Method and apparatus for localizing an ultrasound catheter

Abstract

An imaging system is provided with an ultrasound catheter and a controller coupled to the ultrasound catheter. The catheter includes a localizer sensor configured to generate positional information for the ultrasound catheter, and an imaging ultrasound sensor having a restricted field of view. The controller co-registers images from the imaging ultrasound sensor with positional information from the localizer sensor.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An imaging system, comprising:
 an ultrasound catheter, comprising:
 an elongate body including a proximal section and a distal section, the distal section configured to be received within a body of a patient; 
 an imaging ultrasound sensor disposed on the elongate body; and, 
 a plurality of magnetic positional sensors disposed on the elongate body; 
   a magnetic field emitter configured to generate a magnetic field and a frame of reference against which positions of the plurality of magnetic positional sensors are measured; and,   a controller configured to co-register images from the imaging ultrasound sensor with positional information from the plurality of magnetic positional sensors.   
     
     
         19 . The imaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the imaging ultrasound sensor comprises a directional sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The imaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the imaging ultrasound sensor comprises a phased-array transducer. 
     
     
         21 . The imaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the magnetic field emitter comprises a device disposed outside of the body of the patient. 
     
     
         22 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the device is configured to be positioned on or near the body of the patient and to generate the magnetic field within the body of the patient. 
     
     
         23 . The imaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the magnetic field emitter comprises a device configured for insertion within the body of the patient. 
     
     
         24 . The imaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to project a three-dimensional position of the ultrasound catheter onto a display. 
     
     
         25 . The imaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate a context map of a geometry of an anatomical structure on a display and highlight one or more features on the context map corresponding to a location for which ultrasound data has been captured by the imaging ultrasound sensor. 
     
     
         26 . The imaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the ultrasound catheter further comprises at least one directional ultrasound positioning sensor. 
     
     
         27 . A method for displaying medical images, comprising:
 generating an image using an ultrasound catheter including an imaging ultrasound sensor disposed on an elongate body disposed within a body of a patient;   determining positions of a plurality of magnetic positional sensors disposed on the elongate body relative to a frame of reference generated by a magnetic field emitter; and,   coregistering the image from the imaging ultrasound sensor with positional information from the plurality of magnetic positional sensors.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the imaging ultrasound sensor comprises a directional sensor. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the imaging ultrasound sensor comprises a phased-array transducer. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic field emitter comprises a device disposed outside of the body of the patient. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the device is configured to be positioned on or near the body of the patient and is configured to generate a magnetic field within the body of the patient. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic field emitter comprises a device configured for insertion within the body of the patient. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising projecting a three-dimensional position of the ultrasound catheter onto a display. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising generating a context map of a geometry of an anatomical structure on a display and highlighting one or more features on the context map corresponding to a location for which ultrasound data has been captured by the imaging ultrasound sensor. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the ultrasound catheter further comprises at least one directional ultrasound positioning sensor. 
     
     
         36 . An ultrasound imaging catheter, comprising:
 an elongate shaft including a proximal section and a distal section, the distal section configured to be received within a body of a patient;   an imaging ultrasound sensor disposed on the distal section of the elongate shaft; and,   a plurality of magnetic positional sensors disposed on the distal section of the elongate shaft, the plurality of magnetic positional sensors including a first magnetic positional sensor disposed at a first location along a length of the elongate shaft proximal to the imaging ultrasound sensor and a second magnetic positional sensor disposed at a second location along the length of the elongate shaft distal to the imaging ultrasound sensor.   
     
     
         37 . The ultrasound imaging catheter of  claim 36 , wherein the first and second magnetic positional sensors comprise phased-array transducers. 
     
     
         38 . The ultrasound imaging catheter of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of magnetic positional sensors comprise a plurality of directional sensors equally spaced about a circumference of the elongate shaft. 
     
     
         39 . The ultrasound imaging catheter of  claim 36 , further comprising a directional sensor disposed at a known position relative to the imaging ultrasound sensor. 
     
     
         40 . The ultrasound imaging catheter of  claim 39 , wherein the directional sensor is disposed on the elongate shaft diametrically opposite the imaging ultrasound sensor. 
     
     
         41 . The ultrasound imaging catheter of  claim 36 , wherein the imaging ultrasound sensor is disposed on a first section of the elongate shaft and at least one of the plurality of magnetic positional sensors is disposed on a second section of the elongate shaft, the second section having a greater flexibility than the first section. 
     
     
         42 . The ultrasound imaging catheter of  claim 36 , wherein the imaging ultrasound sensor is configured to operate in an imaging mode in which the imaging ultrasound sensor generates an imaging ultrasound pulse and a positioning mode in which the imaging ultrasound sensor generates a positioning ultrasound pulse.