposed over an x-ray image of the sphere-shaped element to determine a center of mass of the sphere-shaped element based on an amount of shading of pixels of the sphere-shaped element in the x-ray image with the pixel grid superimposed over the sphere-shaped element; wherein the opaque marking element is comprised of a material so that the opaque marking element is visible in the x-ray image while other parts of the interventional instrument are not distinguishable in the x-ray image so that the sphere-shaped element is configured for locating a coordinate system by determining a center of mass based on a shading of pixels on the sphere-shaped element in the x-ray image by superimposing the pixel grid over the sphere-shaped element to identify the center of mass.