Biopsy apparatus and system

Abstract

Certain aspects relate to biopsy apparatuses, systems and techniques for biopsy using a biopsy pattern. Some aspects relate to moving a distal portion of a medical instrument to one or more sample locations of the biopsy pattern and guiding the instrument to obtain tissue samples from the sample locations within the biopsy pattern. Some aspects relate to obtaining the biopsy pattern and adjusting the sample locations within the biopsy pattern based on various factors such as anatomical features.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system configured to aid in obtaining a plurality of biopsy samples from a target location of a luminal network of a patient, the system comprising:
 an instrument comprising a distal end through which the plurality of biopsy samples can be collected;
 an actuator configured to control movements of the instrument; 
   at least one computer-readable memory having stored thereon executable instructions and a repository configured to store biopsy location patterns;   one or more sensors configured to capture respiratory data of the patient; and   one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least:
 drive the instrument through the luminal network to a tissue site to be sampled, the instrument configured to access the tissue site via at least one lumen of the luminal network; 
 determine, based on user input, a biopsy location pattern comprising at least a first sample location and a second sample location within the tissue site; 
 adjust the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on a location of the instrument and the respiratory data; and 
 cause the actuator to control movements of the instrument according to the adjusted biopsy location pattern. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface screen configured to show the biopsy location pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least: adjust the biopsy location pattern based on information received from a user. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a set of one or more location sensors;   wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least:
 calculate at least one position of: (1) the set of one or more location sensors or (2) a distal end of the instrument based on a data signal from the set of one or more location sensors; and 
   control movement of the instrument to a plurality of positions based on the calculated at least one position.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instrument comprises:
 a scope configured to reach the tissue site; and   a collection device configured to (1) be removably placed within the scope or (2) pass through the scope and collect the plurality of biopsy samples.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least: position the scope to a first position, confirm receiving a first sample, and position the scope to a second position in response to a confirmation of receiving the first sample. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instrument comprises a collection device configured to obtain the plurality of biopsy samples; wherein the actuator is configured to control movements of the collection device; wherein the collection device further comprises a marker at a distal end of the collection device; and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least:
 determine movement of the collection device according to a movement of the marker; and   adjust at least one of the first sample location and the second sample location according to the movement of the collection device.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the biopsy location pattern comprises a plurality of sample positions arranged in a shape fitted to a shape of the tissue site. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the biopsy location pattern further comprises at least one of: one or more penetration depths, one or more sampling velocities, one or more sampling intervals, or one or more sampling forces corresponding to the first sample location and the second sample location. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to adjust the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on the respiratory data by executing the instructions to cause the system to at least:
 determine a displacement value caused by patient respiration; and   applying the displacement value to the movements of the instrument.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to adjust the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on the respiratory data by executing the instructions to cause the system to at least:
 determine a respiration phase and a respiration frequency of the patient from the respiratory data; and   determine the movements of the instrument based at least on the respiration phase and the respiration frequency.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to adjust the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on the respiratory data by executing the instructions to cause the system to at least:
 determine a respiration frequency of the patient from the respiratory data;   generate a filter based on the respiration frequency; and   apply the filter to location data of the instrument.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus configured to aid obtaining a plurality of biopsy samples from a single target location of a luminal network of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one computer-readable memory having stored thereon executable instructions and a repository configured to store biopsy location patterns for taking samples; and   one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to at least:
 drive an instrument of a robotic medical system through the luminal network to a tissue site to be sampled, the instrument configured to access the tissue site via at least one lumen of the luminal network, the instrument comprising a distal end through which the plurality of biopsy samples can be collected; 
 determine, based on user input, a biopsy location pattern comprising at least a first sample location and a second sample location within the tissue site; 
 adjust the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on a location of the instrument and respiratory data collected from the patient; and 
 control movements of the instrument according to the adjusted biopsy location pattern. 
   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to at least:
 calculate movement of a collection device according to the location pattern;   guide a distal portion of the collection device to the first sample location and the second sample location;   in response to the collection device's collection of the biopsy samples, calculate a plurality of sampling locations at which the collection device obtains the biopsy samples based on the movement of a marker located on the collection device;   compare the plurality of sampling locations to the first sample location and the second sample location; and   adjust at least one of the first sample location and the second sample location based on the comparison.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to adjust the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on the respiratory data by executing the instructions to cause the apparatus to at least:
 determine a displacement value caused by patient respiration; and   applying the displacement value to movements of the instrument.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to adjust the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on the respiratory data by executing the instructions to cause the apparatus to at least:
 determine a respiration phase and a respiration frequency of the patient from the respiratory data; and   determine the movements of the instrument based at least on the respiration phase and the respiration frequency.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to adjust the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on the respiratory data by executing the instructions to cause the apparatus to at least:
 determine a respiration frequency of the patient from the respiratory data;   generate a filter based on the respiration frequency; and   apply the filter to location data of the instrument.   
     
     
         18 . A method for collecting a plurality of samples from a target location of a luminal network of a patient, the method comprising:
 driving an instrument of a robotic medical system through the luminal network to a target tissue site to be sampled, the instrument configured to access the target tissue site via at least one lumen of the luminal network, the instrument comprising a distal end through which the plurality of samples can be collected;   through a user interface of the robotic medical system, receiving a user input;   determining, based on user input, a biopsy location pattern comprising at least a first sample location and a second sample location within the tissue site;   adjusting the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on a location of the instrument and a respiratory data of the patient; and   control movements of the instrument according to the adjusted biopsy location pattern.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein adjusting the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on the location of the instrument and the respiratory data comprises:
 determining a displacement value caused by patient respiration; and   applying the displacement value to the movements of the instrument.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein adjusting the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on the location of the instrument and the respiratory data further comprises:
 determining a respiration phase and a respiration frequency of the patient from the respiratory data; and   determining the movements of the instrument based at least on the respiration phase and the respiration frequency.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein adjusting the biopsy location pattern to the tissue site based on the location of the instrument and the respiratory data further comprises:
 determining a respiration frequency of the patient from the respiratory data;   generating a filter based on the respiration frequency; and   applying the filter to location data of the instrument.