A medical system comprising: an elongate instrument including a flexible component , the flexible component including a first sensor system extending therein, wherein the first sensor system includes a shape sensor including a fiber optic shape sensor; a control system in communication with the first sensor system to measure a pose of the elongate instrument , the control system adapted to perform operations comprising: generating a first model of the elongate instrument based on the measured pose of the elongate instrument , wherein the measured pose is based on shape data from the shape sensor; generating a second model of the elongate instrument based on a reference pose of the elongate instrument , wherein the reference pose is based on shape data from the shape sensor; comparing the first model with the second model ; and determining a state of a system configuration based on the comparison, wherein the state of the system configuration includes a state of a patient when the elongate instrument is positioned relative to the patient or a state of the elongate instrument , and wherein the determining the state of the system configuration comprises determining whether the patient has moved or whether the elongate instrument has buckled. an elongate instrument including a flexible component , the flexible component including a first sensor system extending therein, wherein the first sensor system includes a shape sensor including a fiber optic shape sensor; a control system in communication with the first sensor system to measure a pose of the elongate instrument , the control system adapted to perform operations comprising: generating a first model of the elongate instrument based on the measured pose of the elongate instrument , wherein the measured pose is based on shape data from the shape sensor; generating a second model of the elongate instrument based on a reference pose of the elongate instrument , wherein the reference pose is based on shape data from the shape sensor; comparing the first model with the second model ; and determining a state of a system configuration based on the comparison, wherein the state of the system configuration includes a state of a patient when the elongate instrument is positioned relative to the patient or a state of the elongate instrument , and wherein the determining the state of the system configuration comprises determining whether the patient has moved or whether the elongate instrument has buckled. generating a first model of the elongate instrument based on the measured pose of the elongate instrument , wherein the measured pose is based on shape data from the shape sensor; generating a second model of the elongate instrument based on a reference pose of the elongate instrument , wherein the reference pose is based on shape data from the shape sensor; comparing the first model with the second model ; and determining a state of a system configuration based on the comparison, wherein the state of the system configuration includes a state of a patient when the elongate instrument is positioned relative to the patient or a state of the elongate instrument , and wherein the determining the state of the system configuration comprises determining whether the patient has moved or whether the elongate instrument has buckled. <EOS>