Method and apparatus for magnetically controlling endoscopes in body lumens and cavities

Abstract

A magnetically navigable endoscope system includes an endoscope having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a magnetic body; a component which transmits an image, associated with the distal end; a display component for displaying the image; a magnetic field generating apparatus for generating a magnetic field to orient the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope; and a controller coordinated with the display for controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to selectively change the magnetic field to change the orientation of the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope.

1 . A magnetically navigable endoscope system comprising:
 an endoscope having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a magnetic body;   a sensor disposed on the distal end of the endoscope that is configured to to detect contact by the distal end of the endoscope with an anatomical structure;   an imaging device which transmits an image, associated with the distal end;   a display component for displaying the image;   a magnetic field generating apparatus for generating a magnetic field to move the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope;   a controller coordinated with the display for controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to apply a magnetic field to change the position of the magnetic body and thus the position of the distal end of the endoscope, wherein the controller is configured to respond to the sensor detecting contact by the distal end of the endoscope with an anatomical structure by controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to orient the distal end towards the center of a body cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The magnetically navigable endoscope system according to  claim 1  wherein the controller controls the magnetic field generating apparatus to apply a magnetic field of a specific direction to change the orientation of the magnetic body and thus the orientation of the distal end of the endoscope. 
     
     
         3 . The magnetically navigable endoscope system according to  claim 1  wherein the controller controls the magnetic field generating apparatus to apply a magnetic gradient to move the magnetic body and thus the location of the distal end of the endoscope. 
     
     
         4 . The magnetically navigable endoscope system according to  claim 1  wherein the controller controls the magnetic field generating apparatus to apply a magnetic field and a magnetic gradient to apply a magnetic field of a specific direction to change the orientation of the magnetic body and to apply a magnetic gradient to move the magnetic body and thus the orientation and location of the distal end of the endoscope. 
     
     
         5 . The magnetically navigable endoscope system according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is on the endoscope, adjacent the proximal end. 
     
     
         6 . The magnetically navigable endoscope system according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is operable in at least two mutually perpendicular directions, movement in which causes the magnetic field generating apparatus to change the magnetic field to move the distal end of the endoscope in two mutually perpendicular directions. 
     
     
         7 . The magnetically navigable endoscope system according to  claim 1  wherein the display includes indicia indicating an orientation of the displayed image, and wherein the controller is operable in at least two mutually perpendicular directions, and movement in the first direction causes the magnetic field generating apparatus to change the magnetic field to move the distal end of the endoscope in a first plane relative to the indicia, and movement in the second direction causes the magnetic field generating apparatus to change the magnetic field to move the distal end of the endoscope in a second plane, perpendicular to the first place. 
     
     
         8 . The magnetically navigable endoscope system according to  claim 7  wherein the first plane is aligned with the indicia. 
     
     
         9 . The magnetically navigable endoscope system according to  claim 6 , wherein the display has vertical and horizontal directions, and wherein the movement of the controller in one of the mutually perpendicular directions causes the magnetic field generating apparatus to change the magnetic field to move the distal end of the endoscope in the vertical direction as displayed on the display, and wherein the movement of the controller in the other of the mutually perpendicular direction causes the magnetic field generating apparatus to change the magnetic field to move the distal end of the endoscope in the horizontal direction as displayed on the display. 
     
     
         10 . The magnetically navigable endoscope system according to  claim 9  further comprising a signal processor orienting the image on the display so that the vertically “up” direction of the image is oriented at the top of the display regardless of the actual orientation of the axis of the endoscope. 
     
     
         11 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A magnetically navigable endoscope system comprising:
 an endoscope having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a magnetic body;   a sensor disposed on the distal end of the endoscope, which provides a signal when triggered by contact with an anatomical structure;   a component which transmits an image, associated with the distal end;   a two-dimensional display for displaying the image from the image-transmitting component, the display having a vertical and horizontal direction;   a magnetic field generating apparatus for generating a magnetic field to move the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope; and   a controller for identifying the volume over which to orient the endoscope and controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to selectively change the magnetic field to change the orientation of the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope over the specified volume, wherein the controller is configured to respond to a signal indicating contact by the distal end of the endoscope with an anatomical structure by controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to orient the distal end towards the center of a body cavity.   
     
     
         19 . A method of magnetically controlling an endoscope, having a plurality of sequentially aligned magnet bodies disposed on a distal end portion, in body lumens and cavities, the method comprising:
 localizing the distal end of an endoscope;   registering the location of the distal end of the endoscope to a pre-operative image set such as an MR or CT;   identifying a direction on the pre-operative image set; and   using a sensor on the distal end of the endoscope to detect contact by the distal end of the endoscope with an anatomical structure;   controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to move the distal end of the endoscope in the identified direction, wherein the magnetic field generating apparatus may be controlled in response to the sensor detecting contact by the distal end of the endoscope with an anatomical structure by controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to orient the distal end towards the center of a body cavity.   
     
     
         20 . The method of magnetically controlling an endoscope according to  claim 19  wherein the magnetic field generating apparatus generates a magnetic field in the identified direction to orient the distal end of the endoscope in the identified direction. 
     
     
         21 . The method of magnetically controlling an endoscope according to  claim 19  wherein the magnetic field generating apparatus generates a magnetic field with a gradient in the identified direction to advance the distal end of the endoscope in the identified direction. 
     
     
         22 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A magnetically navigable endoscope system comprising:
 an endoscope having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a magnetic body;   an imaging device which transmits an image, associated with the distal end;   a plurality of sensors triggered by contact with the wall of a body lumen or cavity, distributed around the distal end;   a two-dimensional display for displaying the image from the imaging device, the display having a vertical and horizontal direction;   a magnetic field generating apparatus for generating a magnetic field to orient the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope;   a computer which monitors feedback of the wall contact sensors and adjusts the magnetic field generating apparatus to selectively modify the magnetic field to change the orientation of the magnetic body such that the endoscope is automatically positioned within the body lumen or cavity.   
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 30  wherein the computer that monitors the feedback of the wall contact sensors adjusts the magnetic field generating apparatus to selectively modify the magnetic field to position the endoscope in generally the center of the body lumen or cavity. 
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 30  wherein the computer that monitors the feedback of the wall contact sensors adjusts the magnetic field generating apparatus to selectively modify the magnetic field to position the endoscope generally adjacent a selected wall of the body lumen or cavity. 
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 30  further comprising an advancing mechanism for advancing the endoscope. 
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 33  further comprising an interlock for preventing operation of the advancing mechanism when a predetermined number of wall-sensors are triggered. 
     
     
         35 - 39 . (canceled)