Patent ID: 8706194

Claim:
A neurosurgical system providing position detection in a MRI environment, the system comprising: a drive and trajectory guide assembly including: a base defining an instrument trajectory; a first stage coupled to the base along the trajectory; and a second stage movably coupled to the first stage and operable to move one or more surgical instruments coupled thereto with respect to the base and the first stage; and a position detection assembly including: an encoder coupled to the second stage, the encoder comprising a translucent substrate and one or more light blocking indicia disposed thereon; a light source coupled to a first control module adapted to provide one or more electrical signals to the light source; at least one input optical fiber coupled to the light source on an input fiber first end and disposed at a point adjacent an encoder first side on an input fiber second end; a light detector array coupled to a second control module adapted to receive one or more electrical signals produced by the light detector array; at least one output optical fiber disposed at a point adjacent an encoder second side on an output fiber first side and coupled to the light detector on an output fiber second side; and wherein the input fiber second end and the output fiber first end are stationarily mounted relative to the base and the first stage.