An apparatus for controlling the movement of a catheter through an object and for localizing the catheter within the object, said catheter comprising a magnetic element at or near its tip, which apparatus comprises: - selection means comprising a selection field signal generator unit and selection field elements, in particular selection field magnets or coils, for generating a magnetic selection field having a pattern in space of its magnetic field strength such that a first sub-zone having a low magnetic field strength and a second sub-zone having a higher magnetic field strength are formed in a field of view, - drive means comprising a drive field signal generator unit and drive field coils (136a, 136b, 136c) for changing the position in space of the two sub-zones (52, 54) in the field of view by means of a magnetic drive field so that the magnetization of magnetic material in the field of view changes locally, - receiving means comprising at least one signal receiving unit and at least one receiving coil for acquiring detection signals, which detection signals depend on the magnetization in the field of view, which magnetization is influenced by the change in the position in space of the first and second sub-zone (52, 54), - control means for controlling said signal generator units (110, 120, 130) to generate and provide control currents to the respective field coils to generate appropriate magnetic fields for moving the catheter through the object in a direction instructed by movement commands and for localizing the catheter within the object, and - processing means for processing said detection signals acquired when appropriate magnetic fields are applied for localizing the catheter within the object and for determining the position of the magnetic element of the catheter within the object from the processed detection signals. - selection means comprising a selection field signal generator unit and selection field elements, in particular selection field magnets or coils, for generating a magnetic selection field having a pattern in space of its magnetic field strength such that a first sub-zone having a low magnetic field strength and a second sub-zone having a higher magnetic field strength are formed in a field of view, - drive means comprising a drive field signal generator unit and drive field coils (136a, 136b, 136c) for changing the position in space of the two sub-zones (52, 54) in the field of view by means of a magnetic drive field so that the magnetization of magnetic material in the field of view changes locally, - receiving means comprising at least one signal receiving unit and at least one receiving coil for acquiring detection signals, which detection signals depend on the magnetization in the field of view, which magnetization is influenced by the change in the position in space of the first and second sub-zone (52, 54), - control means for controlling said signal generator units (110, 120, 130) to generate and provide control currents to the respective field coils to generate appropriate magnetic fields for moving the catheter through the object in a direction instructed by movement commands and for localizing the catheter within the object, and - processing means for processing said detection signals acquired when appropriate magnetic fields are applied for localizing the catheter within the object and for determining the position of the magnetic element of the catheter within the object from the processed detection signals.