Patent ID: 8041412

Claim:
A system for obtaining position data regarding an endovascular prosthesis within an anatomical region of a patient, the system comprising: a tracking system including a coordinate system; at least one position indicating element whose location is tracked by the tracking system for providing position data regarding a location of the at least one position indicating element in the coordinate system of the tracking system; the endovascular prosthesis having an expandable body portion, wherein the at least one position indicating element is movable within the expandable body portion of the endovascular prosthesis; a guidance portion that constrains movement of the at least one position indicating element within the expandable body portion of the endovascular prosthesis; and a motive portion that moves the at least one position indicating element within the expandable body portion of the endovascular prosthesis while the at least one position indicating element is tracked to produce position data regarding at least two points within the expandable body portion of the endovascular prosthesis, wherein the at least two points indicate the position data at which the at least one position indicating element is constrained by the guidance portion, wherein the tracking system comprises an electromagnetic tracking system, the at least one position indicating element comprises at least one electromagnetic sensor coil having a hollow interior portion, the guidance portion includes a rail, and the electromagnetic sensor coil is mounted on the rail through the hollow interior portion such that the electromagnetic sensor coil slides along the rail.