Needle positioning apparatus and method

Abstract

Apparatus for accurate positioning of a needle guide is disclosed. The apparatus provides a means for taking as input the position vector for the point of insertion of the needle into the body. This point of insertion can be selected from images produced by a Computer Tomography system. Similarly, the apparatus has a means for taking as input the point of target. A controller determines the directional vector between point of insertion and point of target. A guide manipulator accurately positions the needle guide in line with the directional vector, such that the needle can easily be inserted through the guide to the point of target. The positioning of the guide manipulator in accordance with the directional vector is done with the help of motors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a needle positioning device configured to position a needle guide at a fixed target location with respect to a patient disposed on a movable cradle of an imaging system such that a needle can be inserted through an opening defined by the needle guide and moved relative to the needle guide, through an insertion point on the patient and within a target point within the patient; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 receive images of the patient from the imaging system; 
 determine, based at least in part on the received images, a location of the insertion point relative to a gantry of the imaging system in which a needle is to be inserted into the patient when the patient is disposed on the movable cradle; and 
 determine a directional vector between the insertion point and the target point within the patient, the fixed target location of the needle guide to be in line with the directional vector based at least in part on the determined location of the insertion point and the directional vector. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the needle positioning device includes a support base selectively lockable to a docking system, the needle guide being coupled to the support base. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the fixed target location of the needle guide is determined at least in part based upon a position of the support base with respect to the imaging system. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the target point within the patient based at least in part on the images received from the imaging system, and the fixed target location of the needle guide is determined at least in part based on the insertion point and the target point. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the needle positioning device includes a positioning element, the positioning element including first and second members, the first and second members configured to rotate about mutually perpendicular axes. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a skin level sensor adapted to be disposed on a skin surface of the patient and to provide signals to the processing circuitry indicating whether a correction of a spatial orientation of the needle guide is needed. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the needle positioning device includes a guide manipulator configured to position the needle guide at the target location, the guide manipulator having five axes of movement. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a display portion coupled to the processing circuitry and configured to display the images received from the imaging system. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the fixed target location of the needle guide based at least in part upon a length of a needle to be inserted through the needle guide such that a predetermined portion of the length of the needle can be inserted relative to the needle guide, through the insertion point, and into the target point. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the insertion point and the target point based at least in part on the images received from the imaging system, and the fixed target location of the needle guide is determined at least in part based on the insertion point and the target point and a length of a needle to be inserted through the needle guide such that a predetermined portion of the length of the needle can be inserted relative to the needle guide, through the insertion point, and into the target point. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the needle positioning device to be moved to position the needle guide at the target location. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a mobile support base configured to be positioned at a location relative to an imaging system;   a guide manipulator supported on the support base and configured to position a needle guide at a fixed target location along a directional vector such that a needle can be inserted through the needle guide at the fixed target location, through an insertion point on a patient disposed on the patient cradle of the imaging system, and into a target point within the patient; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 receive images of the patient from the imaging system; 
 determine, based at least in part on the received images, a location of the insertion point relative to a gantry of the imaging system; 
 determine the directional vector between the insertion point and the target point based at least in part on the images received from the imaging system; 
 determine the target location of the needle guide to be in line with the directional vector based at least in part on the determined location of the insertion point and the directional vector; and 
 cause the guide manipulator to be moved to position the needle guide at the target location relative to the patient such that the needle guide is in a fixed position relative to the movable patient cradle. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a skin level sensor adapted to be disposed on a skin surface of the patient and to provide an indication to the processing circuitry whether a correction to a spatial orientation of the needle guide is needed.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the insertion point and the target point based at least in part on the images received from the imaging system, and the processing circuitry is configured to determine the location of the needle guide based at least in part on the insertion point and the target point and a length of a needle to be inserted through the needle guide such that a predetermined portion of the length of the needle can be inserted relative to the needle guide, through the insertion point, and into the target point. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the insertion point and the target point based at least in part on the images received from the imaging system, and the processing circuitry is configured to determine the target location to position the needle guide at least in part based on the insertion point and the target point and coordinates derived from the position of the support base with respect to the imaging system. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a support base configured to be positioned at a location relative to an imaging system;   a guide manipulator supported on the support base and configured to position a needle guide at a target location with respect to a patient disposed on a movable patient cradle of the imaging system; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 receive images of the patient from the imaging system; 
 determine, based at least in part on the received images, a location of an insertion point on the patient relative to a gantry of the imaging system when the patient is disposed on the movable cradle of the imaging system; 
 determine a directional vector between the insertion point on the patient and a target point within the patient; 
 determine, based at least in part on the received images, the target location to position the needle guide, the target location being in line with the directional vector and based at least in part on the determined location of the insertion point and the directional vector; 
 cause the needle guide to be moved to the target location; and 
 maintain the needle guide in a fixed position at the target location such that a needle can be inserted through the opening of the needle guide and into the patient at the insertion point and inserted into the target point within the patient. 
   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the support base is selectively lockable to a docking system. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the target location of the needle guide based at least in part on the insertion point and the target point and coordinates derived from the position of the support base relative to the imaging system. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the target location of the needle guide based at least in part on a length of a needle to be inserted through the needle guide and through the insertion point such that a predetermined portion of the needle can be inserted through the insertion point and into the target point. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the includes a plurality of wheels configured to support the support base and to allow the support base to be moveable to and from a desired position relative to the imaging system, the support base configured to be locked at the desired position.